f anything, rather larger,
and, apart from one or two colds in the winter, she had not known an
hour's illness during the whole time.

Needless to say, the grandmother did not come empty-handed. She brought
two cases with her, one of which contained a large quantity of
excellent bottled fruit, which Malvine still preferred to any her own
highly-paid cook could prepare, while the other was filled with a
choice collection of fancy work. On these treasures being unpacked, it
was discovered that the inventive genius of the old lady of seventy was
still undiminished. For the master of the house there was a game-bag
made of interwoven strips of blue and red leather, somewhat in the
Indian manner, very curious, and of course, impracticable Malvine
received a silklace veil, the pattern in large marsh-mallows--a
graceful play upon her name.

Frau Brohl had worked at this masterpiece for a year and a half. For
little Willy, in consideration of the aristocratic propensities one
might expect, or at any late encourage, in the heir to a large estate,
there was a Flobert rifle, the strap of which was ornamented after an
entirely new method by cutting out thin layers of the leather and
inserting gilt arabesques and figures. For the house in general there
were some ingenious arrangements in fir cones and small shells.

The Christmas-tree was set up in the great drawing-room on the ground
floor and reached almost to the ceiling. It was a beautiful young fir,
so fresh and fragrant of pine that the breath of the woods seemed to
cling to it still. A large party had gathered for the lighting-up.
Beside the relatives of the aristocratic pupils, who had come over from
the estate, there were some neighbors from the Uhlenhorst, with five or
six little children, and the Chamberlain von Swerte with his high-born
wife. The couple were childless, and not wishing to spend their
Christmas alone, had accepted Paul's invitation, and come all the way
from their little castle near Ronneburg to the Ulhenhorst.

The chamberlain was the lion of the evening. Paul took an opportunity
of whispering to Wilhelm, "Herr von Swerte is of the House of
Hellebrand--one of the first families in the county--tremendously
ancient lot!" Old Frau Brohl had observed the little gold tab on his
coat tail--the chamberlain's sign of office, and manuevered skillfully
in order that she might frequently obtain a back view, and so gaze upon
the proud badge in silent awe and admir