of my song,
Who have wound for us these garlands fine,
And hung them with roses and eglantine:
The flowers in our hats we mean to wear
In honor of our lassies fair."

With the rosemary in his hat, and the apron of skins, Joseph came down
to receive the applause and congratulations of his friends. His
intended, Hansgeorge's Maria, took both his hands, gazed into his face
with radiant eyes, and then looked triumphantly round on the
bystanders.

Turning to Ivo, Joseph said, "I can preach too, if it comes to that:
can't I, Ivo? This was my first mass, you see."

Ivo sighed deeply at the mention of the first mass.

All now returned home, except those specially invited by Constantine to
partake of a grand dinner. Ivo, however, could not be persuaded to
accept this invitation: he stood still a while, looking at the airy
rafters, and thinking how happy Constantine must be in the possession
of a house of his own. "As for these parsonages," he said to himself,
"they are like sentry-houses, which belong to no one, and where no one
leaves a trace of his existence: a solitary sentinel takes the place of
his predecessor until he is relieved in his turn. But let me not be
selfish: if the joys of a home are not for me, I will work for the
welfare of others.

"I like what is fine,
Though it be not mine;
Though it cannot be my treasure,
It can always give me pleasure."

A week later was Joseph's wedding. It was a merry time. Christina sat
at the head of the table, beside her son Ivo, who was and remained the
pride of the family. Ivo danced a figure with his sister-in-law, and
another with Emmerence. She was overjoyed, and said, "So we've had a
dance together: who knows whether we shall ever have another?"

Ivo's second brother now brought his sweetheart to him, and said,
"Dance together." When they had done so, his mother came to him and
said, "Why, you dance splendidly! Where did you learn it?"

"I never forgot it: the spin-wife used to teach me, you remember, in
the twilight."

"Shall we try it?"

"Yes, mother."

All the others stopped to see Ivo dance with his mother. Valentine
rose, snapped his fingers, and cried,--

"Gentlemen, play a national for me, and I'll send an extra bottle.
Come, old girl!"

[Illustration: Valentine took his wife and danced the old national
dance.]

He took his wife by the arm, skipped and jum