o beg her hand for the last dance--the "grandfather's
dance;"--[Still a well-known country dance in Germany.]--but she would
fain punish him for the vexation he had caused her and turned her back
upon him. He, however, would have none of this; he grasped her hand ere
she was aware of him, and dragged her after him. It was vain to struggle,
and soon his strong will was a pleasure to her, and her countenance
beamed again full brightly, when as this dance requires, he had led the
way with her, the rest all following, through chamber and hall, kitchen
and courtyard, doors and windows, nay, and even the stables. In the
course of this dance each one seized some utensil or house-gear, as we do
to this day; only never a broom, which would bring ill-luck. Ursula had
snatched up a spoon, and when the mad sport was ended and he had let go
her hand, she rapped him with it smartly on the arm and cried: "You are
still what you ever were, in the dance at least!"

But my brother only said: "Then will I try to become not the same, even
in that."

Round the Christmas tree and at the sharing of gifts which Cousin Maud
made ready for Christmas eve, we were all friendly and glad at heart, and
Ann found her way to join us after that she had put the little ones to
bed.

Herdegen said she herself was the dearest gift for which he could thank
the Christ-child, and he had provided for her as a costly token the great
Petrarca's heroic poem of Africa, in which he sings the deeds of the
noble Scipio, and likewise his smaller poems, all written in a fair hand.
They made three neat books, and on the leathern cover, the binder, by
Herdegen's orders, had stamped the words, "ANNA-LAURA," in a wreath of
full-blown roses. Nor was she slow to understand their intent, and her
heart was uplifted with such glad and hopeful joy that the Christ-child
for a certainty found no more blissful or thankful creature in all
Nuremberg that Christmas eve.

The manifold duties which filled up all her days left her but scant time
wherein to work for him she loved; nevertheless she had wrought with her
needle a letter pouch, whereon the Schoppers' arms were embroidered in
many colored silks, and the words 'Agape' and 'Pistis'--which are in
Greek Love and Faithfulness in Greek letters with gold thread. Cousin
Maud had dipped deep into her purse and likewise into her linen-press,
and on the table under the Christmas-tree lay many a thing fit for the
bride-chest of a maid