The Argosy — page 305: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

288 About Norway. duties, and the place seemed to be in charge of women folk. The first sight to greet us was a view of the three Dutchmen, who had taken possession of the whole room, chairs, tables and couches, but who departed five minutes after our entrance, having during that time behaved with as much indirect rudeness as could be condensed into the moments. ‘They went off with the only available carrioles in the place, exulting aloud at the manner in which they had left those who would follow after to less good fortune than their own. The serving woman, a good-looking, middle-aged maiden, was wonderfully attentive, pressed all kinds of good things upon us, was distressed that we did not make an end of everything, and charged us very moderately at the last. Asareturn for so much attention NEAR FAGERNAES, and friendly feeling, we offered her on our departure a gratuity which we thought only too small, but which she considered so out of proportion to her due, that in the humblest and most grateful manner she tendered us back a portion thereof. How many would possess this tender conscience in more civilized parts of the world? Some weeks later on when we again visited the station, the woman recognised us in a moment, and greeted us quite as old friends. A beaming smile lit up her comely face; she rushed to the day- book, found our names all those weeks back, and pointed them out triumphantly. Then she turned to the Dutchmen’s signatures, just above our own, and made a face and a gesture expressive of dislike and contempt. The landlord himself was at home this time; was very obliging, and pretended to be nothing more than he really was. At home, to his guests at any rate, he was evidently not the member Gomichbooks.co