A Happy Boy

his tasks. This was because at home he loved his mother and at school the school-master; he saw but little of his f

sat by the hearth. It sank into his books, it thrust itself beneath every word the school-master spoke, it lurked in the school-room when

tory ra

watch, which had a wide-spread fame, because it was the only gold watch people in that part of the country had seen, and when it was put up many a rich man tried to get it until the two brothers began to take part in the bidding; then the rest ceased. Now, Baard expected Anders to let him have the watch, and Anders expected the same of Baard; each bid in his turn to put the other to the test, and they looked hard at each other while bidding. When the watch had been run up to twenty dollars, it seemed to Baard that his brother was not acting rightly, and he continued to bid until he got it almost up to thirty; as Anders kept on, it struck Baard that his brother could not remember how kind he had always been to

nd turning left the room. A little later, some one came out to him, just

," said the man; "A

rse was saddled, but Baard paused with his hand on its back, uncertain whether to ride away or no. Now many people came out, among the

You will not see it run the day y

n," replied Baard, his face very whi

t foot in the house where the

ly cow he owned was found dead beyond the north side of the house, where it was tethered, and no one could find out what had killed it. Several misfortunes followed, and h

l," said Anders,-and he wept that night. He was

his room. Anders was in bed when

cried, then stood silent, st

little before

elp, Anders; things ar

hould, Baard! Go, I am not su

ke, Anders

God be mercif

steps, and with quiver

he watch you s

other, and Baard left, n

d saw him; he had grown pale and thin; he wore the same clothes as in former days when the brothers were constant companions, but now they were old and patched. During the sermon Anders kept his eyes fixed on the priest, and Baard thought he looked good and kind; he remembered their childhood and what a good boy Anders had been. Baard went to communion that day, and he made a solemn vow to his God that he would be reconciled with his brother whatever might happen. This determination passed through his soul while he was drinkin

to-day," said she; "he

," said Anders. "I know him

a cold evening. The wife inside was busied with a kettle that crackled and hissed on the hearth;

of each other without be

something else,"

ith him from the war, the match to Baard's, and which he had promised his brother never to touch but to leave for an heirloom, Baard having given him a similar promise. Anders' uniform was now patched and worn; his strong, well-built frame was encased, as it were, in a bundle of rags; and, at

es;-O Lord

ghed, and it seemed so difficult, more was not required to hold him back. Anders took up his armful o

was too cowardly to go in, and so he now formed a new plan. From an ash-box which stood in the corner he had just left, he took some bits of charcoal, found a resinous pine-splint, went up to the barn, closed the door and struck a light. When he had lit the pine-splin

und during the night. No doubt sparks had fallen from the

in the house thought he had gone mad. But in the evening he went out; it was bright moonlight. He walked to his brother's pl

that he went in to his brother, imploring

he place the preceding Sunday evening; the people in the house where he lived testified how curiously he had acted on

hing against Baard, but

did he feel able to

mediately thought: "Now he is smitten with remorse, but for such a terrible crime against his brother he shall have no forgiveness." Afterwards he heard how people

eyes wore so piteous an expression of entreaty that Anders felt it in the inmost depths of his heart. "He does not want me to s

oad to ruin. Still worse was it with Baard; although he did not drink

d himself, and went with her without a word. There was a glimmer of light from Anders' window, it twinkled and disappeared, and they were guided by this light, for there was no path across the snow. When Baard stood once more in the p

ent fit of weeping. The sick man looked at him intently and said nothing. At length he asked his wife to go out, but Baard made a sign to her to remain; and now these two brothers began to talk together. They accounted for everything fr

not able to do so, but Baard watch

waking. "Now, my brother, we will live long together

t day h

st respected man among them. He was honored as one who had known great sorrow and found happiness again, or as one who had been absent for a very long time. Baard grew inwardly strong through all this friendliness about him; he became a truly pious

The school-master grew to be almost a supernatural being in his eyes, although he sat there so sociably, grumbling at the scholars. Not to know

speech to them, and at least once a week read aloud some verses about loving one's neighbor. When he read the first of

ghbor with Ch

not with a

in dust be

owerful, qui

rever, wit

it has

oem and had paused a little, he wou

thout any noise,-go quietly, that I may

oise in hunting up their books and d

ll give you a thrashing. Come again in good season, li