every five minutes: you must do such
things yourself,--what should I hear but somebody say to me, 'Hard at
it, Aloys?' and, as I looked up, who should stand there but Long
Heartz's Jake, who was in the Guards? We didn't use to be the best of
friends; but I forgot all about it, and fell on his neck and almost
hugged him to death. I do believe if George himself was to come I'd
shake hands with him just to think he came from Nordstetten. I called
the whole house together and cut the throat of a turkey. Jake ate his
dinner with me just as anybody else would. The laws about eating with
Jews, and so on, are for the Old World, and not for the New.

"Jake stayed a week and helped me work in the field: he can do it just
as well as a Christian. I was so glad to see he's come to understand
that, for a soldier who has honor in him, it isn't the thing to run
about peddling. He's going to buy land somewhere hereabouts. I'm
helping him do it. I must have my dear Nordstetten Jews here too, for
it wouldn't be Nordstetten without them. After that, he's going to join
the militia. He'll be an officer before long, most likely. In the
evening we used to sit together, I and my Mechtilde, my brothers-in-law
and my sisters-in-law, and their boys and girls, and Jake, and we'd
sing the songs we used to sing at home; and then I felt just as I did
that time Mary Ann got her new distaff. But you mustn't suppose I think
very often of Mary Ann. I love my Mechtilde very much, and she loves me
too. I wish every couple loved each other as much as we do, and lived
as happily together.

"Now, about your coming here. I don't want to beg you too hard: Mat'll
write all about it. But, if it's possible---- No, no, I won't beg you.
Jake tells me that our Xavier goes to see Valentine's Mag: well, she
won't be afraid of the sea I guess, and he can bring her over too. It's
all one now, Nordstetten here or Nordstetten there.

"Write me an answer right soon. Only send the letter to Mat, as you did
before: he goes to town oftener than I do.

"Now, good-bye to you, and I hope this will find you very well indeed.
Think of me sometimes. My Mechtilde and my Bat and my parents-in-law
send you their best loves. My sister-in-law has taught little Bat to
say, when they ask him, 'Where's your grandmother?' 'Over there in the
Black Forest.' I am your loving son.

"ALOYS SCHORER.

[Illustration: Bat's hand.]