t was awkward that the spinner was so indistinct of speech, that
with the exception of her son Carl and the school-master's wife, there
was hardly any one who could understand her.

Richard and Bertha shook their heads while watching Annette's
movements, and could not refrain from commenting on them. But my wife
would always tell them that Annette was of an active temperament, and
was only happy when assisting others. She also told them that Annette
had interested herself for the baker Lerz's victim and her child, and
that she had given the clergymen of the neighboring villages
considerable sums to be distributed among the poor. And, further, that
it was much to her credit that she would not allow herself to be driven
away from her work by rudeness on the part of those whom she was trying
to benefit.

We soon had an amusing instance of this.

One Sunday afternoon, while we were up in the arbor, Annette had seated
herself with Rothfuss and Martella on a bench in front of the house.
She was trying to find out from Rothfuss how much he loved his horses
and cattle.

Rothfuss knew nothing about loving them. All he said was, "Feed them
well, and they will work for you."

She was quite provoked that the tinkling of the bells of the cows that
were grazing on the mountain patches was inharmonious. She said that
she would buy bells that were in accord with each other, and present
them to the owners of the cows.

She conversed quite familiarly with Rothfuss and Martella, and asked
them to look upon her as their companion.

To which Rothfuss replied, "I have nothing against the Jews--they are
all the same to me. In the place where I was born, there were lots of
Jews, and I was on good terms with all of them. Two of them served in
the same regiment with me; and in my village there was a splendid girl
whom they called 'the little beauty;' she was strong and healthy and
jolly. She loved to dance with me; and, if I could only have afforded
to marry, I would have been bound to have her. And you may take my word
for it, she would not have refused me.

"You are a sensible woman; one can talk to you about all sorts of
things. You are not like Baroness Arven, who once ordered me to take my
cap in my hand while I was speaking to her. You are better than she is.

"Yes, indeed; my first love was a Jewess.

"And then there was Myerle the horse-dealer, who often came to see us.
He looks just like you;--are you related to him? I know