anced, as with animated words and gestures she pictured the
appearance of the buglers and heralds who came weeks in advance to
announce the date on which the Emperor and Empress would arrive in that
town and dine at the tavern; then the excitement and enthusiastic
preparations which followed. She described the consultations between
the _Herr Wirth_ and the _Frau Wirthin_ and their maids; and how,
finally, Marie's butter-piece for the christening feast of the child of
the Herr Graf was remembered; and she, the lowly second cook, was told
that a corner in the cellar would be set apart for her especial use,
and that she should have her evenings to devote to the work, and three
_groschen_ (seven and a half cents) added to her week's wages, if she
would produce a fitting centrepiece for the Emperor's table.

Five consecutive nights, she designed and modelled until the watchman's
midnight cry drove her from work, and at three o'clock in the morning
of the sixth day, she finished. And what a centrepiece it was! It
required the careful handling of no less than three persons to get it
in place on the table, where the Emperor might see at a glance the
groups of figures along the splendid highway, which was spanned by
arches and terminated with a magnificently wrought gateway, surmounted
by His Majesty's coat of arms.

We scarcely winked as we listened to the rest of the happenings on that
memorable day. She recounted how she had dropped everything at the
sound of martial music and from the tiny open space at the window
caught glimpses of the passing pageant--of the royal coaches, of the
maids of honor, of Josephine in gorgeous attire, of the snow-white
poodle snuggled close in the Empress's arms. Then she told how she
heard a heavy thud by the kitchen fire, which made her rush back, only
to discover that the head cook had fallen to the floor in a faint!

She gave the quick call which brought the Frau Wirthin to the scene of
confusion, where in mute agony, she looked from servant to servant,
until, with hands clasped, and eyes full of tears, she implored,
"Marie, take the higher place for the day, and with God's help, make no
mistake."

Then she went on to say that while the dinner was being served, the
Emperor admired the butter-piece, and on hearing that it was the work
of a young maidservant in the house, commanded that she be brought in
to receive commendation of himself and the Empress. Again the Frau
Wirthin rushed to th