move again into the cottage
and keep it for always. When at last they must separate for the night,
the colonel pressed the house-mother's hand once more and said: "My dear
friend, you will understand with what gratitude my heart is full, when I
tell you that this is the first happy evening which I have had for the
last twelve years."

Parting had to come the next morning. The mother took Erick in her arms
and after she pressed him to her heart, she said: "My dear Erick, never
forget your mother's song! It has already brought you once from the
wrong road into the right one; it will guide you well as long as you
live. Keep it in your heart, my Erick."

When Erick noticed tears in the mother's eyes, then his grew wet, and
when Sally noticed that, she put both hands to her face and began to
sob. Then Erick ran to his grandfather and pleadingly cried: "Oh,
Grandfather, can we not take Sally along? Don't you think we could?"

The grandfather smiled and answered: "I could not wish anything I should
like better, my boy, but we cannot rob the parsonage of all its
children, all at once. But come, perhaps we can make some arrangement.
What does the mother think about it, if we were to take our little
friend next summer and bring her back for the winter, and do so every
year?"

"Yes, yes," shouted Erick, "every, every year as long as we live! Will
you give me your word on it, Grandfather, now, right away?"

"To give you my word on it that it shall be so long as we live, that is
asking much, my boy," said the grandfather smiling. "If now you, both of
you, should wish, all at once, to have things different--what then?"

"Oh, no, we are not so stupid," said Erick, "are we, Sally? Just you
promise right away, Grandfather."

The latter held out his hand to the mother and said: "If it suits Mamma,
then we both will promise, that it shall continue, as long as it pleases
our children."

The mother gave her hand on it, and now the two hands were pressed most
heartily.

And the pastor said: "So, so! Agreements are made between the colonel
and the parson's wife behind my back, and I have nothing to do with it
but say yes. Well, then, I will say at once a firm _yes_ and _Amen_."

With these words he too shook his guest's hand firmly and there remained
only to take leave from Ritz and Edi, both of whom he heartily invited
to Denmark, wherein Erick strongly supported him, adding: "And you know,
Edi, when you are in Denmark, then you