GIPSIES APPRECIATED. 155 to study its varied scenery. At any points of interest we could halt, without the thought of being behindtime at the next post station, or of being reminded by the Skydskarl that we were lingering too long. It was about seven o'clock; the morning was very sunny and pleasant as we came to a place said to be Tresgone. The name is not marked in our map. Noah and Zachariah went to a small log-house, near a mill, at the foot of a gorge, to purchase bread and butter. Directly the woman saw them, she shut the door with considerable haste; their Alpine stocks had created a sudden alarm. After reconnoitring them through her window, confidence was restored; she opened the door and did a stroke of business, selling us four loaves for fifteen skillings. A man on horseback, with white hair, kept with us occasionally for some miles; he had, naturally, white hair, like an Albino, and not the result of age. For some distance, at different points on the road, the peasants hurried from their work, and, with anxious faces, struggled to be in time to see our party pass; sometimes, an aged man, with serious weather-beaten face, wearing a red cap on his head, was awkwardly scrambling towards the road-fence, followed by a woman and children. At other times, two or three men would race along the road-fence and take up their position at some distance before us, waiting the moment when we should pass. In fact, at times, we almost felt as if we were marching past the saluting-point, leading a company at a review, though the group of peasants differed much from a staff of officers at a saluting-point; we had, nevertheless, to stand the test of what appeared to be a close and scrutinizing examination of our company. At one time, Noah played his violin as he sauntered along. Occasionally, Zachariah was a short distance in advance, with the donkeys, and the peasants collected at the road side, would politely take their hats off to him, an honour Zachariah appeared much to appreciate. We reached Branvold,* and at a station on the road side, we found we could post our letters. The house was remarkably clean and comfortable, and had, apparently, excellent accommodation. The civil pige found us a pen and ink, and went to call her young mistress, who had not yet left her room. We met a gentleman staying there who had been passenger on board the steamer on the Mjösen Lake; he went out to look at the donkeys. The young post mistress took our letters; one letter was to the gipsies' friends. She was a very agreeable, pleasant-looking girl, who spoke English with an admirable accent. We paid eight skillings, which she said the postage would amount to. Soon after we had left the station she came running to us, and said, "Mr. Smith, it is sixteen skillings;" and received the money. Shortly after, she came driving up in her carriole, and said, "Mr. Smith, I find it is sixteen skillings more." In truth, we were not sorry to see her again, she was such a kind, pleasant, merry girl, withal neatly dressed, and good-looking. We laughed, as we held out the palm of our hand containing a number of Norwegian * On the left of our road, by Brandvold and Söthorp, are the Espedal Nikel Works, on the Espedal Vand, which belonged in 1853 to an English company, who were said to employ as many as 500 hands, under the management of Mr. Forbes, by whose energy the nikel mines were first developed. The mines had many years previously been worked for copper. The nikel ore falling in value, the Espedal Works were sold to a Norwegian company. The scenery of the Espedal is wild and beautiful, and the lake is well stocked with trout. THE MANSION NEAR HARPE BRO. 157 coins that she might count out what she wanted; nor did we omit to pay a just tribute to her knowledge of the English language. After the young post mistress had left us, we came along the road towards a large house, having more of those characteristics of the country gentleman's residence than any we had yet seen. The house stood in its own grounds, at a short distance before we reached the turning from the main route to "Harpe Brö." When we passed by it, the gentleman and his family were assembled near the entrance-gate to the grounds. He was a fine, tall, gentlemanly man, accompanied by a very good-looking young lady, who stood near him. She was the best-looking young lady we had yet seen in Norway. Two young gentlemen, we supposed to be sons, were also there. The gentleman lifted his hat, and seemed to give us a kindly welcome; we returned his salutation. There was something pleasurable in such kindly feeling; we little think how much we can do in this world to lighten a lonely wayfarer's heart. THE CHAPTER XV. "We remounted, and I rode on, thinking of the vision of loveliness I was leaving in that wild dell. We travel a great way to see hills and rivers, thought I; but, after all, a human being is a more interesting object than a mountain. I shall remember the little gipsy of Hadjilar long after I have forgotten Hermus and Sipylus." N. P. WILLIS. VELOCIPEDE-ROADSIDE HALT-LOVELY SCENERY-DISAPPOINTED AUDIENCE-THE LITTLE GIPSY-THE LOST POCKET-THE SEARCH- CAMP WE had not gone far along the road, when we saw a blacksmith's shop; a man suddenly appeared from it, and came towards us on a velocipede แ 'Why," said Esmeralda, “there's a velocity"! "What broad wheels," said Zachariah. "It's Arthur coming to town," answered Noah. The man was working it along might and main, with his hair flying; he was a strong framed man, with an intelligent countenance. The velocipede was was probably manufactured by himself; although very roughly made, he managed to go at a fair pace; when we came to the route turning from the main road to "Harpe Brö" our companion with the naturally white hair, who had occasionally ridden with us during the morning, and by . ROADSIDE HALT. 159 whose assistance we had increased our vocabulary of Norwegian words, wished us good day. At a short distance beyond the blacksmith's shop, as our donkeys were in advance, they strayed off the road into an open fir wood. Two young ladies, and a man had followed us for a short distance; they seemed to think we were going to halt in the wood, and as they stood watching us, we thought they seemed disappointed, when the donkeys were driven back to the road, and continued their journey. It was rather too early in the day for rest. Sauntering quietly along, we at length came to an open space having a wooden seat; this accommodation we particularly noticed in Norway at some points on the wayside. Generally, in a pleasant romantic spot, the ground is gravelled from the road, and a long wooden seat is placed for the convenience, and rest of the weary wayfarer. In selecting this spot, care is taken that it is near water, and close by, we usually found a deliciously clear stream, to slake the travellers' thirst. On this occasion we at once commenced unloading our baggage near the wooden seat, and as we did not intend to remain very long, Noah left the pockets girthed on two of the donkeys, who soon after wandered off to graze. When we looked round we were struck with the beauty of the scene. Not far above us, on the opposite side the road, a log cottage stood lonely on the side of a steep rising hill. A brawling stream passed underneath the road near us; we saw it again, as it issued from a narrow brick arch, and was soon lost in the bushes of the declivity, which formed the bank of the Logan just below. The picturesque summit of a mountain closed the narrow valley from the world beyond. |