6 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINN & US 



Many vehicles, of a sort between a cart and a 

 carriage, drive into the yard, arid the drivers unharness 

 and put up their horses in free, old-fashioned, homely 

 style, and, doffing their huge frieze overcoats, awaken 

 themselves up into the belief that it is a pleasant sum- 

 mer-like day. Such a funny old equipage has just 

 driven into the yard ! an ancient form of cabriolet or 

 chariot with a hood ; low, small, crunched-up, and, oh, 

 so shabby-genteel ! Out of it step an ancient pair, in 

 clothing like old pictures, just spoiled with a few 

 modern remnants of the fashion of ten years ago. The 

 lady trails her snuff-brown silk skirt, with one scanty 

 flounce at the bottom of it, through the farmyard with 

 a genteel amble, keeping her quality from contact with 

 the general coffee-room. She is unaware that dresses 

 are worn short now, and that flounces such as hers are 

 no longer admired. The gentleman's tailor can never 

 have smiled again after executing that esteemed order. 

 The gentleman, furnished by him, is short, and stout, 

 and brown of extreme neutrality a faded brown, 

 further neutralised by long lying by, when the style of 

 the day I speak of Sweden is a symphony in spinach 

 colour, with velvet collar of a livelier hue of green, a 

 bronze-green billycock hat with a peacock's feather in 

 the band, and a tasty alpaca umbrella of ultramarine 

 blue, all cushiony and full. They use a simple sort of 

 sledge here in the snow-time one sees them lying by 

 in handy corners ; in summer they run light home- 

 made well-made carriages, constructed to hold two 



