s greeted with loud regrets and complaints. They were always sorry when the day was done and no more time was left for their plans.

should only be more keen for our other work next day, if we could really devote ourselves to music for a while, instead of always stopping off in the mi

nant voice that everybody got pleasure from it. There was no other voice in the whole school which was as sure and as full as Cornelli's.

e of in her household, he was anxious to use this opportunity for travelling. He also wrote that he had shortened his last trip in order not to tie his kind cousin and

lking home alone one day from school. The winter had gone by and already a mild win

i's school had been over sooner than the other children's, so she was in no hurry and stood still to listen. A ray of

first violets under the hedge, her beloved first violets; she saw the yellow crocuses sparkling beside the bright red primr

d be to see all these familiar sights again! At that thought Cornelli ran to the house

R P

in the garden, and later on the roses, and then all the berries and forget-me-nots in the meadows will come out. I know now that it is nowhere as beautiful as at home. I should love to show the mother and t

t many

our da

NEL

e she had, but that he disapproved entirely of her leaving her school abruptly. He told her to stay in town till the summer holidays, for he was obliged himself to stay away till then. He gave her permission to invite for the holi

, the meadows and the beech wood, for her longing for them had grown more and more. But when she thought of the prospect of h

the firm conviction that they were to spend the summer, as usual, in the hot garret dwelling without any special holidays. And now they could spend all summer in beaut

e had been uncertain whether she would be able to send him away long enough for the boy to be properly strengthened. She had feared that the time would have to be exceedi

wish you knew how wonderful it all is. Such a garden and such trees!

lly going, too. There were still many days and even weeks before their bliss would come true, but wit

h, she saw the garden at home, the meadows, and the flowers in Iller-Stream before her mind's eye. So her desire to return there

e all the preparations she did not yet believe the reality of the coming journey. Cornelli had begged Mrs. Halm so urgently to let her go, too, that the child's wish had been grante

If you go on like that, we'll miss th

down the street. Dino had to run after him to catch him, for Mux knew n

shining over the fields and woods, and there was not a single cloud in the sky. Cornelli was sitting beside the open wi

towards the road which led into the valley. Here Matthew w

side, calling to him: "How are you, Matthew? I am com

y, for his master's child was his greatest pride. "But how

light and then opened the carriage d

ain, shaking Dino's hand. "But you looked better when you were with

ed better when I could drink such good milk from the stable

ollowed. Mux, gazing motionless at the shining horses, cou

n admiration the little boy was showing. "You will be able to l

the carriage, and Trina sat beside Matthew on the coachm

lli cried out. "Oh, look at the golden buttercups

to right and to left. The meadows had never been so full of flowers, and every few moments Cornelli c

end. Full of dignity and covered with a spotless whi

till the same? Is the garden still the wa

looking eagerly at Cornelli. "How you have changed! In t

wardrobe. Yes, everything had remained the same. She flew outside again to t

ing coat and putting on a good coat left the iron foundry. While he was walking across the courtyard he sighed deeply. Freshly stamped in his memory, he saw before him his only chil

hild is like now?" h

d up at him. The Director was quite startled

home again! Everything is still the way it u

, but before he did so he held her at

d to. You have grown just like your mother," he said, putting his arms lovingly abo

said Cornelli, going with shining eyes to the mother,

r and the children. Holding Cornelli's hand within his own, he continued with emotion: "How differen

s his child. Was this really Cornelli and not a creature of his imagination? So he held the child's h

he table. She informed her master that the guest rooms were ready and

hter gladly followed h

over to Martha? I'l

un down the path, but Cornelli could not go fast. The meadow was so full of daisies, buttercups and especially of blue forget-me-nots, her favorite flower

race of her or of Dino. Now both came flying up the steps, and Martha ran out to meet them. Oh, yes, here was Dino, Dino whom she knew so well, and Corn

ome and coming to you right away!" Cornelli exclai

or you have grown just like your mother. Oh, how different you are now from what you were.

at him rather sadly, for her great joy at seein

you look," she said. "Last ye

ow, Mrs. Martha, for Cornelli and I are tremendously pleased to be here again. It is just as lov

ace, together with the awful disfigurement of those days. The old woman was deeply stirred by the happy look in the little girl's eyes. Her young mother had loo

t we'll come every day the way we used to; you k

g away, Martha looked after them from her little stairway. Her eye

ill stood there

thankfulness. Thou hast blessed everything that was h

ed the house, Cornelli

on foll

d and went int

ll find her way to the kitchen," said Esther with satisfac

ave grown a lot last year, Cornelli. And your hair is so neatly combe

looked when she had gone away. She knew how it had been and how s

something. Where is Trina, the

vegetable garden," said Esther. "She stood in my w

i begged. "You see, Trina is block-headed and awkward, but she can't help it. You don't know how that is, but I

ed after the child, who was r

. "One might think Cornelli had to begin at the bottom herself, inst

e was the only daughter of the house and could command her. She was very proud of Cornelli's po

m with great enthusiasm. He had told them about the flower garden with its wealth of color, the trellises, covered with red peaches, the heavily laden pear and apple trees. Now

d in the dining room, drinking the

closed behind the children, "please let me thank you for

wonders you have accomplished for my child! How you have been able to change and develop Cornelli! How well she looks now! I have to gaze at her again and again, for I can hardly believe that it is the same chil

, then that is all I have done. Cornelli has never made my task hard for me. We have all become so fond of her that we had to think with sorrow of the time when she would leave us. I shall never forget what happy hours Dino had with Cornel

nd strode to and fro in the room. What dif

blaming myself for having neglected my Cornelia's child. I thought it was too late and that Cornelli had grown hopelessly stubborn. Now you have come and brought me back my child s

lli missed her mother's guidance, but she was not by any means a neglected child when she came to me. From what she and Dino have told me I am perfectly sure that Martha

tha. Unfortunately a time came later on when I feared that she was wrong, and I d

and rejoicing sounded from below t

dly, and seemed quite

ust look at a living go

wn and

and slender goat was pulling him. Agnes and Cornelli were running beside the carriage as protectors, while Dino held the

d had already several times harnessed the goat so as to teach her how to behave when Cornelli returned. When Matthew had first shown the little conveyan

d joy. To see the wonderful spectacle fr

. Not long afterwards he went up Martha's little stairway

prise. Opening the door she led her visitor

llmut

on, and so I have just bought your little cottage from the farmer over there, besides the little piece of ground in front of it. Now you will hav

his little house reall

garden besides?

her say any more. After heartily

beautiful summer days Mux fairly swam in uninterrupted bliss. Before he had even opened his eyes in the morning, he would call out to his mother in his sleep: "Oh,

er had been obliged to make him a special stable costume. The little boy loved to w

ad to do some important work where Mux was in his way, he always devised a plan to keep the boy amused elsewhere: "Go down there to the raspberry hedge,

bly. He then would sit thoughtfully under the plum tree, waiting till Matthew returned. The gardener then shook the

the vegetable garden, which was also full of surprises for him. It was like a marvel to the little boy that the green peas hung here in abundance, whereas they were only served at home on feast days. He became quite

t be afraid of them, Mux. If I cook cabbage, everybody else likes it so much that yo

useful knowledge. There was no pastry the exact recipe of which as well as h

e large undertaking of laying out Martha's garden after their own plan. They were s

as always the victor. Cornelli never forgot that he had been her first friend

he could sing with her. Mr. Hellmut would sit in his arm-chair while the two girls sang one song after another, and he could never hear enough. Beamin

some day to hear Cornelli's voice when there will be nothing more to desire in it. Her teacher's highes

the beech wood or to the hill where the big oak tree stood. There she could sit on a bench and look down, over the house and garden, and far below into th

. Suddenly, however, the thought would rise in her: How will it be when these lovely days are over an

s the little boy's head was filled solely with thoughts of the barn and stable, the kitchen and the goat cart, the plums, the beetles and ants, it took a great deal of time and trouble to fix the verse in his memory. Nika, needing no advice, had long ago decided what to do. Every day as soon as the meals were over, she

He knew that Dino could draw animals well, and to him t

d nevertheless gotten an idea from his little brother. "Oh, I'll draw the two brown horses," he cal

ble, and after that day he and Ma

hday cam

y tenderness and then passed into the next room. Here Mux approached him and said his verse faultlessly in a loud, clear voice. On the table the Director found two beautiful drawings of his brown horses, and his joy over them was so great that he did not put them down for quite a while. But finally he saw all at once a large p

at this picture! Don't you have a beautiful home? D

y day that I never knew how beautiful it was before I went away. But ever s

nly she exclaimed passionately: "Oh, Cornelli,

in alarm, "what unseeml

at Agnes, whose eyes were flashing f

hat the reason why you don't want her to have su

lushed

e this beautiful home and if she were like me and had to give up all her music lessons and had to earn her living, we could do fine things together. She has such a beautiful voice t

ther became alternately hot and cold from fright. Agnes' eye

ave small children, whose mothers are busy with the housework and their small babies. So Agnes and Cornelli are going to found a singing school in Iller-Stream, where all the children will go, whose mothers have no time for singing. Upon their arrival the children shall all be given a bowl of milk and a piece of bread apiece to make their voices fuller. Now we have settled all about the school. I shall also have my two teachers instructed, so that they won't ever be out of practice. I have also some work for Nika: she shall fill my house with lovely pictures from top to bottom.

and the mother was filled with deep emotion. She could not utter a word, and tears flowed from her eyes. Cou

continued: "I must have the reply of the chief, my dear Mrs. Halm, so please listen to my plan. I shall let you manage the children in the winter, and you shall arrange whatever they are to learn, but they must come h

mother compo

"I do not know how to express what is in my heart. How can I be grateful enough f

her gratitude. Agnes and Dino, too, had run towards the Director, and the latter did not know how to shake all the hands that were offered to him. Mux, who could find no access to his ben

her at last, "give thank

for she has brought j

terwards, Dino and Cornelli ran away for they had had a simultaneous thought. They did not want to wait another mome

ornelli! Everything has happened so wonderfully for you. God has ordained it much more wisely than we could have wished and pr

seek God's help. Martha had assured her that the help would always come, even if it revealed itself differently from the wa

isit. She skipped and danced about the room like a newly freed bird and called out: "Now our troubles are over and no secret fears can scare us any more. Now we can sing all we want and

elder sister warned Agnes that the Director might have to repent of his kindness to them if their lengthy stay beg

d, "has really been more blessed than any other day in the

and the younger girl had been very happy about it. But had

ery year, she said: "Oh, I am glad. That is much better than if some other people I know

d Trina, whose face in these days was alwa

ou shouldn't. You don't need to worry, Trina. If Cornelli

o is more in need of his studies than the others, is least able to go back to town, because he ought to be thoroughly strengthened and made absolutely well. If it should be necessary for him to study, we h

ed a more comfortable apartment for you, because I was rather afraid of finding your tower-like dwelling a little inconvenient for me. The apartment will be ready for you in the la

d all further words from her were swallowed up in their loud and stormy manifestations of joy. Corne

li another, Matthew looked over from the barn door, happily rubbing his hands. Right un

he said, smiling to himself. "There is not a rot

the house, there were some of thanks and prais

ve him her goodnight kiss: "Did not God mean well with us, Cornelli,