Page:The Leadbeater Papers (1862) Vol 1.djvu/57

part, grown young men. Several French men and boys came here in the time of my grandfather, to learn English, and they left the name of "the French room" to a large apartment in which they slept.

Two Norwegians were also sent to this school, the only natives of that country who were ever at it. They were both from Drontheim, perfect strangers to one another, and each was sent to Ballitore in order to be entirely out of the way of meeting with a fellow countryman. They came much about the same time. The elder was Svend Peter Stuberg; the other Laurence Nicholas Zelius, a beautiful gentle youth. He did not appear so quick in capacity as Stuberg, who was older and rougher, and quite baffled Zelius by speaking his own language to him; so that he could make no progress in English, and was obliged to quit the school, more regretted by others than by his countryman, who, it was thought, looked upon him as a rival in the affections of the family and neighbours. Peter then had the field to himself; he soon spoke and wrote English with facility; and amazed the villagers with his wonderful stories of northern superstition. After he left, he for several years kept up a correspondence with the family; presents were interchanged of the produce of the two countries; and once he paid us a visit, at which time I remember him playing on a German flute at the lime-kiln in the Mill-avenue, and remarking the effect of the echo. He told us he was about to marry a fine young woman of his own country, who was "very like Betsy Pim."