Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - I. Ancestry and country home in Sweden—Home influences—My first school years—Christmas—Military life—Departure for America
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
8
Story of an Emigrant.
assemble. Tliev came from every house and hamlet, in
sleighs with tinkling bells, on horseback, and on foot along
every road and winding pathway, usually in groups, swelling
as the parties and the roads intersected, many carrying
lanterns or burning pine-knots to light the way. Everywhere
the greeting, "Happy Christmas" was heard, but all with
joyful solemnity. Outside the church the burning torches
were thrown in a pile which formed a blaze that could be
seen a long distance off. The church was soon crowded;
then the solemn tones of the organ burst forth ; the organist
led in the beautiful hymn, "Yar halsad skona morgon
stund " (Be greeted joyful morning hour), in which every
member of the congregation joined, until the temple was
filled with their united voices so that the walls almost shook.
And when the minister ascended the pulpit, clad in his
surplice and black cape, he had before him a most devout
congregation. Of course the sermon was about the Messiah,
who was born in the stable, and placed in the manger at
Bethlehem. The next service was at ten o’clock, and the rest
of the day was spent quietly fit home bv everybody.
On the next day, called Second Day Christmas, the previous
solemnity was discarded, and the time for visiting and social
enjoyments commenced.
The one permanent virtue most conspicuous during the
whole Christmas season, which in those days extended way
into the month of January, was hospitality, and next to
that-or linked with it, charity. It seemed that the heart of everv
one expanded until it took in every fellow creature high and
low, and even the brute animals. Many and many were the
loaves of bread, grain and meal thrown out purposely for
thc birds or stray dogs that might be hungry, and many o
t ie fanners followed the beautiful Norwegian custom of
placing sheaves of oats and barley on the roof of their barns that
t i -* poor birds might also enjoy Christmas.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
