Little Tora, The Swedish Schoolmistress and Other Stories

it really was. It was no true Swedish face, yet such faces are often found among the fair children of the North. The boy had a clear, dark complexion, and his waving ha

and so they want me to live?" he said at last. "I cannot make promises I do not mean to keep. I can do many things, but I cannot take

ould! He would not be confirmed! He would not assume obligations contrary to his wishes, and make professions he did not honestly mean! There

ts were invited for the splendid dinner his parents were to give in his honour. He would be expected to appear in one of the stylish new suits provided for him as now a fully-grown young gentleman. He would be toasted, complimented, and, in short, the hero of

one of his closets, and it was soon packed with his new garments and a few specially dear personal valuables. There were no books but the pocket Bible, in wh

was soon in the open air. There was a light still in the stable-boy's room, and he would so have

panes, and could see the boy bending over a book. He tapped g

d, "and I want your help. Get up t

nk he had set down beside him. "Where is Master Alf going?" asked the boy an

seem to make promises I don't intend to keep. I mean to be an ho

you make the promises and try t

u mean to do-eh?" said the

nd I mean to try. It won't be easy. That's all I understand about it." The round, dull face of the boy expressed clear determination, and he look

u, and tell her, too, I have taken with me the Bible she gave me, and I'll read in it a bit every day for her sake. I b

Alf?" urged the boy. "I'm afr

u don't know how a gentleman feel

ation, he said that was a good old custom that it was well to follow, but any way when boys get to our age they've got to make up their minds what sort of men they mean to be, and start clear and determined on the right track, or else they'll be sure, as the world is, to go to the

r me!" said Alf impatiently. "Attend to your business at o

do!" murmured Lars to himself,

in his hand, and tossed a bit of silver to the serious,

es. His motives for what he was now doing stood out plainly before him. It was true that he did not wish to pledge himself openly to a life he did not intend to lead, but it was also true that it had long bee