n that direction. The stairs are as broad as the staircase of
a castle and as steep as if they led to a church tower. The iron railing
looks like the gate of a cemetery, and there are brass knobs upon it. It
is really too ridiculous."

Opposite to the old house were more nice new houses, which had just the
same opinion as their neighbors.

At the window of one of them sat a little boy with fresh, rosy cheeks
and clear, sparkling eyes, who was very fond of the old house in
sunshine or in moonlight. He would sit and look at the wall, from which
the plaster had in some places fallen off, and fancy all sorts of scenes
which had been in former times--how the street must have looked when the
houses had all gable roofs, open staircases, and gutters with dragons
at the spout. He could even see soldiers walking about with halberds.
Certainly it was a very good house to look at for amusement.

An old man lived in it who wore knee breeches, a coat with large brass
buttons, and a wig which any one could see was a real one. Every morning
there came an old man to clean the rooms and to wait upon him, otherwise
the old man in the knee breeches would have been quite alone in the
house. Sometimes he came to one of the windows and looked out; then the
little boy nodded to him, and the old man nodded back again, till they
became acquainted, and were friends, although they had never spoken to
each other; but that was of no consequence.

The little boy one day heard his parents say, "The old man is very well
off, but he must be terribly lonely." So the next Sunday morning the
little boy wrapped something in a paper, and took it to the door of the
old house, and said to the attendant who waited upon the old man: "Will
you please to give this from me to the gentleman who lives here? I have
two tin soldiers, and this is one of them, and he shall have it,
because I know he is terribly lonely."

The old attendant nodded and looked very much pleased, and then he
carried the tin soldier into the house.

Afterwards he was sent over to ask the little boy if he would not like
to pay a visit himself. His parents gave him permission, and so it was
that he gained admission to the old house.

The brass knobs on the railings shone more brightly than ever, as if
they had been polished on account of his visit; and on the doors were
carved trumpeters standing in tulips, and it seemed as if they were
blowing with all their might, their cheeks were so p