build of a man, and his loud musical voice, with
its tone friendly and familiar, his rolling laugh of welcome, went well
with the keen bright eye, the fine cloth of his coat, and the general
look of substance about the place. Poultry of all kinds abounded in the
mill-yard, where there were ample means of livelihood for them strewed
on the ground; but not content with this, the miller took out handfuls
of corn from the sacks, and threw liberally to the cocks and hens that
ran almost under his feet in their eagerness. And all the time he was
doing this, as it were habitually, he was talking to us, and ever and
anon calling to his daughter and the serving-maids, to bid them hasten
the coffee we had ordered. He followed us to an arbour, and saw us
served to his satisfaction with the best of everything we could ask for;
and then left us to go round to the different arbours and see that each
party was properly attended to; and, as he went, this great, prosperous,
happy-looking man whistled softly one of the most plaintive airs I ever
heard.

"His family have held this mill ever since the old Palatinate days; or
rather, I should say, have possessed the ground ever since then, for two
successive mills of theirs have been burnt down by the French. If you
want to see Scherer in a passion, just talk to him of the possibility of
a French invasion."

But at this moment, still whistling that mournful air, we saw the miller
going down the steps that led from the somewhat raised garden into the
mill-yard; and so I seemed to have lost my chance of putting him in a
passion.

We had nearly finished our coffee, and our "kucken," and our cinnamon
cake, when heavy splashes fell on our thick leafy covering; quicker and
quicker they came, coming through the tender leaves as if they were
tearing them asunder; all the people in the garden were hurrying under
shelter, or seeking for their carriages standing outside. Up the steps
the miller came hastening, with a crimson umbrella, fit to cover every
one left in the garden, and followed by his daughter, and one or two
maidens, each bearing an umbrella.

"Come into the house--come in, I say. It is a summer-storm, and will
flood the place for an hour or two, till the river carries it away.
Here, here."

And we followed him back into his own house. We went into the kitchen
first. Such an array of bright copper and tin vessels I never saw; and
all the wooden things were as thoroughly scoured. The