can, my little Johanna, with God's help, have our wedding at midsummer, when you come from Stockholm to our good Gothland, where the human heart becomes again young, and where you will meet and be met by your faithful friend, and soon to be husband in time and eternity,

"whose name is

"PAUL PETTERSON.

"P.S. Mrs. Carlander sends you a remedy for toothache. It is burned pulverised alum, in a little black silk bag, to be worn at the pit of the stomach. It is infallible. I have impressed a kiss upon it and say with Mrs. Carlander, our great doctoress, No more toothache!"

Towards midsummer Paul Petterson wrote invitations to his wedding, and worded them according to the following formula :

"Mr. or Mrs. M. N. are invited by their presence to witness my marriage, which will take place the 24th inst., in my house, which will fall on Thursday.

"PAUL PETTERSON,

"Head-gardener."

LIGHTS AND SHADOWS.

AXEL did not reply to Rosa's letter, but at midsummer he himself made his appearance at Östervi. He came as to relatives long known and loved. He paid so much attention to Rosa's father, was so like a brother to Algott, so friendly with Mrs. Carlander (whilst he joked so pleasantly about her remedy, especially her head-remedy for the stomach), was so uncle-like in his amiability to her children, so agreeable to everybody, that he completely captivated them, and his presence was felt as a refreshment to all at Östervi. Even Moppe and Misse expressed their satisfaction in him by a thousand frolics, which Axel knew how to encourage, so that Dora was ready to kill herself with laughing.

But no one felt his presence such a blessing as Rosa, because its effect upon her father was an

unspeakable joy to her. Professor Norrby seemed in the return of Axel to have found again a son, and conversed with him as he had not conversed with any one for a long time. His temper became more equable and cheerful than it had been since Rosa's first visit to the capital. At the same time Axel was so circumspect in his behaviour to Rosa, that no one could have surmised in him any tenderer feeling towards her, and she herself might have doubted it, had not sometimes a glance, a silent pressure of the hand, said to her, "It is all for your sake!"

Axel remained at Östervi eight days, the happiest that had yet been spent there by any one. During this time Paul Petterson celebrated his marriage with all the customary out of doors games, and merry devices peculiar to Gothland.

The love of athletic games is a characteristic feature of the Gothlanders. Among those which still most frequently take place between the youth of different parishes, the most distinguished is a kind of ball-game called Pärk, which requires no small degree of strength and skill. Four other

games are also common, as foot-races, throwing the warp, a game which is played with large round stones; hank, a trial of strength between two persons sitting with their feet against each other, and holding with both hands a thick stick, which the victor is to wrest from his opponent; fingerkrok, a contest of strength between the middle fingers of the right hand; and störta stång, in which the game consists in hurling or whirling round in the air a heavy stang about five ells in length, and he is the victor who can whirl it aloft most times, or fling it farthest from the spot on which the combatants stand.

These games, or, as they are called, Våg, or balance, generally take place in an open glade or meadow-ground in some of the numerous extensive groves of Gothland, and are witnessed by persons of all classes. Not unfrequently the men of one parish challenge those of another to a contest at these games. Elderly people preside at them, who lay down laws for the occasion, examine the ground, decide what games shall take place, and act as umpires in case of quarrels arising. At the close

of such contest the youth of both parties assemble to dance and merriment with the young girls of the neighbourhood; and the men of the parish which has been beaten must entertain the victors.

Axel did not on this occasion belie his Gothlandic descent, but soon showed that he could throw the ball with both hand and foot, almost as well as the other young men, and as Master Paul Petterson himself.

"I shall come again next midsummer," said Axel, when he took his leave; and it sounded to all as an announcement of joy, even to Rosa, but ah! to her, also an announcement of disquiet. For before he left he had begged Rosa to take a walk with him in the groves, and there again he solemnly vowed to her his love, his resolve to obtain her father's consent, to overcome in short by love and patience all impediments, and to win her for his wife; he embraced her as his bride, as "his life's rose." After this time there was no longer tranquillity for Rosa's heart. Her wish and the purpose of her life were unmoved, but her heart was agitated as by a tempest.