walk southward through
the valley, and traverse the meadows toward the point where the forest
of the "neck" looks down on them. They would enter the forest, gain the
height on the road, and before noon come to the open meadows on the
side toward Millsdorf. Conrad then showed Sanna the pastures that
belonged to grandfather, then they walked through his fields in which he
explained to her the various kinds of grain, then they saw the long
cloths wave in the wind and blow into antic shapes as they hung to dry
on poles under the eaves; then they heard the noises of the fullery and
of the tannery which the dyer had built by the brook, then they rounded
a corner of the fields, and very soon entered the garden of the dyer's
establishment by the back gate, where they were received by grandmother.
She always had a presentiment when the children were coming, looked out
of the windows, and recognized them from afar, whenever Sanna's red
kerchief shone brightly in the sun.

She led the children through the laundry and the press into the
living-room and had them sit down, not letting them take off their
neckcloths or coats lest they should catch cold, and then kept them for
dinner. After the meal they were allowed to go into the open and play,
and to walk about in the house of their grandparents, or do whatever
else they cared to, provided it was not improper or forbidden. The dyer,
who always ate with them, questioned them about school and impressed
upon them what they ought to learn. In the afternoon, they were urged by
their grandmother to depart even before it was time, so that they should
in no case reach home too late. Although the dyer had given his daughter
no dowry and had vowed not to give away anything of his fortune before
his death, his wife did not hold herself so strictly bound. She not only
frequently made the children presents of pieces of money, sometimes of
considerable value, but also invariably tied two bundles for them to
carry in which there were things she believed were necessary or would
give the children pleasure. And even if the same things were to be found
in the shoemaker's house and as good as one might wish, yet grandmother
made presents of them in her joy of giving, and the children carried
them home as something especially fine. Thus it happened that the
children on the day before Christmas unwittingly carried home the
presents--well sealed and packed in paste-board boxes--which were
intended for th