were the case, a roar of laughter echoed through the great room. It brought out some young ladies to see if what was going on were rolig—a word, I think, oftener used in the Swedish language than in any other, certainly oftener than we use its English expletive-amusing. But to see all the modest faces that were put to the blush when they heard that Madame had actually been inquiring for a hair-dresser!

Well," said the hostess at last, "it is not wonderful that Madame should do so, for in my younger days it was not thought improper to employ a man to dress hair."

"Improper!" I cried, opening my eyes, as a new light dawned on them, and that good wife's shocked expression of face reappeared before them;

Improper! why in England, where propriety is very much thought of, and in France too, that is an every-day occurrence."

"Yes, yes, that is not dangerous; and that I find quite a foolish idea, though it is our custom," said our hostess, for once in her life giving up the perfection and immutability of Swedish ways. "It was not so in my youth. No, when I was in the world it was not improper to have a hair-dresser."

The ladies ran away; and I asked the elder

one in private what it was that constituted this impropriety.

"That is just what I cannot well say," she replied; "but no lady here would have a man to dress her hair; they have women who are taught to do so."

"But these women are taught by men."

"Yes, but man kan inte hjelpe det."

"The fact is it is a lady's propriety, but not a woman's, that is shocked by employing a male hair-dresser," I remarked.

"It is our custom, Madame; but I grant you that I do not think it a wise one, for it was not thought dangerous when I was in the world forty years ago."

"But how can it be so now ?"

"Why-you know he must go into the ladies' apartments."

66 Yes, but men often do so here, at all times, and sit and talk there with them."

"Yes; but you know their toilet is not complete when their hair is to be dressed."

"But propriety is much more outraged when it is complete," I answered.

"Man kan inte hjelpe det," said the noble dame, and ran off to the kitchen.

Well, at last I am equipped for my presentation. Having spent the whole morning of a misty day walking about with Professor Retzius to see the schools, and some of the fabrications and artificers of Stockholm, I came back with a headache, and found my time would be well occupied in preparing for the momentous event before me. But, thanks to a kind Englishwoman, I was got ready in time.

Behold me, then, attired in a black silk dress, with little white silk sleeves, curiously looped up with black; and with a train that is the glory of all, and which gave full employment to the ancient Countess, who stands in the centre of the great saloon to imitate the Queen of Sweden, and still very condescendingly shows me how I am to let my train fall when I make my reverence, and to gather it up when the business is over; and telling me a tale of a splendid lady who made such a beautiful reverence, and wore such a full train, that her husband went with her to draw it out when she let it drop, so that it might be seen to advantage while she curtsied.

To tell the truth, these same "reverences" sadly disturbed my peace of mind. The Swedes, of all ranks, are undoubtedly the first curtsey

makers in the world—at least in the world that I

have seen.

I studied, and studied, and studied my reverences. I am sure I never knew my face and figure so well before then, for I was continually at the long glass; but yet it was with a failing heart that, at a quarter before nine o'clock on the evening of Carl's-day, I heard the cry, "The carriage is coming!" and saw the English-looking lights flashing through the gloom.

I ran full speed to the saloon, let fall my train, and made such a curtsey to my hostess, that the state-loving dame was enraptured, really thinking I meant it as a matter-of-fact leave-taking salutation to herself, whereas I only wanted to act again the rehearsal of my part at the Palace. She followed me as I got on my mufflers, calling out, even while venturing her nose into the miserably chilly air of the stone-passage, "Now, Madame, remember to let your train drop well when you make your reverence; and, remember, you must let it drop whenever the King, or Queen, or Princes come to speak to you; and you must let your long shawl drop from your shoulders alsoThe stairs were too long

and

you

must

and too cold for me to hear the rest.

With our mufflings on, we ascended the wide and very long stone stairs of the Swedish Palace. I thought we never should get to the top. Were it in England, we should believe we were mounting to a tower-top, instead of to the receptionrooms of a king; and yet the Palace of Stockholm, viewed outside, in my opinion wants elevation.

At last, having gained the summit, our boots and cloaks were taken off; my hood I displaced myself. I was the only lady of the party; and I was conducted by my kind patron to a room, where the lights, or my own pre-occupation, somewhat bewildering me, I saw only a number of officers, and ladies in court-dresses ranged in lines. I was not aware of the presence of the hero of the day, the dashing Crown Prince, and the Crown Princes, until my recent acquaintance, the Mistress of the Robes, coming up, caught my hand, and saying, "I will present you to their Royal Highnesses first ;" turned me round, and, to my confusion, showed me that I had not distinguished the handsome hussar uniform, which is nearly as rare now in Stockholm as Queen Anne's farthing in England. I was presented; and their Royal Highnesses talked to me in French,