and-daughter very much, don't you?"

"She is the youngest. Oh, my Hedwig is one of the old sort; she lifts
me up and lays me down, and never gives me an unkind word. I almost
wish to die, just for her good,--she's kept home so much on account of
me; and, after I'm dead, I'll pray my best for her in heaven."

"Do you pray a great deal?"

"What can I do better? My working-days are over.

"I know a prayer which brings the souls out of the moon right into
heaven, and so that they don't get into purgatory at all. The Holy
Mother of God once said to God the Father, 'My dear husband, the way
the poor souls squeak and howl down there in purgatory is too bad: I
can't stand it any longer.' So he said, 'Well, I don't care: you may go
and help them.' So, there was a man in the Tyrol with eight children:
and his wife died, and he went on about it dreadfully when they carried
her to the churchyard. But the Mother of God came every morning and
combed the childrens' heads and washed their faces, and made the beds;
and for a long time the man never found out who did it all. At last he
went to the parson, and the parson came very early with the sacrament,
and saw the Mother of God flying out of the window, as white as snow;
and the prayer was lying on the sill; and they built a church on the
spot."

"And you know this prayer, ma'am?" said the teacher, taking a seat
beside her.

"You mustn't say 'ma'am' to me: it's not the way hereabouts."

"Have you more grandchildren?"

"Five more; and fourteen great-grandchildren,--and I'm going to have
another soon by my Constantine. Don't you know my Constantine? He is
studied too, but he's a wild one. I have no reason to complain of him,
though, for he's always good to me."

Suddenly there appeared, coming from behind the house, a girl, closely
followed by a snow-white hen. "Ha' ye gude counsel, grandmammy?" she
asked, scarcely looking up as she passed. The teacher was so taken by
surprise that he rose involuntarily and touched his cap.

"Is that your grand-daughter?" he asked, at length.

"To-be-sure."

"Why, that is splendid," said the teacher.

[Illustration: Coming from behind the house a girl appeared.]

"Isn't she a smart-looking lassie? Old George the blacksmith always
tells her, when she goes into the village, that she's just like his
grandmother. George the blacksmith is the last of the young fellows I
used to dance with: we might as well be three hundred miles apart as
th