r partisans
hunting in the unmowed grass until the treasures were again trove.

At the same time an elderly man approached and opened the gate--a
peasant evidently, although, instead of the usual long white apron
and bib, he wore one of new green linen, shining as satin--a man of a
strong although delicate make, the head slightly stooping forward,
and a face that beamed with genuine pleasure as half a dozen voices
simultaneously burst forth with a "God greet you, Alois!"

This then was Schuster (or Shoe-maker) Alois, in preparation of
whose advent the good aunt had scrubbed a bed-room, and Moidel had
beautified the window with pots of blooming geraniums. The room was a
large chamber, set apart for the different ambulatory work-people who
came to the Hof in the course of the year. The weaver, who arrived in
the spring to weave the flax which the busy womankind had spun through
the winter, had been the last occupant of the room, and had woven no
less than two hundred and ninety-three ells of linen, which now in
long symmetrical lines were carefully pegged down on the turf of the
pleasaunce by Moidel, who walked over them daily with her bare feet,
busily watering until the gray threads were turning snowy white.

Later on in the year the sewing-woman would appear, and then the
tailor, to make the clothing for this large household, the servants,
according to an old custom long since extinct in most countries, being
chiefly paid in kind. Schuster Alois had now come to make the boots
for Jakob and the Senner Franz preparatory to their going with the
cattle to the Alpine pastures.

I greatly doubt whether the tailor or the weaver was so well waited
upon as the shoemaker: I fancy they were left more to the maids.
Passing the open door of the family house-place, aunt and niece might
now be seen sitting hour after hour, the elder lining the soles of
Jakob's stockings with pieces of strong woolen to prevent mending on
the Alp, or attending to other needs of his homely toilet; the younger
at her paste-board or kneading-trough, whilst Schuster Alois sat
between them in the sunny oriel window, and while he steadily plied
his awl appeared to be either telling them tales or reciting poetry.

The Alp, or Olm (to use the provincial word), lay at the distance of
about six hours, and the Hofbauer went up to examine the state of the
pasturage before his son and the cattle finally started. In two days
he returned. "The going up of the ca