in a tin box. He gave
all to feed the children, and they were happy. 'Mark;' he said to me
only yesterday,--'mark how it does me good, and always rejoices me,
that I could at that time feed the children, and perhaps they never
have forgotten it, that once a stranger appeased their hunger.' Is it
not beautiful that a man can gain solace from a single good deed? He
has suffered much, and death is a release to him. Yes, my young
friend, such is the world! There outside all is in bloom, people are
singing, exercising, sporting, and in the meanwhile, a human being is
dying--pooh!" he cried, recovering himself, "I have not brought you
with me to make you troubled, Roland; drive the whole length of the
village to the last house." And turning to Eric, he said,--

"We are going to see cheerful poverty; you are now to look upon the
bright side. The man is a poor vine-dresser; has seven children, four
sons and three daughters, and in their poverty they are the merriest
people to be found anywhere, and the merriest of all is the old father.
His real name is Piper; but because he sings with his children and
practises them finely as often as he can get a chance, he is called
Sevenpiper."

They drove to the house; the daughters were sitting before the door,
the sons were at the gymnastic-ground. Sevenpiper immediately made his
appearance, and said that his sons should be sent for. The doctor then
asked how things were going with him.

"Ah, Herr doctor," he replied, in a loud tone, "it is always so; my
youngest always has the best voice." And turning to Roland, he added,--

"Yes, dear sir, I make my children rich too; each one receives from one
to two hundred songs as an outfit, and if they can't make their way
through the world with that, then they are good for nothing."

The sons came, and now a cheerful song was struck up, so that the
doctor and Roland were put into excellent spirits, and Eric, who
quickly caught the tune, sang with them.

The old man nodded to him, and when the song was ended, said,--

"Herr, you can sing too, that's a fact."

The doctor always carried a bottle-case in his carriage, and drawing
upon it now, every one became exceedingly merry; and Sevenpiper
informed them, and more particularly Roland, that the best thing in the
world was to be in good health, and make music for one's self.

The physician took leave, and at evening, Roland and Eric, in a joyous
mood, left the house. Sevenpiper's two oldes