IN BEAUTIFUL DELECARLIA 



467 



will be there, and when they show signs 

 of restlessness they are given an apple 

 or a garlic, so that by the time the 

 preacher reaches his "few words in con- 

 clusion" there is a decided odor of onions 

 in the church. Since this is about the 

 only time when the good people are as- 

 sembled, every advantage is taken of the 

 occasion, and a farmer who has a pig, 

 calf, or colt to sell brings it with him, 

 and as soon as the benediction is pro- 

 nounced the would-be purchasers assem- 

 ble about the proffered stock and discuss 

 their defects instead of those of the ser- 

 mon. While this use of the time and 

 place may not be the best, it is more prac- 

 tical and less hurtful than the exchange 

 of gossip so common in the more fashion- 

 able churches. 



After service those who came from a 

 distance may visit friends in the village 

 or walk through the shady groves, but 

 at a given hour they reassemble on the 

 beach and start on the homeward jour- 

 ney. As they row up the lake, men and 

 women bending rythmically over the 

 oars, the bright hues of their costumes 

 flash out like kaleidoscopic colors in the 

 bright sunlight, and the hills echo the 

 hymns they are singing. 



ALMOST EVERY ARTICLE WORN IS MADE AT 

 HOME 



Home industry is practiced and almost 

 every article worn is made at home. In 

 Leksand the women's skirts are of black- 

 homespun, with a gayly colored band 

 about the waist. The same kind of skirts 

 are worn both in the fields and at church, 

 the only difference being that a newer 

 one is selected for the latter occasion. 

 An apron is ever present, the one for 

 every-day wear is striped and of many 

 colors, while a green apron is needed for 

 some prayer days and a red one for 

 others. The ofverdel, as it is called, 

 shows only the sleeves. It is white and 

 made of homespun linen, and is so care- 

 fully preserved that some see service for 

 many years. 



The one I have was made in 1854. 

 Here the fondness for embroidery shows 

 itself in decorating the sleeves near the 



shoulders and at the wrists. The bodice 

 is of red material, also of homespun, 

 made with narrow black strips, and a 

 cap of the same goods for unmarried 

 girls, while the married wear a cap of 

 white, and for mourning a white square 

 kerchief is laid over. Yellow is the color 

 that rule prescribes for mourning, and 

 for wedding nothing but blue will an- 

 swer. In this last-named case the apron 

 has for a trimming a narrow braid 

 stitched across the bottom. 



The wedding dress is further orna- 

 mented by the addition of a variety of 

 ribbons and bits of finery not worn on 

 ordinary occasions, together with a silk 

 body more or less covered with em- 

 broidery. Around the neck is worn a 

 bright-colored kerchief, which gives way 

 on wedding and holidays to a kerchief 

 of long ago, richly embroidered with 

 black silk in cross-stitched pattern. On 

 these occasions the old leather belt is 

 brought forth and worn above the nar- 

 row belt of the skirt. This leather girdle, 

 quite covered with pewter stars, is 

 buckled in front, and on either side rib- 

 bons are looped on to designate brides 

 and bridesmaids. 



The children wear a dress of bright 

 orange color, and while small and hardly 

 able to support so much clothing of such 

 variety, they are decked out with apron 

 and kerchief like that of their older sis- 

 ters, but with caps of a different shape. 

 It is well that they are not the same, for 

 to arrange the cap of a grown-up per- 

 son requires no little skill. 



The hair is divided into two parts. If 

 long enough it is wrapped with white 

 tape and the whole put in a coil around 

 the head ; if the hair is too short a flax 

 twist or switch is made use of for a simi- 

 lar purpose to round out the head into 

 its proper shape. Over the foundation 

 thus laid the cao is tightly drawn down 

 over the ears. It is very comfortable, 

 if properly put on, and in winter it helps 

 to keep the ears warm. 



FARMING UNDER DIFFICULTIES 



In the country districts of Sweden the 

 women assist the men in the farm work, 



