avourable breeze, and that
sometimes mud of various kinds made turbid the waters of the dancing
brook.

January passed away with his growing sunshine and his increasing winter
pomp. Waterfalls planted their edges with flowers, palms, grapes--yes,
whole fruit-trees of--ice. The bulfinches, with their red breasts, shone
like hopping flames upon the white snow. The winter bloomed in sparkling
crystals, which were strewn over wood and earth, in the song of the
throstle, in the glittering whiteness of the snow-fields. Timber was
felled in the woods, and songs from Tegner's Frithof resounded thereto.
People drove in sledges through the valleys, and on snow-skates over the
mountains. There was fresh life everywhere.

The contest at Semb, about Sweden and Norway, had ceased ever since
Christmas. It is true that Harald attempted various attacks upon Swedish
iron, the Swedish woods, and so on, but Susanna seemed not rightly to
believe in their seriousness, and would not on that account take up the
strife; and his last attempt on the Swedish wind fell so feebly, that
Harald determined to let the subject rest, and to look about for some
other matter of contention wherewith to keep himself warm during the
winter.

February and March came on. This is the severest time of a northern
winter. In January it is young, but it becomes now old, and grey and
heavy, especially in cottages, where there is no great provision for the
family. The autumn provision, as well in the house as in the yard, is
nearly consumed. It is hard for hungry children to trail home wood from
the forests, which is to boil for them in their kettle only thin
water-gruel, and not always that.

April came. It is called the spring month, and the larks sing in the
woods. But in the deep valley often prevails then the greatest anxiety
and want. Often then scatters the needy peasant ashes and sand upon the
snow which covers his acres, that it may melt all the sooner, and thus
he may be able to plough up his land between the snow walls which
surround it. Susanna during this month became well known in the cottages
of the valley, and her warm heart found rich material for sympathy and
help.

Harald thought this too good an opportunity to be lost for infusing into
Susanna a horror of himself and his character, and showed himself cold
and immovable to her description of the wants which she had witnessed,
and had a proud ability to say "no" to all her proposals for their
a