rubersepp, who lives at our place,
has a mountain meadow, and whenever his cows are brought home, they
keep on lowing for three days, and won't eat a thing. If I only knew
how things are at home; if I only felt sure that they keep my child
indoors; but I'll write at once."

Walpurga wrote an anxious, sorrowful letter and was not content until
good tidings came in return.

Whenever Irma entered the crown prince's apartments, even in the
gloomiest weather, her presence seemed like sunshine. There was rarely
a day that she did not come, although her visits were shorter than they
had been. She said that the preparations for her brother's wedding took
up so much of her time.

"I'd like to see your father," said Walpurga, one day; "he must be a
splendid man to have such good and beautiful children."

Irma pressed her hand to her heart.

"If father comes I'll bring him to you," said she, as if to silence
her. The innocent remark of this simpleminded woman had deeply moved
her, and the anticipation of brilliant festivities gave way to sad and
sombre thoughts. She was often in the city, either alone or attended by
her brother, while making purchases for a complete and luxuriously
furnished household. Women in large towns find as much pleasure in
shopping as children in the woods do in gathering wild-flowers. To go
from shop to shop, to compare, to select, to purchase--it is just like
plucking flowers. Irma was enough of a child and woman of the world to
delight in this, and to enjoy the pleasure of furnishing a house
according to her own taste. The workmen and shopkeepers exaggerated
nothing when they said that they had never before met one whose orders
showed such excellent judgment. Irma was not amiable and gracious, she
was simply courteous. She never apologized for the trouble she gave the
shopkeepers and workmen, for that was part of their business. She
addressed them respectfully, freely expressed her approval, when their
suggestions were in good taste, and thanked them for correcting her,
when her demands were impracticable.

Could Irma have heard how sewing-women, workmen and shopmen praised
her, it would have gladdened her heart.

It struck her as very singular that every one would make the mistake of
speaking of the new establishment as her own, and not as her brother's.

The wedding was solemnized. Irma had no opportunity of introducing her
father to Walpurga, for he did not come. During those few days, she