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Updated: May 9, 2025
Oyvind's eyes turned to the man, who wore a fine blue broadcloth suit, blue checked shirt, and a soft silk neckerchief; he had a small face, vigorous blue eyes, a laughing, defiant mouth. He was handsome.
After all was ended the relatives and acquaintances came up to offer their congratulations; next came Oyvind's comrades to take leave of him, as they had heard that he was to depart the next day; then there came many little ones with whom he had coasted on the hill-sides and whom he had assisted at school, and who now could not help whimpering a little at parting.
The school-master moved slowly along at Oyvind's side, watching his old pupil closely; the father walked at a respectful distance. And thus they reached home.
What he impressed upon the children, first and last, was love, and he practiced it himself, so that the children clung to him as to a playmate and father in one. Such was the history of the school-master, and so deeply did it root itself in Oyvind's mind that it became both religion and education for him.
In those days while they were preparing at Pladsen for the confirmation, they were also preparing for Oyvind's departure for the agricultural school, for this was to take place the following day. Tailor and shoemaker were sitting in the family-room; the mother was baking in the kitchen, the father working at a chest.
After they had all silently entered the house, the father sat down by the window, and gazed out after Ole, with much earnestness in his face; Oyvind's eyes hung on the slightest change of countenance; for on his father's first words almost depended the future of the two young people. If Thore united his refusal with Ole's, it could scarcely be overcome.
But when they were making the most noise in hunting up their books and dinner-pails, he shouted above it all, "Come again to-morrow, as soon as it is light, or I will give you a thrashing. Come again in good season, little girls and boys, and then we will be industrious." Of Oyvind's further progress until a year before confirmation there is not much to report.
"School-master!" He did not hear. "School-master!" Oyvind had to repeat this three times before it was heard. At last the school-master looked at him. "Number nine or ten, I do not remember which," said he, and turned to another. "Who is number one, then?" inquired Hans, who was Oyvind's best friend.
When the young man had given Marit his hand, and was leading her to the altar, the school-master nodded at him from the chancel, just as Oyvind had seen him do, in fancy, when sitting sorrowfully at that dance long ago. Oyvind nodded back while tears welled up to his eyes. These tears at the dance were the forerunners of those at the wedding. Between them lay Oyvind's faith and his work.
It lasted a long time, but the school-master waited until the weeping grew more childlike. Then taking Oyvind's head in both hands, he raised it and gazed into the tear-stained face. "Do you believe that it is God who has been with you now," said he, drawing the boy affectionately toward him.
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