Gritli's Children

xury is possible. The flower-garden is a source of pleasure to the whole family; but the vegetable-garden is her own, so to speak

xcited the hopes of their owner that a wonderful harvest would before lon

; "your vegetables are always the best and the most forward of

and, stained and knotted with work, to clasp that of his old friend and schoolmate. How often had he been to

asked heartily. "Have you plenty of

lder and set them on the ground. "There is work enough; I am just taking these t

e and delicate. Do not forget how her mother died, Heiri. The little girl ought not to have too much to do; she is not strong, and she is growi

she so young, so young! Marget is a good wife and an industrious woman; but nothing will

w gladly she would have lived for you and the children, nor how quickly it was all over. Elsli is the

nes to make them come and be washed at the spout. Of course the little boys won't stand that, and they set up a scream, and then out comes their mother, and there's a grand row! I scarcely ever come home at night that Marget doesn't come complaining of the boy for plaguing the younger children. She wants me to punish him, but when the little fellow stands up before me, and looks

asure. But tell me about El

and is not obstinate about having her own way, as her poor mother was. She does what she is bid, and never answers back when Marget scolds, nor ever comp

ous about her. Ask Marget to come over and see me: tell her I have some clothes which my

will have good luck with the cauliflowers"; and, with another

eyes, as she used to sit weaving forget-me-nots into pretty wreaths with her skilful fingers; always putting a few into her belt and into her hair. Gritli was the child of poor parents, but she was always neatly dressed, and, though her clothes were of the coarsest stuff, yet there was a peculiar look of daintiness about her, which, with the bit

ri found that he needed help in the care of these little ones, and, taking the advice of friends and neighbors, he married Marget, who was recommended to him as specially capable of looking after his house and children. She proved indeed a good

d received from their own mother, and Gritli's children retained an air of distinctio

ere rudely dispelled by a piercing scream that resounded from the house; and presently an eight-year-old girl came running round the corne

noise! come here to me!

nd hid her face in the ski

froggy, that I caught, and was holding out for Rikli to admire. Just let me read you this description, and you will see

g girl, "and, Fred, why do you persist in showing the silly chil

Fred. "But do listen to this, mamma." F

s eyes have a golden color, and the toes of his hind legs are webbed. His voice, which is often heard on

with the sick child," said Mrs. Stein, putting Fred aside rather

you do not know wha

ite apron, from the kitchen, to lift out the sick girl and carry her into the house

i, who came forward, lifted out the pale child, and carried her

e years old," said Fred to Rikli. "She is more nearly Emma's age, and what do you suppose she wo

s about to add some farther excuse for her screams, when Fred opened his hand to see how his frog was getting on, and lo! the little creatur

t sick little girl in there, h

aid answered before it was fairly uttered, for it wa

your mother says. And as for screaming like a pig, you mustn't do t

's horrid frog, and how it had jumped almost into her very face. Her au

ect, we can put the two verses together; then ours could go her

e of conviction; "that will remove all difficulties; and the

she will never finish the banner by herself. She is always up to so

friends of their new ally. Rikli thought her chance had come now, but befo

ries-a lot of boys and girls-may I go too? Say 'yes'

s to-morrow; always something or other; that is the way

cried Rikli, and sta

the steps in two

woods; there are red snai

d turned back to tell her story, when she saw Fred coming in with his

hear the end of this description; and it was a pity, for I had found

y; it will jump right into your face,

it, and now he suddenly opened it into his sister's fac

id Fred, well pleased at the success

r water-frog,

s opened, and they heard footste

at the little sick girl who is going a

expression came into the good aunt's face as s

her!" she said, as her eyes fell on the face of the lady who was at this moment

xious mother, came to talk it over with her sister, with whom she consulted about everything that took place in the family, so that the household would have been as much at a loss without "aunty" a

ady to belong more to heaven than to earth; but the mother would not believe it, and had eagerly explained, in a burst of tears, that it was only the fatigue of

il late in the evening did he return; long after the children were safe in their beds. Fred, by the way, had persevered till he had secured his aunt long enough to give her a thorough account of the appearance of the "green or wat

peak to his expectant wife and sister, until he had satisfied his appetit

t a case of failing health, but of utter want of vitality from the very beginning. If

ply, though they had expected nothing better

pe," they said, "and our mountain

in this child, and I am sure it would be a good thing; for her projects almost always end in some kind of mishap. Nora will be rather astonished, probably, at some of her suggestions, but it will do no harm to the

icacy might have a softening influence on her impulsive little daughter, while, on the other ha

have got along without it; for their lives were so closely interwoven that they needed this interchange of thoughts to help each other and themselves. Naturally, the children were first discussed, with their varied joys and sorrows, wants and wishes; next, the doctor's patients, who came to the house from far and near; and last, the many calls for sympathy and advice that reached their ears and their hearts from all the country round about; for many were those who brought their troubles of all kin