Full resolution (TIFF) - On this page / på denna sida - Chapter XI. Review of Ivar's fate.
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#2 THE SKJUTS-BOY.
"Out mutual position was rather that of a father and a son,
than that of a toaster and a servanç. 1: loved the old man,
because he acted toward me more than a father would bave done,
and because he was noble in all his doings, and withal strictly
honest, l#oestorp became dearer and more valuable fo me every
day. I now knew what if was fo bave a home, which, never#he-
less, did hOt contain everything that should and ought fo
complete my happiness.
":[Vfatilda, the only daughter and sole child of my patron, was
about twelve years of age when I came fo the house. The girl
had the best heart and the kindest disposition with whîch nature
can ever endow a human being; but ber mother’s unfortunate
"¢anity, which looked upon ber child as containing nothing but
perfection, implanted in ber mind a visible inclination fo vanity,
which was much more disgusting as :M:atflda was homely, and
possessed no# sufficient talents fo acquire those perfections which
he.r mother meant almost fo force upon ber. l#either can I
exempt my late father-in-law from a slight touch of a like weak-
ness. But Matilda was Iris only child, and upright man as he
was, for the test, I bave never heard him express himself so
energetically as I could bave wished, against the perverted
teachings of his wife. The girl was sent fo Stockholm, that she
might obtain a more polite education than the residence in the
country could afford, but returned, at least according fo my
views, still more corrupt; for the lonely lire in ber father’s bouse
was clearly against ber own feelings. Her sole occupation was
singing and playing on the piano, and ber faste and ear were
so much below all criticism, that the barsh cawing of crows was
heavenly music beside ber performance. When she did hot make
music, she redined upon the sofa with a French novel in ber
hand, chattered :French more tban she did Swedish, which gained
for ber throughout the whole neighbourhood the reputation of
being an exceedingly well-educated lady.
"Her mother was enchanted with ber, and entertained the
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