eping at the grave. Richard approached and offered her his
arm. The carriage proceeded toward Salingen and stopped before the
church, whose bells were tolling. The service began. Again was Richard
surprised at the joyful melody of the church hymns. The organ pealed
forth joyfully as on a festival. Even the priest at the altar did not
wear black, but white vestments. Frank, unfamiliar with the deep spirit
of the Catholic liturgy, could not understand this singular funeral
service.

After service the family returned. Frank sat opposite to Angela, who
was very sad, but in no way depressed. He even thought he saw now and
then the light of a peculiar joy in her countenance. Madame Siegwart
could not succeed in overcoming her maternal sorrow. Her tears burst
forth anew, and her husband consoled her with tender words.

Frank strove to divert Angela from her sad thoughts. As he thought it
would not be in good taste to speak of ordinary matters, he expressed
his surprise at the manner of the burial.

"Your sister," said he, "was interred with a solemnity which excited my
surprise, and, I confess, my disapprobation. Not a single hymn of
sorrow was sung, either at the grave or in the church. One would not
believe that those white-clad girls with wreaths of flowers on their
heads were carrying the soulless body of a beloved being to the grave.
The whole character of the funeral was that of rejoicing. How is this,
Fraeulein Angela; is that the custom here?"

She looked at him somewhat astonished.

"That is the custom in the whole Catholic Church," she replied. "At the
burial of children she excludes all sadness; and for that reason masses
of requiem in black vestments are never said for them; but masses of
the angels in white."

"Do you not think the custom is in contradiction to the sentiments of
nature--to the sorrowful feelings of those who remain?"

"Yes, I believe so," she answered tranquilly. "Human nature grieves
about many things over which the spirit should rejoice."

These words sounded enigmatically to Richard.

"I do not comprehend the meaning of your words, Fraeulein Angela."

"Grief at the death of a relative is proper for us, because a beloved
person has been taken from our midst. But the church, on the contrary,
rejoices because an innocent, pure soul has reached the goal after
which we all strive--eternal happiness. You see, Herr Frank, that the
church considers the departure of a child from this world fr