The Norwegian title, _Samfundets Stötter_, means literally _Society’s Pillars_. In the text, the word “Samfund” has sometimes been translated “society,” sometimes “community.” The noun “stötte,” a pillar, has for its correlative the verb, “at stötte,” to support; so that where the English phrase, “to support society,” occurs, there is, in the original, a direct allusion to the title of the play. The leading merchants in Norwegian seaports often serve as consuls for one or other foreign Power—whence the title by which Bernick is addressed. Rörlund, in the original is called “Adjunkt”—that is to say, he is an assistant master in a school, subordinate to the headmaster or rector. W. A. THE LEAGUE OF YOUTH (1869) CHARACTERS. CHAMBERLAIN BRATSBERG,[3] _owner of iron-works_. ERIK BRATSBERG, _his son, a merchant_. THORA, _his daughter_. SELMA, _Erik’s wife_. DOCTOR FIELDBO, _physician at the Chamberlain’s works_. STENSGÅRD,[4] _a lawyer_. MONS MONSEN, _of Stonelee_.[5] BASTIAN MONSEN, _his son_. RAGNA, _his daughter_. HELLE,[6] _student of theology, tutor at Stonelee_. RINGDAL, _manager of the iron-works_. ANDERS LUNDESTAD, _landowner_. DANIEL HEIRE.[7] MADAM[8] RUNDHOLMEN, _widow of a storekeeper and publican_. ASLAKSEN, _a printer_. A MAID-SERVANT AT THE CHAMBERLAIN’S. A WAITER. A WAITRESS AT MADAM RUNDHOLMEN’S. _Townspeople, Guests at the Chamberlain’s, etc. etc._ _The action takes place in the neighbourhood of the iron-works, not far from a market town in Southern Norway._ THE LEAGUE OF YOUTH. ACT FIRST. _The Seventeenth of May.[9] A popular fête in the Chamberlain’s grounds. Music and dancing in the background. Coloured lights among the trees. In the middle, somewhat towards the back, a rostrum. To the right, the entrance to a large refreshment-tent; before it, a table with benches. In the foreground, on the left, another table, decorated with flowers and surrounded with lounging-chairs._ _A Crowd of People._ LUNDESTAD, _with a committee-badge at his button-hole, stands on the rostrum._ RINGDAL, _also with a committee-badge, at the table on the left._ LUNDESTAD. ... Therefore, friends and fellow citizens, I drink to our freedom! As we have inherited it from our fathers, so will we preserve it for ourselves and for our children! Three cheers for the day! Three cheers for the Seventeenth of May! THE CROWD. Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah! RINGDAL. [_As_ LUNDESTAD _descends from the rostrum._] And one cheer more for old Lundestad!