t can we then forget how much the mother has must have influenced the
child, how sublime and profound the soul must have been which spoke to
His heart? We must reverence and honor her! Everywhere in the Scriptures
where she appears we see an example of care and love; with her whole
soul she adheres to her Son. Think how uneasy she became, and sought for
Him in the temple--think of her gentle reproaches! The words of the Son
always sounded harsh in my ears. 'Those are the powerful expressions of
the East!' said my old preacher. The Saviour was severe, severe as
He must be! Already there seemed to me severity in His words! She
was completely the mother; she was it then, even as when she wept at
Golgotha. Honor and reverence she deserves from us!"

"These she also receives!" returned Wilhelm; and striking him upon
the shoulder he added, with a smile, "you are, according to the Roman
Catholic manner, near exalting the mother above the Son! Old Rosalie has
made a proselyte; after all, you are half a Catholic!"

"That am I not!" answered Otto, "and that will I not be!"

"See! the thunder-cloud advances!"

resounded below in the court: the sweet Neapolitan song reached the
ears of the friends. They stepped into the adjoining room and opened the
window. Three poor boys stood below in the wind and rain, and commenced
the song. The tallest was, perhaps, fourteen or fifteen years old, his
deep, rough voice seemed to have attained its strength and depth more
through rain and bad weather than through age. The dirty wet clothes
hung in rags about his body; the shoes upon the wet feet, and the hat
held together with white threads, were articles of luxury. The other two
boys had neither hat nor shoes, but their clothes were whole and clean.
The youngest appeared six or seven years old; his silvery white hair
formed a contrast with his brown face, his dark eyes and long brown
eyelashes. His voice sounded like the voice of a little girl, as fine
and soft, beside the voices of the others, as the breeze of an autumnal
evening beside that of rude November weather.

"That is a handsome boy!" exclaimed the two friends at the same time.

"And a lovely melody!" added Otto.

"Yes, but they sing falsely!" answered Wilhelm: "one sings half a tone
too low, the other half a tone too high!"

"Now, thank God that I cannot hear that!" said Otto. "It sounds sweetly,
and the little one might become a singer. Poor child!" added he gravely