, but in all my poverty I did not stoop to
this."

"Frau Mutter, Fraeu Mutter," said Hans, rebukingly, and trying to cut
short what he feared might offend Nelly.

"Nay, Hanserl, it is but the truth," said she, firmly; "I will not say
that I did not do more wisely too, for they who came left me always some
little present. Even the poor gave me their blessing, and said that they
were happier when they had prayed before the blessed Agnes." While thus
running on in all the garrulity of old age, she never neglected the
care of receiving her guests with suitable hospitality. Old Andy was
accommodated with a deep straw chair near the stove. The little chamber,
which, for its view upon the Passayer Thai, had been specially devoted
to receive travellers, was got ready for Nelly; and Hans, once more at
home, busied himself in arranging the household and preparing supper.

"You are wondering at all the comforts you find here, Hanserl," said
the old woman, "but see here, this will tell you whence they came;" and,
opening an old ebony cabinet, she took out a large square letter with a
heavy seal. "That reached me on a Christmas-day, Hanserl; the paper was
from the Imperial Chancellerie of Vienna, setting forth that, as the
widow of Hans Roeckle, of Meran, born of Tyrol parents, and married to a
Tyroler, had attained the age of eighty years, and never asked alms, nor
sought for other aid than her own industry, she was now entitled to the
Maria Teresa pension of twelve kreutzers a day for the rest of her life.
I told them," said the old woman, proudly, "that my son had always taken
care to provide for me, and that there were others that might want it
more than I, but the kreis-hauptman said that my refusal would be
an offence to the Kaiser, who had heard of my name from one of the
archduchesses who travelled this way, and who had seen these blessed
images and wished to buy them; so that I was fain to yield, and take, in
thankfulness, what was offered in generosity. You see, Hanserl, how true
is it, the Fraeulein has been our good angel; we have never had bad luck
since the Madonna came here!"

Nelly slept soundly that night, and, for the first time since her
calamities, her dreams were happy ones. Lulled by the ripple of the
river beside her window, and the ceaseless murmuring of the old woman's
voice as she sat up talking with her son the whole night long, she
tasted at length the sweets of deep and refreshing sleep. And what a
g