experience was singular. Whenever he wished to direct her
thoughts into a higher channel, he made a thousand preparations and
inductions. He meant thus and so, and she must not misapprehend him.
Once Hedwig said, "Look here: when you want me to think something, say
it right out, and don't make so many concoctions about it. I'll tell
you whether I like it or not."

So he dropped this last remnant of his solitary wanderings, and they
understood each other perfectly. Even in school the new impetus to his
mind was invaluable. He illustrated abstractions by illustrations drawn
from what was familiar to all. He labored earnestly at a history of the
village, intending to make it the starting-point for his instruction of
the history of the country.

[Illustration: They went to church, preceded by the musicians.]

Some wiseacres predicted that the teacher's zeal would not be of long
duration. We take the liberty to think otherwise.

Spring came, and the bells repaired to Rome to tell the story of the
village: they had fewer sins than usual to report of the past winter.

After Easter came the wedding-day, which had been fixed on the
anniversary of the teacher's arrival in the village. On the evening
before, Hedwig went to the old teacher and asked him to do his best in
the prelude next day. He smiled, and said, "Yes: you shall like it."

Next day they went to church, preceded by the musicians. Hedwig dressed
like her playmate Agnes, the teacher decorated with a nosegay, like his
playmate Thaddie, Buchmaier, Johnnie, and the Jewish teacher behind
them. When all had assembled, the old teacher began the prelude. Every
one smiled; for the old joker had interwoven the air of the
Lauterbacher very skilfully into his piece. Soon after, the glee-club
struck up the chant,--

"Holy is the Lord!"

and the nuptial tie was fastened with joyous earnestness, Blessings
attend it!

FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: Bartholomew's Sebastian's.]

[Footnote 2: Not a lord of the manor, according to the English
acceptation of the term, but a sort of village mayor, elected by the
farmers out of their own number. Very little of the feudal tenure
remains in the Black Forest, the peasants being almost everywhere lords
of the soil.]

[Footnote 3: A ring of hard wood or stone fixed to the end of the
spindle, to weigh it down and improve its turning.]

[Footnote 4: About half a cent.]

[Footnote 5: And thereby escape being taken a