ets and ways, and so freely does every one pursue his
occupation under the eye of his neighbor, washing his linen and his
salad at the same well and sitting in his shirt-sleeves before his
door. The house of our friend stood a little back, in a sort of
blind-alley, so that you could not drive up to the door. It belonged to
an honest and hard-working man who had formerly been a teacher in one
of the provincial industrial schools, and who was now employed as an
engineer by different railways. As his work obliged him to travel
during many months of the year, he had invited his wife's mother to
come and live with him and give company and assistance to his little
wife--a cheery, practical woman from the Palatinate, sound to the core
both in body and soul. The mother was an excellent old woman, who,
although rather deaf, knew so well how to get on with the children that
the little ones desired no better company than their grandmamma, who
read all their little wishes in their eyes.

She was sitting in her accustomed place in the deep window-niche, with
her youngest grandchild, who was barely two years old, on her knee, and
her five-year-old foster-child on a stool at her feet, when the door
opened and her daughter, the sculptor, and the two ladies, walked in.
Jansen was an especial favorite of hers, and his child held as warm a
place in her heart as her own grandchildren. And so it was natural,
when, without any preparation or notice, these two strange Fraeuleins,
of whom one was striking beautiful, were introduced to her as relations
of the sculptor who wanted to see little Frances, that she had a
feeling there was something wrong about the matter; especially as one
of the strange ladies, the beautiful one, immediately took up the
little girl, who made great eyes at her, kissed and caressed her, and
took out all sorts of sweetmeats and toys from her pocket, with which
she tried to gain the child's friendship. Jansen sat near her, silent,
his face wearing a peculiar expression. For the first time his child
struck him as not looking so pretty or to so much advantage as he could
have wished. It had, to be sure, feature for feature the face of its
father, and fortunately his clear, flashing eyes as well; and in
addition to this a head of dark-brown hair and black eyebrows, which
made the eyes appear still more brilliant. Moreover, it evidently took
a strong fancy to the beautiful "aunt," who brought it such nice
things, and it be