hat? In a few years, Elise," added he, "when the
children are older, and you are stronger, we will turn a summer to
really good account, and take our Norwegian journey. You shall breathe
the fresh mountain air, and see the beautiful valleys and the sea, and
that will do you much more good than all the mineral waters in the
world. But come now, let us go and see the children; we will not wake
them, however, although I have brought with me some confectionery from
the lady hostess, which I can lay on their pillows. There is a rennet
for you."

The married pair went into the children's room, where the faithful old
Fin-woman, Brigitta, lay and guarded, like the dragon, her treasures.
The children slept as children sleep. The father stroked the beautiful
curling hair of the boy, but impressed a kiss on the rosy cheek of each
girl. After this the parents returned to their own chamber. Elise lay
down to rest; her husband sate down to his desk, but so as to shade the
light from his wife. The low sounds of a pen moving on paper came to her
ear as if in sleep. As the clock struck two she awoke, and he was still
writing.

Few men required and allowed themselves so little rest as Ernst Frank.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] A kind of fine curled cake.

CHAPTER II.

THE CANDIDATE.

It was in the twilight. The children were playing at "lana eld"[2] in
the great hall, swarming about in holes and corners, when the sudden
stopping of a travelling carriage before the door operated upon the wild
little flock much as a stream of cold water on a swarm of Lees. The
Queen-bee of the children-swarm, the wise little Louise, sate herself
down at the window, and four other little heads clustered themselves
about her, fervent and inquisitive, and almost pushing her away in their
impatient zeal to get a peep at the arrival.

It was a gentleman who stepped lightly out of that travelling carriage,
but whether young or old, the children could not see; this, however,
they saw, that their father came quickly to the door, shook the
traveller by the hand, and conducted him into the house; whilst a very
small portmanteau was carried after him. Seeing this, the little swarm
hastened to their mother; to whom they gave, in all possible degrees of
tone, from a low whisper to a loud annunciation, the information that
for certain "the tutor was come."

Elise, who had company with her, calmed with a "yes, yes!" and "so,
indeed!" the excited state of the child