like the mustard-seed in the Bible, 'which, indeed, is the least of
all seeds; but when it is grown it is the greatest among herbs, and
becometh a tree.' Most of them have nothing before them but to be cast
into the furnace, and be smelted there.

"This is the story of the glasses," said Ole, the watchman of the
church tower; "and it applies both to those who use blacking, and to
those who use only grease."

Such was the result of the second visit to Ole. More may be
forthcoming at some future time.

_Anne Lisbeth; or, The Apparition of the Beach._

Anne Lisbeth was like milk and blood, young and happy, lovely to look
at; her teeth were so dazzlingly white, her eyes were so clear; her
foot was light in the dance, and her head was still lighter. What did
all this lead to? To no good. "The vile creature!" "She was not
pretty!"

She was placed with the grave-digger's wife, and from thence she went
to the count's splendid country-seat, where she lived in handsome
rooms, and was dressed in silks and fineries; not a breath of wind was
to blow on her; no one dared to say a rough word to her, nothing was
to be done to annoy her; for she nursed the count's son and heir, who
was as carefully tended as a prince, and as beautiful as an angel. How
she loved that child! Her own child was away from her--he was in the
grave-digger's house, where there was more hunger than plenty, and
where often there was no one at home. The poor deserted child cried,
but what nobody hears nobody cares about. He cried himself to sleep,
and in sleep one feels neither hungry nor thirsty: sleep is,
therefore, a great blessing. In the course of time Anne Lisbeth's
child shot up. Ill weeds grow apace, it is said: and this poor weed
grew, and seemed a member of the family, who were paid for keeping
him. Anne Lisbeth was quite free of him. She was a village fine lady,
had everything of the best, and wore a smart bonnet whenever she went
out. But she never went to the grave-digger's; it was so far from
where she lived, and she had nothing to do there. The child was under
their charge; _he_ who paid its board could well afford it, and the
child would be taken very good care of.

The watch-dog at the lord of the manor's bleach-field sits proudly in
the sunshine outside of his kennel, and growls at every one that goes
past. In rainy weather he creeps inside, and lies down dry and
sheltered. Anne Lisbeth's boy sat on the side of a ditch in the
suns