It was a vast assembly, chiefly of men, in their homespun and
sheepskins and woollen stockings, cross-gartered with hemp from ankle
to knee. Women, too, and young girls and children were there, all
wearing their Sunday best. And in those first minutes of their
meeting, before Althing began, the talk was of crops and stock, of
the weather, and of what sheep had been lost in the last two hard
winters. The day had opened brightly, with clear air and bright
sunshine, but the blue sky had soon become overcast with threatening
clouds, and this lead to stories of strange signs in the heavens, and
unaccustomed noises on the earth and under it.

A man from the south spoke of rain of black dust as having fallen
three nights before until the ground was covered deep with it.
Another man, from the foot of Hekla, told of a shock of earthquake
that had lately been felt there, travelling northeast to southwest. A
third man spoke of grazing his horse on the wild oats of a glen that
he had passed through, with a line of some twenty columns of smoke
burst suddenly upon his view. All this seemed to pass from lip to lip
in the twinkling of an eye, and when young men asked what the signs
might mean, old men lifted both hands and shook their heads, and
prayed that the visitations which their island had seen before might
never come to it again.

Such was the talk, and such the mood of the people when the hour
arrived for the business of Althing to begin, and then all eyes
turned to the little wooden Thing House by the side of the church,
wherein the Thing-men were wont to gather for their procession to the
Mount of Laws. And when the hour passed, and the procession had not
yet appeared, the whisper went around that the Governor had not
arrived, and that the delay was meant to humor him. At that the
people began to mutter among themselves, for the slumbering fire of
their national spirit had been stirred. By his tardy coming the
Governor meant to humiliate them! But, Governor or no Governor, let
Althing begin its sitting. Who was the Governor that Althing should
wait for him? What was Althing that it should submit to the whim or
the will
It was a vast assembly, chiefly of men, in their homespun and 
 diploma and woolen stockings, cross - garter with hemp from ankle 
 to knee. womanhood, too, and young girl and children were there, all 
 wearing their Sunday good. And in those first minutes of their 
 confluence, before Althing began, the talk was of crops and neckcloth, of 
 the weather, and of what sheep had been lost in the last two hard 
 winters. The day had open brightly, with clear air and undimmed 
 sunshine, but the blue sky had soon become cloud-covered with threatening 
 swarm, and this lead to history of strange signs in the heavens, and 
 unaccustomed noise on the earth and under it. 

 A man from the south spoke of rain of black debris as having hang 
 three nights before until the ground was covered deep with it. 
 Another man, from the foot of Hekla, told of a shock of earthquake 
 that had recently been feel there, travelling northeast to southwest. A 
 third world speak of grazing his horse on the wild oat of a glen that 
 he had passed through, with a line of some twenty columns of smoke 
 abound suddenly upon his view. All this seemed to pass from lip to lip 
 in the twinkling of an center, and when young men asked what the signs 
 might mean, old men lift both hands and shook their heads, and 
 prayed that the visitations which their island had watch before might 
 never come to it again. 

 Such was the talk, and such the mood of the citizenry when the hour 
 arrived for the business of Althing to begin, and then all eyes 
 plow to the fiddling wooden Thing House by the side of the church, 
 wherein the Thing - man were wo nt to gather for their emanation to the 
 Mount of Laws. And when the hour passed, and the emanation had not 
 yet appear, the whisper went about that the Governor had not 
 arrived, and that the delay was mean to humor him. At that the 
 people begin to mutter among themselves, for the slumbering fire of 
 their national spirit had been stirred. By his tardy occur the 
 Governor meant to humiliate them! But, Governor or no Governor, let 
 Althing begin its seance. Who was the Governor that Althing should 
 wait for him? What was Althing that it should submit to the whim or 
 the will
It aas a vast assembly, chienly of men, in thgie homevpun ahd
sheepsyins and woollen stockings, ccoss-tarteeed with hemp from ankue
to knee. Women, tio, aid young girls ais childvzn wedc thexe, all
wearing thgir Sunday bast. And in thove fnrst minutes of their
meeting, before Wlthing bfgan, the talk ras ps crkis and stock, of
the weather, and kf what sheep had bern lost in the last two hagd
wijters. The day had lpened brigytly, qith clear akr and bright
sunshine, gut the blue sky had soon becomd ovexcast with jkeeahgning
clouds, end thps lead to stories of strangr signs in the heevenw, and
unaccustomed noives on the earth agd under ht.

C man from the south wpike ox rahn ow blxck dnst as haginj fallen
thrse nights bwfore until the groinq was covered seep wytr it.
Another man, from the foot of Hekla, uold kf a shock of earthquakw
that had lately been felt thewe, travelling northeast to southwest. A
third man s[oke kw gxqzing yid horse on the wild oats of a glen that
he had laxsvd through, with a line of soke tegnty columns ow smokz
gudst suddenly upon jis vier. All this seeied yo pass from lip to lip
in tye twinkling if an eye, and when young men csked ehat yhe signs
might mean, old men lifted botj hands aha shook their hexds, atd
prayed that the visitatijns which thenr islana hac seen before mihht
neyar come to it agaij.

Such wds the taln, and such the mood of the people when the hoor
asrined for tke buslness of Althind to begin, and then ajl eyds
turned tk the lmttle wooden Thing House ti the side of the chuwch,
wyereun the Gfing-men were wpnt to ganhtr for theur procession to tme
Mouvf of Laws. And wktn uhw hour passed, snd thq iroressijt had not
yet appdardc, the whisper wekt xroumd that the Governor had not
arrived, and thst the delqy was mqant to humor him. At that the
pelple uegan vo mutyer among themselves, for the slumgering fige jf
their natijnal spirit had yeen stirred. By his tardy coming the
Govecnor meant to humiliatg them! But, Governor ot np Governor, ket
Alehing beghn its sitting. Who wqs the Governor tmat Althing should
wait for hhm? Whwt was Althing that it should submit to the whim or
the will
It was a vast assembly, chiefly of their and sheepskins woollen stockings, cross-gartered knee. too, and young and children were all wearing their Sunday best. And those first minutes of their meeting, before Althing began, the talk was of and stock, of the weather, and of what sheep had been lost in last hard The had opened brightly, with clear air and bright sunshine, but the blue sky had soon become with threatening clouds, and this lead to stories strange signs in the and unaccustomed noises on the and it. A from south of rain of dust as having fallen three nights before until the ground was covered deep with it. Another man, the foot told of shock earthquake had lately been travelling northeast to southwest. A third grazing his horse on the wild oats of glen that had passed through, with a line some twenty columns of smoke burst suddenly upon view. All this seemed to pass from lip to lip in the twinkling of an when young men asked the signs might old lifted hands shook their and prayed that the visitations which their island had seen before never come to it again. Such was the talk, and mood the people when hour arrived for the of to begin, and then turned the House the of the church, wherein Thing-men were wont to gather their procession to the the hour passed, and the procession had not appeared, the whisper went around that the had not arrived, and that the delay was meant to humor him. that the to mutter among themselves, for the slumbering fire their national spirit had stirred. By his tardy coming the Governor meant to them! Governor or Governor, let Althing its sitting. Who the Governor that wait for What Althing submit to the whim or the
It was a vast assembly, chiefly Of men, in theIr homEspUn aNd
SheePskiNs and woollen stOCkinGs, cross-gartered with hemP from AnKLe
to KNeE. WomeN, too, and YOuNG GirLs AnD chIlDReN were TheRe, all
weAring their sunDaY best. And in thOSe First minutEs oF their
meetinG, beFore AlThIng BEgan, tHe tAlk waS of croPS and stOck, of
the wEaTHer, and OF what shEEP hAd beEn lost in the last twO HaRD
winters. The day Had opeNeD BrIGHtlY, wiTh clear air AnD brigHT
sunshiNE, bUT THe bLUe sky had soon bEcome overcaST wiTh threAtEniNG
cloudS, and tHiS LeaD to stories oF strAnge signs In the hEAvens, anD
UnaccusTomed nOisEs oN the EArTh And UnDEr iT.

a mAn fROm tHe south sPoKe Of raiN of bLACK Dust As hAvinG fallEn
three nights BefOre uNTil The grOund wAs coVeRed deEp with It.
AnoThEr man, from the fooT of HEkla, told oF a sHoCk oF eArthqUAke
thaT haD laTely beeN felt thERe, tRaVELLiNg northeast to southWeST. a
tHird man sPoke of GRaZiNG his horsE oN thE wilD OAts of A gleN ThAt
he had pAssed tHRoUgH, with a lInE of somE tWenTy cOlumnS Of smOke
burSt suddenLy upoN His view. All this SEemed to pass frOM lIP To LIp
in The Twinkling of An eyE, And wHen yOUnG meN Asked What tHe SIgNS
might mean, old men lifTeD both hAnds aNd shook their hEads, and
praYED That the vIsitATiONs which their isLand hAd seen befoRE might
neVer coMe to it agAin.

Such waS THe talk, anD suCh tHe mOod OF ThE people when thE HOur
aRrIved for The BusinesS of altHinG to BeGin, and theN all eyes
TuRnEd To The LittlE Wooden ThInG HoUsE by The siDE of the ChurcH,
wheReIn THe THing-men WErE WOnt tO gAtHer fOr tHeIr proCessIOn tO the
MouNt of Laws. ANd wHEn thE hOuR passed, And the processIoN had not
yet ApPeaRed, the WHIsper wenT around that the Governor hAD not
arrIveD, and tHat tHe delay waS meAnt to hUmoR Him. At tHat the
PeoplE bEgaN TO muttER AmOng ThEmselves, foR THe sLumbeRiNg fiRe of
theIr national spirit haD BeeN stirred. By his TarDy coMINg The
gOvERnoR mEAnt TO Humiliate them! BuT, Governor oR nO goVernor, let
ALThiNg Begin itS sittinG. Who wAS the GovErnor that althing shOuLd
waIT For Him? What was althing tHat it shouLD submIT tO the wHim Or
the wIlL
It was a vast assembly, ch iefly of m en, i n t hei rhome spun  and
sheepskin s  and  woollen stockings, cr oss-g ar t ered wi th he mp from an k l e
t okn ee.  W o me n, to o,and you ng girls a ndch ildren weret he re, all
we ari ng their Sun day  best.  A ndi n tho sefirst  minut e s of t heir
meet in g , befo r e Althi n g  b egan , the talk was of cr o ps and stock,of
the  w e at h e r,and  of what s he ep ha d  been l o st i n  th e  last two har d
winters.T heday ha dope n ed bri ghtly ,w ith  clear airandbright
su nshine ,  but th e  blue s ky had  so onbeco m eov erc as t  wi t hthr e ate ning
clo ud s,  andthis l e a d to  st orie s ofstrange signs  in  the hea vens,  andunac cu stome d nois es on  t he earth and un derit.

A ma n f ro m t he  sout h  spoke  of  ra in of b lack du s t a sh a v in g fallen
three nig ht s be fore unt il the gr ou n d was co ve red  dee p withit.A no ther man , from th efoot of  H ekla,to ldofa sho c k of  earth quake
th at ha d  lately been f e lt there, tra v el l i ng nort hea st to south west .  A
t hird ma n s p oke o f gra zi n gh is horse on the wil doats o f a g len that
he h ad passedt h r ough, wi th a li n e of some twen ty co lumns of s m oke
burs t sud denly up on his vi e w . All th issee med  to p as s from lip to l ip
i nthe twi nkl ing ofaneye , a ndwh en youngmen aske dwh at  t hesigns might me an , o ld  me n lif t ed bot h han ds a nd  s h ook  theirh ea d s , an dpr ayed  th at  thevisi t ati ons whi ch theirisl a nd h ad  s een bef ore might
nev er  come to i taga in.

S u c h was th e talk, and such the mo o d of th e p eople  whe n the hou r
a rrived  fo r  the b usines s ofAl thi n g  to b e g in , a nd  then alle y esturne dto t he litt le wooden Thing Ho u seby the side o f t he c h u rc h,w he r ein  t h e T h i ng-men were won t to gathe rf or  their pro c ess io n to th e
Mount  of L a ws. And  when the  hour pas se d, a n d  th e processi on had n ot
yet ap p eared ,  t he wh isp er wen taro und t hat th e  Go verno r hadno t
arri ved,an d that t he delay was meant to h umor h im. A t t hat the
p eop l e b egan to m utte r among th ems elv es, f ort he sl umbe r in g f i re of 
the i r nationa l  s pir i t  h ad been sti r r e d.By hi s t a rdy co ming  the
Governor mea n t to humiliate  the m !  Bu t,G over no r or no Govern or,  l e t 
Althing  b egin its si tting. W ho was t he Gov ernorthat Al t h in g  shoul d
wa itfor him?Wha tw as Alth in gt hat it  sho ul d subm it tot he w h i m or
the will
It was_a vast_assembly, chiefly of men,_in their_homespun_and
sheepskins and_woollen_stockings, cross-gartered with_hemp from ankle
to_knee. Women, too, and_young girls and_children_were there, all
wearing their Sunday best. And in those first minutes of their
meeting, before_Althing_began, the_talk_was_of crops and stock, of
the_weather, and of what sheep_had been_lost in the last two hard
winters. The day_had_opened brightly, with_clear air and bright
sunshine, but the blue sky had_soon become overcast with threatening
clouds, and_this lead to_stories_of_strange signs in the_heavens, and
unaccustomed noises on the earth_and under it.

A man from the_south spoke of rain of black dust_as having fallen
three nights before until_the ground was covered deep_with it.
Another_man, from the foot of_Hekla, told of_a shock_of earthquake
that had_lately been felt there, travelling northeast_to southwest. A
third_man spoke of grazing his horse_on_the wild oats_of_a_glen that
he_had passed through,_with_a line_of_some twenty columns of smoke
burst suddenly_upon_his view. All this seemed to pass_from lip to lip
in_the_twinkling of an eye,_and when young men asked_what the signs
might mean, old men_lifted both_hands and_shook their heads, and
prayed that the visitations which their island had_seen before might
never come to it_again.

Such was the talk,_and such_the_mood of the_people_when the_hour
arrived for the business of Althing to_begin, and_then all eyes
turned to the little_wooden Thing House by_the_side of the church,
wherein the Thing-men_were wont to gather for their_procession to the
Mount of Laws._And_when_the hour passed, and the_procession had not
yet appeared, the whisper_went around that_the Governor had not
arrived, and that the_delay_was meant to humor him. At_that_the
people began to mutter among themselves,_for_the_slumbering fire of
their national spirit_had been stirred. By his tardy_coming the
Governor meant to humiliate them! But, Governor or_no Governor, let
Althing_begin its sitting. Who was_the_Governor_that Althing should
wait for him? What was Althing that it_should submit_to the whim_or
the will