The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1875-12-03

knoW OF WI you - our httie
house pecpiy y the scaeiaa up In
the fields over tE1gS How delightful II
will be 10 live there, MAJ, with all the
flowers growing In al ones windows
And Karl ia providing this home for me
All, little Max, this looks rather like
loving one, doesn't itY'
Max was silent, and kept his face
turned away, with a slight frown on his
brow.
al wish I could suddenly grow big,
Krescenz," he said abruptly.
The sister laughed. "My dear, you
must wait" she said, gayIy. "Bye and
bye you shall copy your brother Karl,
and II you can manage To grow like him
you will do very we'll. In the meantime
you are not quite 10 small as you we're,
my boy, when I first took you in my
arms and carried you about our poor
garrett, trying to put you to sleep.
Mother had died the day before ! was
ten years old, and you we're only born. l
was a very little nurse, wasn't i? But
il seemed TO me that my heart was q
hundred years old. How proud I was Of
you. and how l loved you" J"
"And you worked for me, didn't you,
Kresccuz"
"Ah, didn't 4. We were alone In the
world, you and me. ] paid poor old
woman-s very, very old woman, who
could not do anything clse-a penny a
day for taking care of you, and worked
for us two. was a strong little girl,
and ne industrious ss a bee. People
gave me work TO do; IL was very hard
until ! was about fourteen, and then l
learned to sew, and things began TO be
better. At sixteen I was able TO rent a
little room for myself, and no bring home
my little brother. All, Max, how often
have we been hungry together! and yet
you are a brave boy for your age. have
pulled you through the worst, and now
God has taken US both into happiness
aud safety. No more scanty crusts for
you. No more sitting up all night, sew
ing by candle, for me. No more pinch
ing at the heart when rent day 10 coming
round. Who could have thought of il,
that Karl, whom every one admired,
should have sought out me? l did not
accept him hastily, Max, for l was
afraid be might change his mind afraid
that he did not know what he was say
ing, or that he did not know perfectly
how much people thought of him. But
he would persist in loving me-he would,
indeed; and that is why laugh 80 much
when the people tell idle tales. III you
only knew, my good people, l think
If you only knew how well ! know
And Max (you see do not mind saying
to you), must confess that the
greatest trouble have had lately has
been the fear that so much sitting up at
night was taking away all my good looks.
look 20 sickly sometimes when the
morning light comes in. Stare me well
in the face, Max, and tell me II ] am get
ting ugly"
"You are the prettiest and lovelisst
girl in the town, sister Krescenz."
But l am not rosy, like Gretchen,
nor are my eyes as big and bright as
Luise's, nor
"No matter" persisted Max. "Not
one Of them can smile the way you do"
"After that must say something nice
to you, Max. Sit down here on the
grass, and let me tell you the kind Of life
we shall have in our little house yonder.
We shall have four rooms Of our own,
and there are vines growing round al
the windows. We shall have q pretty
garden, with bees and flowers, and a
field with a COW in it. shall do my
sewing sitting under tree, locking
down on the Moselle. You will 20 10
work with Karl, and in the evening you
will both come home, and we shall have
supper in the garden" !.
al wish we had some now, krescenx. !"
81 wish we had, and | think 1t 10 time
TO go ana iook ior some conee anu
bread" -.
The sister and brother turned their
steps toward q pleasant summsr-house Of
relreshment, built among trees, upon the
high oyerhsneing bank of the river,
where the people of Trier love To drink
coffee in the cool of the evening. As the
sirl and child took their simple meal in
I nook of the proiccling terrace, the blue
Moselle rushed under their feet, and
Trier Law bsthed in ruddy glory in the
distance before their eyss. with its strange
contrasting outlines softened into mag
niiicent harmony, and the fierce black
Roman gates making a frown on the
very front of rhe sunny Landscape.
@How splendid it looks, the dear old
town % cried Krescenz. "Do you know,
Max. I can not understand why people
ever leave their homes to 20 out into the