of fox's skin. An elaborate description of the mittens was interrupted
by the stroke of eleven, which put an end to the colloquy. Our friend
walked with the Jewish teacher to the Eagle, where he had taken board.

Next morning the new teacher's performance on the organ attracted great
admiration. From various groups which formed as the congregation were
leaving the church, the remark was heard,--

"He's 'most as good as the old teacher."

He sought out the latter, and requested him to officiate in the
afternoon.

[Illustration: I was sub-organist in the Freiburg Cathedral.]

The old man laughed with joy, and said at last, in the short, broken
sentences usual to him, "Oh, yes! young folks can learn something if
they wish to. I was sub-organist in the Freiburg Cathedral for two
years and a half: ha, ha! Yes, the last professor drove me out of the
church. I didn't go there for a whole year: I couldn't stand his
squeaking; and even after that I only went to mass, and to hear the
sermon: when the singing began I had to run away."

He played in the afternoon; but the bizarre and fantastic movements he
made on the sacred instrument caused the young man more than once to
shake his head. The rest of the auditory, however, gave tokens of
unalloyed satisfaction.

For his attention to the old teacher the new one was greatly praised;
while he was blamed in the same degree for calling on the councilmen on
a weekday, when he might have known they could not be found at home. Of
both praise and blame the teacher remained equally unconscious.

On Monday the school began. The parson, a man of pleasing manners and
high tone of character, introduced the teacher to his new sphere of
duties with a pithy address, in the presence of the entire council and
committee of citizens.

[Illustration: He rambled alone through the woods and fields.]

From this day forth the teacher ceased to take his dinner at the public
house: the noise and confusion of the place disturbed him, and he
wished to be left to himself after the unruly tribe of children was
dismissed. In fact, he lived a life of entire seclusion: the duties of
his station were consciensciously performed, but beyond that he
studiously avoided all society. At rare intervals only would he take a
walk in company with the Jewish teacher or with the old one. The latter
he soon fathomed. In the mind of the former the foreground was occupied
by the political and social affairs of his breth