hreshing, and the
different things belonging to a farmer's life seemed child's play
compared with this so-called enjoyment.

They did not understand why they got prizes for deeds they had not
done, and received the box of cigars or silver mug with unperturbed
serenity.

Consternation and resignation were the only expressions on their faces.
Neither did they understand when they were told to cry "Hurrah!" and
wave their hats after Howard should finish his oration. That he made
standing on a table. He expatiated on the beauty of liberty and the
soul-inspiring feeling of independence, and became quite eloquent. They
cheered in a spiritless and cheerless manner. For them liberty was a
high-sounding word which meant nothing. An enlightened government
provided them with all they needed. Why have the bother to choose your
doctor or your priest when all that is done for you? Only to pay taxes.
Can anything be more simple?

The games H. tried to teach them were not successful. They stood in a
circle and were told (Howard rubbed his hands in a dainty manner) that
"this is the way we wash our clothes." This did not appeal to them;
they knew too well how they washed theirs, and they saw no fun in
imitating such every-day affairs as washing and ironing.

Every way "we did" things had to be explained at length and translated
into Danish. And the most inexplicable of all the games was "Oranges
and lemons." When they were asked if they wanted oranges or lemons;
they all answered, truthfully and conscientiously, "Oranges." Who in
his senses would prefer a sour lemon to a juicy orange? The result was
that the battle was very one-sided--all oranges and only one lemon.

The dance was also rather dismal. The musicians played some national
waltzes, and the guests shuffled about on the sanded floor, treading a
slow measure and on one another's toes; the women held on to their
partners by their shoulders, and the men clutched the women round their
bulky waists. However, they all kept the measure, and some of the men
really danced quite well.

The _finale_ was the fireworks. It ought to have been a grand display,
but the rockets were damp, the "wheels," which ought to have wheeled up
in the air, merely whizzed on the ground and seemed to make for the
nearest guest in an absolutely vicious manner. All the things that
ought to have gone off stayed and sputtered.

As an entertainment it was a failure. The guests, however, had plenty
to ea