178 HE IS RECOGNIZED. 



named Anders Persson, resident at a place called Rankhyttan, 

 situated about twelve or fourteen miles to the south of the 

 celebrated copper mines of Fahlun. This individual and 

 himself had been fellow-students together some years before 

 at Upsala ; but in the knight's disguise Persson did not recog- 

 nize him. For several days he was here employed in the barn 

 in thrashing, receiving the wages of a common labourer.* 



The other servants, however, having remarked the fine- 

 ness of his linen, and that he seemed little accustomed 

 to his present occupation, arrived at the conclusion that he 

 was not what he professed to be, and communicated their 

 suspicions to their master. Persson on this took Gustavus 

 aside, and after steadily gazing on his face, recognized in his 

 newly-engaged man his old college chum ! 



On making the discovery he welcomed him most kindly to 

 his house, inquiring what extraordinary circumstance could 

 have led him to assume his present disguise ? In reply, 

 Gustavus informed him, with tears in his eyes, of Stock- 

 holm's " Blod-bad ;" of the death of his own father, and 

 several of his nearest relations; of the captivity of his 

 mother and sisters ; that he himself was outlawed, and 

 sought after in every direction by the emissaries of Christian ; 

 but thaj the fallen state of his poor oppressed country preyed 

 on his mind more heavily than all the rest. He told Persson, 

 moreover, that if he and other patriotic Swedes would place 

 him at the head of an armed force, be it ever so small, he 

 would hazard life itself for the honour and liberty of their 

 common father-land. 



* In commemoration of this his occupation, the barn at Rankhjttan is to 

 this day kept in good repair ; and the spot is shown on the thrashing floor : 

 " Der Kung Gustaf troskat" that is, where King Gustavus wielded the flail. 



