d head-gear, and when she saw the flattened puffs, and
Braesig's bit of pack-thread hanging half in and half out of the caser,
her wrath boiled over, and holding up her cap so that every one might
see it, exclaimed: "Good for nothing chit!" and was going to have struck
the little girl over the head with her cap.

But Braesig caught her by the arm and said: "The child had nothing to do
with it," and then growled out in a half whisper: "The old cat!" At the
same moment loud crying was to be heard behind the grandmother's chair,
and Mina sobbed: "I'll never, never do it again," and Lina sobbed: "And
I'll never do it again." "Bless me!" cried young Mrs. Nuessler, "it was
the little girls who did all the mischief. Mother, it was our own
children that did it." But the old woman had been too long accustomed to
turn everything to her own advantage, not to know how to make a
judicious use of her deafness; she never heard what she did not want to
hear; and she did not want to hear now. "Come," she shouted, and signed
to her husband. "Mother, mother," cried her daughter-in-law, "give me
your cap, and I'll set it to rights." "Who's at the fold?" asked the old
woman as she left the room with old Joseph. Young Joseph lighted his
pipe again. "Good gracious!" said Mrs. Nuessler, "she's quite right
there, I ought to be at the fold. Ah well, grandmother won't be civil to
me again for a month." "Crusty," said Braesig, "was an old dog, and
Crusty had to give in at last." "Don't cry any more, my pets," said the
mother, wiping her little girls' eyes. "You didn't know what harm you
were doing, you are such stupid little things. Now be good children, and
go and play with your cousin, I must go to my work. Joseph, just keep an
eye on the children, please," and then Mrs. Nuessler put on her chip-hat,
and set off to the fold where the cows were milked.

"A mother-in-law's the very devil!" said Braesig. "But you, young
Joseph," he continued, turning to Mr. Nuessler, who was smoking as calmly
as if what had happened was nothing to him, "ought to be ashamed of
yourself for allowing your mother to bully your wife." "But," said young
Joseph, "how can I interfere? I am her son." "You needn't actually
_strike_ her," said Braesig, "because your parents are given you by God,
but you might give her a little filial advice now and then, such as
befits an obedient son, and so prevent the devil of dispeace getting
into the house. And as for you, Charles Hawerm