e pitiless blast of rude reality. More than once
he heard the persons they passed stop and say to each other, "That's
the new schoolmaster, I guess." At the Crown Tavern they encountered
our old friend Mat, now a member of the committee of citizens.
Buchmaier introduced the new-comer. Some of the villagers overheard
this, and now the news spread like wildfire. Mat turned and walked with
them.

The instinctive affection of the children, of which the teacher had
been dreaming, was so great that they scampered away the moment they
saw him in the distance. Here and there only a very courageous boy
would remain standing, and acknowledge his presence with a friendly
nod, though without taking off his cap,--the latter for the simple
reason that he wore none.

Near the schoolhouse they found a fine boy of six or seven years of
age. "Come here, Johnnie," cried Mat: "see, Mr. Teacher, this is my
boy. Keep a tight rein on him: he can learn well enough, only he don't
always want to. Shake hands with the gentleman, Johnnie: he's your
teacher now: you must mind him. What do you say to a stranger?"

"God greet you!" said the boy, stretching out his hand without
hesitation.

The teacher's face beamed at this welcome from childish lips. He was in
his paradise again the moment he divined a kindly inclination of a
childish heart toward him. Stooping down to the boy's face, he kissed
him.

"Will you be fond of me?" he asked.

The child looked at his father.

"Will you be fond of the gentleman?" asked Mat.

The boy nodded, but could not speak,--for the tears were coming into
his eyes.

The three men went on their way, and the little fellow ran home in all
haste, without looking behind him.

Buchmaier and Mat installed the teacher in his new dwelling.

"There's a woman wanted here," said Mat: "a schoolmaster ought to have
a wife. This is the first time we ever had a single one; and we have
smart girls here, I can tell you. You must look about a bit. The best
way is to take one that belongs to the place: if you come into a
strange place and marry a stranger you'll be a stranger always. Isn't
it so, cousin?"

"Perhaps Mr. Teacher has picked one out already," replied Buchmaier;
"and, let her come from where she will, she shall be welcome here."

"Yes: we'll ride out to meet her," said Mat, thinking, in his heart,
"Buchmaier's a smarter boy than I am, after all." The teacher
answered,--

"I am free and single, and have time t