ent odour of all species of eatables
tantalized the nose of the hungry wanderer.

"Oh! unhappy man!" cried Vendel, clapping his hands together; that was
all he said--but how much was expressed in the words!--for a few
moments he gazed round him in silence. "Stop!" he roared at last,
stamping on the ground; on which his little dog came out from below
the table, and began barking at his sorely-tried master. _His own
poodle barked at him!_ "Who is this man?" exclaimed several of the
guests. "Where do you come from, countryman?" asked Andras-gazda.
"Give the poor wretch a glass of wine; he must be some beggar!" said
Mistress Vicza, adjusting her cap.

This was more than the exemplary patience of the Bohemian could bear.
"Hear, all of you!" he roared; "I am myself, and nobody else!"

One and all shook their heads. The voice was Vendel's, but the face,
the figure, none recognised.

"Not even you, Hanzli?" cried Vendel in despair; "not even you
remember me?"

Hanzli looked at him gravely, then grinned, then again stared
vacantly, without the slightest recognition.

"Ah, this is indeed desperate!" groaned the unfortunate man, as,
seizing one of the four-quart bottles of beer which stood on the
table, he emptied it at one draught; and this was his redemption. By
this means he was recognised at once; and "Vendel-batya!"
"Vendel-gazda!" "Nagyuram!" "Kisuram!" "Edes uram!"[77] resounded on
every side; while they all fell upon him, embraced, kissed him, and
led him out to dance. He was very well received indeed, and a little
explanation set everything to rights.

[Footnote 77: Great master, Little master, Dear master; these being
titles carefully distinguished from each other by the peasants.]

The cause of the feasting and merriment was Andras's wedding with
Panna, the little girl for whom he had fought with the hussar; which
solemnity was celebrated jointly with the retreat of the French; and
now that there was Vendel-gazda's miraculous return to rejoice at
besides, the festivities were kept up till late next morning.

Thus ended the trials and adventures of the brewer of B----; and from
this day forward, Heaven showered her blessings upon him; sons and
daughters grew up around him, some fair, and some dark, but all fat,
and each one finer and prettier than the other.

THE SZEKELY[78] MOTHER.

[Footnote 78: Szekely (Szekler in German), the inhabitants of the
border districts in Transylvania, said to be one of