MY EOOM. 103 



treat to hear their remarks on my pictures. Old " Peter 

 Crawley" in private dress was taken by all for a respectable 

 Swedish ' ' bruckspatzon," and a peasant once asked me if 

 young John Day on the " Hero" was not our king, for he 

 never saw so grand a horse and rider in his life before. As for 

 my books, it was quite a mystery to the peasants what I 

 wanted them for, and as for my collecting tastes, I believe I 

 was looked upon by one and all as a harmless monomaniac. 

 I got my post twice a week from Carlstad, and the " Field " 

 and " Bell's Life" kept me informed of what was going on 

 in England. My guns, rifle, fishing-rods, hung round the 

 walls, and if any brother sportsman could have travelled up 

 blind-fold, and opened his eyes in my little cabin, he would 

 hardly have believed that he was in the wilds of the Swedish 

 forests. 



I insured all my goods and chattels for about 300, at 

 the yearly rate of 6s. I paid a small tax of 3s. each for my 

 dogs, but this is not done in all districts, and as I paid no 

 other tax, although I believe, strictly speaking, I ought to 

 have paid a small income-tax, I used to give away every 

 Christmas a few quarters of rye to the poor people in the 

 neighbourhood, and I always reckoned that this little invest- 

 ment brought me far better interest than I could have possibly 

 obtained anywhere else for my money, because I had in re- 

 turn the blessings of the poor and needy. I never could see 

 that in my neighbourhood any profuse liberality was expected 

 from me because I was an Englishman, nor that any attempt 

 was made to impose upon me on this account, at least, if 

 so, it was too trifling to be worthy of notice. I certainly 

 never yet saw a country where small favours are so thank- 

 fully received, especially among the poorer classes, and it is 

 really wonderful what an immense deal of real charity a 

 man has it in his power to do (and at a trifling expense) in a 

 country district, and depend upon it it will not be without 

 its return. 



Wood is universally used for firing here in iron stoves, 

 and when the ashes are burnt down, the chimney of the stove 

 is closed to drive the hot air into the room. By this means 



