speaking with her father always
referred enthusiastically to persons and things there. One day, while
describing the unrestrained and harmonious life of her new friends, the
sound of trumpets playing a hymn came wafted in through the open door.

"Who is dead, Carmen?" asked Mauer, listening intently as he sat by the
window. "Is that not the dirge of a bachelor Brother? I remember the
air, as I do that of all our funeral hymns. How often, when suffering
under my bondage as a slave, I have thought that at my death no music
would be heard. But now I know that some day the trumpets will tell to
the other brothers when the heart of old Mauer has ceased to beat."

"Oh, my father, you must not speak thus!" said Carmen, anxiously. "The
person for whom the music is sounding is the bachelor Brother
Christopher Yager, who died yesterday evening. He was the one who
spoke in defence of our unmarried sisters in the general council; and
now some one will have to be elected in his place."

This election followed immediately after the funeral, the elders
casting votes for those they deemed most suitable for the position.
The majority were in favor of Jonathan Fricke, who was received with
universal satisfaction. No one was more pleased with the result than
Sister Agatha, who always depended so much on him for advice. She felt
that now, being able to entrust the affairs of her department to his
wisdom and circumspection, his piety and brotherly love, was as if she
handed her ship over to the guidance of a skilful and able captain. He
received the honor with great humility, as a duty laid upon him from
which he must not shrink, however unworthy he felt to bear the heavy
responsibility. Yet in spite of all his apparent absence of pride,
there was something about him which elicited the homage of the Sisters
as they gave their promise to be willing to trust him with their
confidence and follow his instructions.

CHAPTER IX.

Notwithstanding its being the month of September, a burning July heat
prevailed, and, as a breath of wind would occasionally stir, great
clouds of dust rose from the streets and lanes of the settlement. But
in spite of the intense warmth of the sun, masons and carpenters were
busily at work on Brother Mauer's house, which was located in a
pleasant district on the outskirts of the town. From the windows on
the first floor, which stood quite high from the ground, one could
catch a fine view of the