Jerusalem

ght and bracing that no words can describe it. The horses were frisky from the morning air, and pulled the plow along as i

happy in the thought of soon being able to sow his rye. "Why is it that I feel so discouraged at times and think life

the setting. At the very heart of the valley, as if to complete the picture, lay a big old-fashioned farmstead, with many gray outhouses and a large red dwelling-house. At the gables stood two tall, spreading pear trees; at the gate were a couple of young

ses, fine cattle and horses, and servants who are as good as gold. At least you a

ndered. "And a moment ago you were feeling so happy. Ponder well this one thing: in father's time all the neighbours were guided by him in all their undertakings. The morning he began haymaking they did likewise and the day we s

ore for my hay than father ever got for his, and I'm not satisfied to let the weed-choked ditches which crossed the farm in

y that the Ingmarssons had been on earth such a long time that they must know what was pleasing to our Lord. Therefore the people fairly begged them to rule over the parish.

an ever for me in the fall. If I should do what I'm now thinking of doing, neither the parson nor the judge will shake hands with me when we meet at the church on a Sun

y as if some one had whispered them into his ear. Only on rare occasions had he been able to think as quickly and clearly as on that day, and the thought of it gladdened and encouraged him. It occurred to him that he was giving himself

come wandering up to him? I fancy him settled on a big farm, with many fields and meadows, a large house and barns galore, with lots of red

amuse him greatly, and he was so carried away by them that he hardly knew whether or not he was still upon

so many people I become shy and linger at the door. Father sits at the head of the table, and the instant he sees me he says; 'Welcome, little Ingmar Ingmarsson!' Then father gets up and comes over to me. 'I'd like to have a word with you, father,'

t room, but since it's just I he walks out into the kitchen instead. There

everything back home?' 'Oh, everything is all right there; last year we got twelve krone

ren't you one of the district councillors?' the old man asks. 'I'm not on the School Board, or in the vestry, nor am I a councillor.' 'What have you

ke you a good wife.' 'But that's exactly what I can't do, father,' I reply. 'There is not a farmer in the parish, even among the poor and lowly, wh

ms to have lost all remembrance of how things are down on earth. 'No, but they are well-to-do people, and you must surely remember that Brita's father is a member of Parliament?' 'Yes, of

, too, so that mother was pleased with my choice. All might have turned out well but, you see, the mistake of it was that she didn't want me.' 'It's of no consequence what such a slip of a girl

was fixed. So Brita came down to the Ingmar Farm to help mother. I say, mother is getting old

so mother I decided it was best to put off the wedding a year. You see, I thought it didn't matter so much

I felt that I couldn't afford a wedding just then. There had been the funeral in the spring, and we didn't want to take the money out of the bank.' 'You did quite right in waiting,

Farm. I put up with it for a time; then, one day, I asked mother why Brita was looking so pale and wild eyed. Mother said it was because she was with child, and she would surely be her old self again once that was over with. I had a faint suspicion that Brita was brooding ov

he saw before him the face of his father. "I shall have to lay the whole case befor

r give her up and send her home. However, it was too late to think of that. Then, one evening, early in May, we discovered tha

er have done this thing had I married her. She said she had been thinking that since I did not want my child honourably born, I should have no child.' Father is dumb with grief, but by and by he says to me: 'Would you have been glad of the child, little Ingmar?' 'Yes,' I answer. 'Poor boy! It's a shame that you should have fallen in with a bad woman! She is in prison, of course,' says father. 'She was sent up for three years.' 'And it's because of this that no man will let yo

ying her. I would have sent her back to her parents in a week or so and the banns annulled, on the grounds that she was not happy with us.' 'That's all very well, but no one can expect a young chap like you to have an old man's head on him.' 'The whole parish thinks that I behaved badly toward Brita.' 'She has done worse in bringing disgrace upon honest folk.' 'But I made her take me.' 'She ought to be mighty glad of it,' says father. 'But, father, don't you think it is my fault he

s quite still an

one harsh word did she say against me. She took all the blame to herself. Many in that courtroom were mov

r does not

ks all feel that she has brought shame upon them, and they're pretty sure to let her know it, too! There will be nothing

er doesn'

dservants will look down upon is not a pleasant prospect for a man with a big farmstead. No

not a word o

ered her so innocent of any wrong that I would marry her then and there, if she could only think better of me. I said that so the judge would give her a lighter sentence. Al

d ponders, but

d we Ingmars have always wanted to stand well in the sight of God. And yet some

doesn't ut

t giving a helping hand. I have passed through too much these las

its there

and will lose much if I marry her. Every one seems to think I've alread

make father

, while the other farms have all changed hands. And the thought comes to me that it may be because the Ingmars

a difficult problem, my son. I guess I'll go i

ter hours and hours of this, I get cross and go to him. 'You must have patience, little Ingmar,' says father. 'This is a difficult question.'

the horses were tired out and could scarcely drag it. When he came to the e

Even while you are asking, you discover all at once what you hadn't bee

time it seemed so hard to him that the mere thought

oe tips. He kept glancing round-about, after the manner of journeymen painters, to find an unpainted farmhouse or one that needed repainting. He had seen, here and there, one and another which he thought might answer his purpose, but he could not seem to fix upon any special one. Then, finally, from the

urhood," thought the painter. "He can tell me all I need know about that homestead yonder." Whereupon he crossed the pat

d, and stood staring at the m

could not answer the man. He distinctly recalled that every time any one had said to his father: "You ought to have that big,

me, and a third, but Ingmar stood there,

he wondered. "Is this a message from father

hired the man on the spot. Then he went on wi

to do this now that you know for ce