tten there!"

"I cannot read it, it is so badly written; read it for me."

Lenz read aloud: "This is a little plant--Edelweiss--that grew on the
highest mountain in Switzerland, under the snow. It was found by my
husband, who thought of me as he picked it, brought it home with him,
and gave it to me, on our wedding day. I wish it placed in my hand,
when I am laid in the ground. Should it, however, be forgotten or
overlooked, my son must give it to his wife the morning after their
marriage, and, as long as she shall hold it in honor it will bring a
blessing. There is no magic in it, however. This plant is called
Edelweiss.--MARIE LENZ."

"Does it not go to your heart to hear one so speak to you from the
dead? Let it not affect you too much. Be cheerful! She liked to have
every one cheerful, and was always so herself, though she had seen much
sorrow."

Annele smiled, wrapped the little plant in its paper again, and laid it
aside with the garnet necklace.

The young people sat chatting together till a message came from the
Lion that they must make haste down, for many visitors had already
arrived.

Franzl was such an awkward lady's maid, that Lenz had to go down first,
and send up some one from the hotel. He said he should go to Faller's,
too, and invite him to the party; he must be there to-day, and Annele
must treat him kindly, and forget whatever clumsy thing he might have
said.

"Yes, yes," said Annele, "only go quick, and send me up Margaret, or,
better still, Ernestine."

She made her appearance at length in her old home, and was warmly
welcomed and embraced by her mother, and taken into the little parlor,
where she at once began to complain of Lenz's having given her, that
morning, an old string of garnets and a dried flower for her wedding
present. She could not show herself before all the hotelkeepers'
daughters, to say nothing of their wives and sons, without a gold
chain. "He is an old skinflint," she exclaimed, "a stupid, petty
clockmaker."

"Annele," her mother prudently answered, "he is no miser, for he did
not ask a word about your dowry; and neither is he stupid,--rather too
clever, if anything. Last night there came a silversmith from Pforzheim
with a great box under his arm. Lenz ordered him, you may be sure; so
now you can pick out the prettiest chain the jeweller has."

The landlady knew very well that Annele would not believe the
falsehood, and Annele knew equally well that her mother did