CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE. 2o 



tant. Now, the parish clerk is an official of some im- 

 portance in rural districts in this country, and as the 

 klokker-penge, or fees, are considerable, when a vacancy 

 occurs, there are many aspirants for the coveted office. 

 On the occasion in question, two candidates were in 

 the field, or to be precise, we should say in the snow, 

 and both started at the same time from Christiania for 

 the prceste-gaard, or house of the clergyman who was 

 to make the appointment. One started on horseback, 

 the other on skie. Bets ran high in Christiania on the 

 occasion, although the candidate on horseback was the 

 favourite, as it was naturally supposed he would arrive 

 the first at the winning-post, and gain the prize. There 

 is, however, nothing like leather, or, in this case, like 

 wood; and, as the horseman had to travel by a cir- 

 cuitous route, while the skie-lober cut over the hills, 

 and was, moreover, a practised skater, the latter ar- 

 rived first at his destination, and obtained the situ- 

 ation. 



