to have a
post-office here--the judge himself says so--and if it should fail us,
you could easily bring it about. You'll give the village a great name.
Indeed, you'll make a town of it, and the houses will be worth twice as
much as they now are."

He wanted his wife to go up to the village with him at once, in order
to look at the inn; but Walpurga said:

"Let me get a good rest in our old house before we go up there. The inn
won't run away. I can't tell you how happy I am to be in our house
again. I feel as if I must try every chair. Everything seems so good at
home. It's just as if every chair and every table had eyes, and was
looking at me and saying: 'Yes, we still know you, and have waited for
you'; and now, I beg of you, do let me rest awhile."

"Yes, yes; just stay," replied Hansei, walking up and down the room.
Suddenly, as if called by some one, he went out and split several logs
which he had laid aside.

Walpurga came out and looked at him with evident satisfaction.

"Yes," said he, "work will be kept up just as it always was. I shan't
be a lazy landlord--rest assured of that; and I won't take to drinking,
either. Are you going up to the village with me?" he inquired at last.

"Yes; but do come in."

Hansei was soon on the road, and was not a little proud to be seen
entering the village with his wife. At the fountain near the town hall,
there were women and girls with their tubs. As soon as they saw
Walpurga, they came up to her and offered their greetings and
congratulations.

The children were just leaving school. Walpurga called several of them
to her, shook hands with them, and gave them kind messages to their
parents. With saddened heart, she would hear of the death of such and
such a one. The other children were gathered in groups, and would stand
about, staring at her with surprise. Walpurga's being sent for and
taken to the palace had been as a fairy-tale to the village children;
and now the fairy herself was standing there in broad daylight, and
talking just as other people did.

At last Walpurga left them, but the children kept calling out her name,
in order to prove that they still knew her.

When she and her husband walked on, the latter pointed toward the town
hall. "Look!" said he, "I'll soon be there, too. It's almost certain
that they'll elect me as one of the town council. I might even become a
burgomaster. But I won't take that, for that would get an innkeeper
into lots of troub