there's idleness riches take wings to
themselves; but if you're always adding something, no matter how
little, to your store, the old is likely to stay."

"I don't think we need go to church to-day," said Hansei, "mother's
giving us the best benediction."

"Yes, but we'll go to church, for all that," replied Walpurga. "All the
time I was away, I've looked forward to this first going to church.
What a fine day it is! I don't believe there ever was such lovely
weather." Their intercourse was full of happiness. The only drawback
was that the child still refused to go to Walpurga.

Walpurga told her mother that everything had been well attended to
during her absence, but she was displeased at one thing.

"What is it? what have I done?"

"Why, you didn't get yourself a servant."

The old woman smiled. She could never do that. She didn't know how she
could ever order a servant about. And now Hansei said he wouldn't allow
his wife to overwork herself, and that there must be a servant in the
house.

The grandmother recommended one of her brother's children from over the
mountains. So it was decided that they should send word to Uncle Peter
to come, and bring one of his daughters with him.

The morning was clear and bracing, and Hansei, who had put on his
snow-white shirt, said, while lighting his pipe:

"Walpurga, let your mother work a little while, and come out into the
garden."

He was sitting on the bench under the cherry-tree. Walpurga soon joined
him and, after the fashion of women, said that she could only remain
for a short time, that she had various matters to attend to, and that
they ought to be at church in good season.

She sat down beside him, and Hansei said: "Why don't you say something?
you must have lots to tell about."

"I can't think of anything now. Just wait, it'll all come in time. It's
happiness enough that we're together again. If we, all of us, only keep
well. I think our cherry-tree has grown."

"And now that I think of it, you've had no cherries from it this year.
I'll climb up and get some for you, and if I could get up, way beyond
the tree, and bring down the blue sky for you, I'd do it."

He climbed up the tree, and cried out: "Shoo! you sparrows, you've had
enough. My old woman's here again, but she's a young one, still, and
wants some, too. You've had your wives with you the whole year, and I
haven't." He hurriedly plucked the finest cherries, singing the while: