h
was first offered to her, at all events when she was alone, was not
esteemed in the least, and always obtained bad, and at the same time
dear goods. True it is that Petrea went a-shopping as little as
possible; whilst Louise, on the contrary, who took the difficult part of
commissioner for all her friends and acquaintance, was about as much at
home in a shop as in her own wardrobe.

It was unanimously decided that Sara, Louise, and Eva should all wear
the same dress on the evening of the great ball at Axelholm, which would
be given on the day they arrived there; namely, that they should wear
white muslin dresses, with pale pink sashes, and roses in their hair.
Petrea was enraptured by this project, and did not doubt but that her
sisters would be universally known by the appellation of "the three
Graces." For her own part, she would willingly have been called Venus,
but, alas! that was not to be thought of. She studied her face in all
the glasses in the house--"It is not so very bad-looking," thought she,
"if the nose were only different." Petrea was to appear at the ball in
sky-blue; and "the little lady" was quite enraptured by the
rose-coloured gauze dress which her mother was making for her.

The toilet occupied every one, body and soul.

FOOTNOTES:

[7] Hemkommeoel, literally, coming-home-ale. The names of many of the
domestic festivities of Sweden remind us very much of those of our own
old festivities; as church-ales, christening-ales, etc.: thus, barnsoel,
the christening-feast; grafoel, burial-feast; arfoel, the feast given by
the heir on descent of property, etc.--M. H.

CHAPTER VI.

CONFUSION.

A fine mizzling rain fell without; and Jacobi, with secret horror,
beheld Louise equipped in the "court-preacher," which became her so ill,
ready to go out with Eva, under shelter of the "family-roof," in order
to make good bargains. In the mean time Sara took her music lesson with
Schwartz, but had promised Petrea to go out with her in the afternoon,
in order to make good bargains likewise.

"Henrik!" said Jacobi to his young friend, "I fancy that we too are
going out on a 'good bargain' expedition. I want a pair of gloves,
and----"

"And perhaps we shall meet the sisters in the shop," said Henrik,
waggishly.

"Quite right," returned Jacobi, smiling; "but, Henrik, cannot you tell
your sister Louise that she should not wear that horrible black cloak? I
declare she does not look as----indeed she d