e laid her hand on the
husband's forehead, and said, "And at this head hostile bullets were
aimed!"

"Oh don't let us give way to our feelings," said Julius, rising.

Martha took the wreath from her husband's helmet, and wanted to
place it on my head. I seized it and laid it on the cradle of my
great-grandson. After that, we left the young couple, and hunted up the
other returned wanderers.

Our hosts resigned their house to us, and saved us from all restraint
by kindly keeping themselves in the background.

Richard and Annette, Ludwig, Conny, and Wolfgang, by turns clasped me
in their arms. O how many good, true hearts beat against mine to-day!
How many lives I could call my own!

Richard was still somewhat pale. Annette was radiant with glorious
beauty, and her modest, gentle demeanor was the more attractive because
she had the appearance of one born to command.

When the first emotions awakened by the overwhelming fulness of my joy
had subsided, I had a wonderful vision. I saw great tables loaded with
meat and drink and fragrant flowers, and from the streets resounded
cheering and song. One of those wonderful visions, or phantasms, as
you may call it, that supplement our life and withdraw us from the
actual world, seized me. The beaming faces, the brilliant lights
reflected again and again in the mirrors and the wine-glasses, the
sumptuous table, and the lovely flowers,--methought I had seen them
all before.--I felt as if in the midst of one of those wonderful,
color-steeped groups of Paul Veronese, and, like soft music, or an
apparition gently gliding through the air, memories of Gustava filled
my soul.

"You seem so happy," said Annette; and I could only tell her this: "The
dreams of former days, and the loftiest impressions that our souls have
taken up from art, are now our actual life; our highest ideal has been
attained."

Joseph informed me that the army corps consisting of the troops from
our State, would make its entry into our capital under the Crown
Prince, who had commanded it during the war, and that the Colonel, who
was now a General, would take part in the ceremony. Bertha expected
that we would all be with her on that day of honor.

Richard told us of his experiences while with the French, and we could
not help asking ourselves: "Shall we ever be at peace with these
neighbors of ours?"

"I have learned to know the French," said Richard, "and suffered much
at their hands. The people amused