e kitchen in great excitement, and--knowing that
Marie's face was red from heat of the fire, that she was nervous from
added responsibilities, and not dressed for presentation--cried with
quivering lips:

"Ah, Marie! the butter-piece is so grand, it brings us into trouble.
The great Emperor asks to see thee, and thou must come!"

She told how poor, red-faced, bewildered Marie dropped her ladle and
stared at the speaker, then rolled down her sleeves while the Frau
Wirthin tied her own best white apron around her waist, at the same
time instructing her in the manner in which she must hold her dress at
the sides, between thumb and forefinger, and spread the skirt wide, in
making a low, reverential bow. But Marie was so upset that she realized
only that her heart was beating like a trip-hammer, and her form
shaking like an aspen leaf, while being led before those august
personages. Yet, after it was all over, she was informed that the
Emperor and Empress had spoken kindly to her, and that she, herself,
had made her bow and backed out of the room admirably for one in her
position, and ought to feel that the great honor conferred upon her had
covered with glory all the ills and embarrassments she had suffered.

To impress us more fully with the importance of that event, grandma had
Georgia and me stand up on our cellar floor and learn to make that
deferential bow, she by turns, taking the parts of the Frau Wirthin,
the Emperor, and the Empress.

She now finished her modelling with a dainty centrepiece for the
bride's table, and let me go with her when she carried it to the
Vallejo mansion. It gave great satisfaction; and while the family and
guests were admiring it, Senora Vallejo took me by the hand, saying in
her own musical tongue, "Come, little daughter, and play while you
wait."

She led me to a room that had pictures on the walls, and left me
surrounded by toys. But I could not play. My eyes wandered about until
they became riveted on one corner of the room, where stood a child's
crib which looked like gold. Its head and foot boards were embellished
with figures of angels; and a canopy of lace like a fleecy cloud
hovered over them. The bed was white, but the pillows were covered with
pink silk and encased in slips of linen lawn, exquisite with rare
needlework. I touched it before I left the room, wondering what the
little girl dreamed in that beautiful bed; and on the way home, grandma
and I discussed all these th