explanation which presupposes a perfect acquaintance with other
localities in point of fact equally unknown to the questioner. Yet
educated men are often no wiser. Perfectly at home in a certain sphere
of ideas, they take for granted that every one else is equally so, and
explain themselves in such a manner as to leave the hearer more
mystified than he was before.

Of course the teacher was no better known to the villagers than they to
him. Very few of them had ever heard his name. One thing, however, they
had discovered,--that the teacher came from Lauterbach; and this single
fact was used by the wit and humor of the village as the rod with which
to punish his pride and reserve. In the evening, whenever he was known
to be in, the young fellows assembled under his window and sang the
"Lauterbacher" without cessation. As he had taken the part of the
societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals, they generally
wound up with,--

"I won't sing any more:
A mouse ran over the floor;
I'll hunt it and I'll find it,
Put out its eyes and blind it,
Take out my knife and skin it,
And lay it out and pin it,"
&.c. &c. &c.

This piece of vulgarity vexed the teacher; but he never quite
understood the meaning of it all until the College Chap joined the
singers; for, though a married man, he could not forego the privilege
of being the leader in all sorts of mischief. He made a new verse,
which was repeated again and again:--

"At Lauterbach I was born so proud,
And proud I am going to die:
Oh, carry me back to Lauterbach:
That is where I ought to lie."

A light flashed upon the teacher's mind. It grieved him to the soul to
find himself thus abused by those whom he meant so well. He mourned
within-doors, and without the noise grew louder and louder. He gathered
himself up, intending to open the window and address the crowd in
conciliation: luckily, however, his eye fell upon his violin, and,
taking it down, he played the air of the song with which they were
persecuting him. There was a sudden silence below, interrupted by low
chucklings. Presently the singing recommenced, and the teacher resumed
the accompaniment as often as the provocation was repeated.

At length he appeared at the window, saying, "Is that the way?"