326 THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



was almost always of cobourg, grey, brown, or purple. 

 Osla had chosen sober grey. A light cream-coloured 

 shawl round her shoulders, a large net cap, busked 

 with an enormous quantity of narrow ribbons of all 

 shades of colour, like a gaudy floral crown, white 

 woollen home-made stockings, and low leather shoes, 

 completed her attire. Anything in the shape of a 

 bonnet would have been utterly out of place, and 

 never formed part of the get-up of a Shetland 

 bride. 



The parish school stood at a short distance from 

 the church, and the boys, as usual on such occasions, 

 had asked and obtained a half-holiday to see the 

 wedding-party. Emerging from the church, the gay 

 company was saluted with vociferous cheers. The 

 gunner fired off his piece in acknowledgment; the 

 biggest schoolboy sent a football high in the air; and 

 round and round the wedding-party, for a mile or two 

 of the walk homeward, the urchins kept up the ball- 

 playing, racing and shouting like mad. The correct 

 thing was for the bridegroom to give a new football 

 to the schoolboys or a shilling in lieu of one. If the 

 latter, it was at once presented to the bride, and the 

 greatest care was then taken that the old ball should 

 be kept going, but never fall amongst the company. 

 But if the niggardly bridegroom failed in this 

 customary courtesy of a new ball or shilling, the 

 inevitable consequence was that the ball was merci- 

 lessly and persistently played amongst the party, to 

 the great damage of the girls' fineries. ISTed, popular 



