rtant landed-proprietors in the
parish of Great T. have been induced to give their votes to Jacobi, who,
though yet young, has been proposed; and thus he will receive one of the
largest and most beautiful livings in the bishopric, and Louise will
become a greatly honoured pastor's wife--'provost's wife' she herself
says prophetically.

"The only _but_ in this happiness is, that it will remove Jacobi and
Louise so far from us. Their highest wish had been to obtain the rural
appointment near this city; and thus we might in that case have
maintained our family unbroken, even though Louise had left her home;
but--'but,' says our good, sensible 'eldest,' with a sigh, 'all things
cannot be perfect here on earth.'

"The day of nomination falls early in the spring; and Jacobi, who must
enter upon his office immediately after his appointment, wishes to
celebrate his marriage at Whitsuntide, in order that he may conduct his
young wife into his shepherd's hut along flower-bestrewn paths, and by
the song of the lark. Mrs. Gunilla jestingly beseeches of him not to
become too nomadic: however, this is certain, that no living being has
more interest about cows and calves, sheep and poultry, than Louise.

"The future married couple are getting their whole household in order
beforehand; and Gabriele heartily amuses herself with such fragments of
their entertaining conversation as reach her ear, while they sit on the
sofa in the library talking of love and economy. But it is not talking
_alone_ that they do, for Jacobi's heart is full of warm human love; and
our father has not the less imparted to all his children somewhat of his
love for the general good, although Gabriele maintains that her portion
thereof is as yet very small.

"It gives one great pleasure to see the betrothed go out to make
purchases, and then to see them return so cordially well pleased with
all they have bought. Louise discovers something so unsurpassably
excellent in everything with which she furnishes herself, whether it be
an earthen or a silver vessel. When I look at these two, like a pair of
birds carrying together straws to their nest, and twittering over them,
I cannot help thinking that it must be a greater piece of good fortune
to come to the possession of a humbly supplied habitation which one has
furnished oneself, than to that of a great and rich one for which other
people have cared. One is, in the first place, so well acquainted with,
so on thee-a