ral body agreed together as to their
distribution as soldiers, peasants, and peasant women from Lake Zurich.
The final vote put an end to all contention; there was not the least
murmuring against the decision of the majority. I had been present at
the meeting without saying a word; for, willing as the boys always were
to listen to my advice--nay, even to look to my countenance for the
expression of a wish,--yet it would have been annoying to them if I had
obtruded myself upon them on the occasion of this performance. The
distribution of parts gave perfect satisfaction; if I had undertaken
it, it could not have turned out better,--probably not so well.
Immediately after, a number of the elder lads, between twenty and
thirty years of age, asked me to allow them to assist by acting the
part of soldiers; they represented that there were some wild fellows
among the actors, and there might be some ill-conducted lads among the
spectators who would behave mischievously, and it would be well if they
were at hand to keep order. Their desire was willingly complied with,
and the appearance of these stout youths may have contributed to make
their service unnecessary.

"After the parts had been written out and learnt by heart, the
rehearsals began, and continued during the whole winter. Most of the
actors could only be brought to a certain point of proficiency, and
there they remained; but some, especially the actor of the first part,
richly repaid the trouble taken with him, and won, both at the
performance and afterwards, the highest praise. But what delighted me
most was to observe the moral effect of this dramatic industry of the
young people on the life of the village. The common councillors
related, with joyful surprise--what had been unheard of in the memory
of man--that this winter there had been no fighting, nor the least
ill-behaviour. The lads no longer sat in the taverns, drinking; they
practised their parts at home, neighbours and acquaintances listening
to them. Although women were excluded from the stage, the young ladies
and peasant women being represented by the boys; yet the women and
maidens were called upon to co-operate in other ways.

"For many things were to be procured for the theatre--decorations,
costumes, and orchestra. The newly-built wing of the bath-house was
chosen for the theatre; this wing contained the dining-room and the
adjoining dancing-room; the first, a long room, the other somewhat
smaller an