to the whole village, but should there ever
be news of a lost battle, then, father, we will read it to ourselves."

"God forbid that this should come to pass!" said the old man, following
Anna to the place of general meeting.

CHAPTER II. NEWS OF BATTLE.

The inhabitants of the village had already assembled on the square,
under the great linden, and as old Buschman now approached, supported by
Anna Sophia's arm, they were joyfully greeted.

Anna waved the paper like a white flag in the air, and, hastening the
old man forward impatiently, she exclaimed,

"Our king has won a battle!"

Shouts of triumph were the result.

"Did he whip the French, or the Austrians?" asked one of the peasants,
as he drew close to Anna, and tried to seize the paper.

Anna drew it back hastily.

"The steward sent it to me, to read to the community, and I shall do
so."

"Tell us, Anna," said another, "has he beaten the Russians or the
cunning Saxons? I wish he could trample them all under foot."

"He will, if he has not yet done so," cried old Buschman.

"Children, our king will conquer all his enemies; he is a hero, and has
only brave fellows to fight for him. Just think of the thirty noble boys
that our village alone gave him!"

"Read, Anna, read!" cried the curious crowd. And Anna, ready to please
them, walked under the linden, and stepped upon the wooden beach that
surrounded the tree.

Father Buschman placed himself at her feet, and several old men and
women followed his example. The young people gathered around in groups,
and gazed respectfully at the youthful girl, whose bright, beautiful
face glowed as if lighted by the evening sun. The little boys, who
had followed their parents from curiosity, were amusing themselves in
turning somersets.

Anna now raised her voice and began to read in a bright tone. It was a
brilliant and inspiring account of the battle of Losovitz, and Anna read
it in breathless haste and burning cheeks. As she read how the Prussians
were at first defeated by the powerful army of the Austrians under
General Brown, whose terrific artillery sent death and ruin into the
Prussian ranks, the women sobbed softly, and the men could hardly
suppress their sighs. They breathed more freely when they heard that the
king, adopting a new expedient, advanced a part of his cavalry into the
centre of his weakened infantry, and thus turned the tide of battle.
Their courage failed on hearing that this advanta