complicated family two branches
had settled in Gerbersau, counting several dozen members. They were all
without exception sharp-witted fellows; yet none of them had ever come
to any notable fortune, for it was an inseparable characteristic of
their nature to love to be free as the birds and to rejoice in the
humor of having no possessions.

The said Stefan was still below sixty, and enjoyed perfect health. He
was rather thin, indeed, and his limbs were delicate; but he was always
well and active, and it was something of a mystery how he had been able
to foist himself upon the community as a candidate for a place in the
poorhouse. There were plenty of people in the town older, more
wretched, and even poorer. But from the very foundation of the
institution he had been consumed by a desire to enter it; he felt
himself a born Sun-Brother, and would and must be one. And now there he
was, as smiling and amiable as the excellent Holdria, but with much
less extensive baggage--for besides what he wore on his back he brought
nothing but a stiff Sunday hat of old-fashioned respectable elegance,
well preserved in shape if not in color. He bore himself as a lively
social light, accustomed to the world. Since Holdria had already been
assigned to Huerlin's room, he was put in with Heller, the sailmaker. He
found all his surroundings good and praiseworthy, except that the
taciturnity of his companions did not please him. One evening before
supper, as all four sat outside the door, he suddenly began: "Say, Mr.
Manufacturer, are you always so mournful? You're a regular streamer of
crape!"

"Oh, don't bother me!"

[Illustration: FLOWER MARKET AT LEYDEN]

"Why, what's the matter with you? Why do we all sit round, anyhow, so
solemnly? We could have a drop of something good once in a while,
couldn't we?"

Huerlin gave ear for a moment with delight, and his tired eyes
glistened; then he shook his head despairingly, he turned his empty
pockets inside out, and assumed an expression of suffering.

"Oh, I see--no coin!" cried Finkenbein, laughing. "Good gracious, I
always thought one of those manufacturer fellows had something jingling
in his purse. But today's my first day here, and it mustn't go dry like
this. Come on, all of you--Finkenbein's still got a little capital in
his breeches for a time of need."

Both the mourners sprang to their feet at once. They left the
weak-minded old fellow sitting where he was, and the three others