ee with her. Once he must pause, for the
loudly beating heart denied him breath, and once, in the blissful rapture
of his soul, he must give a loud shout of joy, otherwise his breast would
have burst. A merry, musical laugh rang forth near to him, and as he
turned to the side whence the sound had proceeded a lovely and pleasing
picture met his astonished gaze. In the midst of the grassplot near which
he was stood a great white cow, one of those splendid creatures that are
only seen on Dutch pastures. A fine-looking maid, dressed in the national
costume of the Dutch peasantry, with the gold-edged cap over the full,
luxuriant hair that fell in long braids down her back, sat on a stool
beside the cow, and was busied in milking. In melodious, regular cadence
the steaming milk flowed over her rosy hands down into the white porcelain
bucket which she held between her knees. At her side stood a little girl,
in almost the identical costume, only that the wide plaited skirt was of
black silk, the bodice of purple velvet trimmed with gold buttons and
loops, and the white apron of finest linen edged with point lace. Below
the short silk skirt, trimmed with purple velvet, peeped forth blue silk
stockings with red tops; shoes with high red heels, ornamented with gold
buckles, covered the neat little feet. It was altogether quite the costume
of a Dutch peasant girl, only the cap was wanting on the head, and in its
stead the hair, which fell in long fair ringlets over the child's
shoulders, was adorned by a thick wreath of the tendrils of the wild
grape, into which, in front just over the brow, were woven two beautiful
purple asters. She had been busied, it appeared from the quantity of
leaves and flowers she carried in her apron, in weaving wreaths, but now
let the contents of her apron fall to the ground, and only kept the green
wreath already finished, which hung upon her arm, while she sprang
laughing over the grassplot.

"Cousin Frederick William," she asked merrily, "where do you come from,
and why do you scream so fearfully?"

"Have I frightened you, Cousin Louisa Henrietta?" he asked, extending both
hands to her in greeting.

"Not me, cousin, but Hulda," she returned, holding out her little hands.
"You must know, cousin, Hulda is very scary, and it comes from her being
sad."

"Who is Hulda? The smart dairymaid there?"

"Hey, God forbid, cousin! How can you think that dairymaid could be
scared? No, Hulda is my pretty white