lly　he　gazed　across　the　meadow　at　the　reapers　and　busy　maidens；　then　there　came　upon　his　venerable　old　countenance　an　expression　of　great　interest。　And　well　he　might　be　pleased　with　what　he　saw　there；　for　that　tall；　sturdy　youth；　standing　in　the　wagon；　waiting　with　outstretched　arms　to　catch　the　sheaves　which　are　skilfully　thrown　him；　that　youth　with　the　bright　rosy　face；　the　sparkling　eye；　the　full　red　lip；　upon　which　there　is　always　a　merry　smile；　the　ivory　white　teeththat　youth　is　his　beloved　son；　Charles　Henry。　And　yonder　maiden；　not　far　from　the　wagon；　binding　up　the　corn；　in　whose　tall；　proud　form；　in　spite　of　her　plain　peasant…gown；　there　is　something　imposing；　that　maiden　with　the　youthful；　blooming；　lovely　face；　is　his　son's　betrothed；　whom　all　in　the　village　called　the　beautiful　Anna　Sophia；　and　for　whose　love　Charles　Henry　was　envied　by　all　the　village　boys。　It　is　true　she　was　a　penniless　orphan；　but　in　her　busy；　industrious　hands　there　was　a　better　and　surer　treasure　than　in　a　purse　of　gold；　and　her　ability　and　goodness　would　be　a　much　better　dowry　to　her　husband；　for　Anna　Sophia　Detzloff　could　do　almost　every　thing；　and　the　villagers　knew　not　whether　to　respect　her　more　for　her　great　knowledge；　or　love　her　more　for　her　kind；　good　heart。　Anna　could　read　and　write　like　a　school…teacher。　She　wrote　every　letter　which　the　women　of　the　village　sent　to　their　sons　and　husbands；　now　far　away　with　the　King　of　Prussia's　army；　and　read　to　them　the　answers；　and　in　so　beautiful　and　winning　a　manner　did　she　read　them；　that　to　the　happy　women　it　almost　seemed　as　if　they　were　hearing　the　voices　of　their　loved　ones。　But；　notwithstanding　her　learning；　she　was　well　versed　in　every　sort　of　work　that　beseemed　a　woman。　None　in　the　village　could　prepare　more　delightful　dishes　than　she；　no　one　could　equal　her　beautiful；　rapid　sewing　and　knitting。　Anna　Sophia　learned　all　these　things　from　her　mother；　who　had　lived　and　worked　for　many　long　years　in　Brunen。　Her　father　had　been　the　village　school…teacher；　and　it　was　owing　to　his　diligence　and　activity　that　the　women　could　now　receive　letters　from　their　sons　and　husbands。　He　had　taught　the　boys　to　read　and　write；　and　though　the　girls　did　not　learn；　the　example　of　his　daughter　showed　that　it　was　not　owing　to　inability；　but　for　a　want　of　time　and　desire。　From　her　mother；　Anna　had　learned　all　her　womanly　duties。　She　had　taught　her　to　be　amiable；　ready　with　help　for　all；　kind　and　sympathetic；　and　to　strive　by　her　good　deeds　to　gain　the　love　of　her　fellow…creatures。
  A　joyous　family　had　lived　in　the　little　village　school…house；　though　they　had　poverty　and　want　to　fight　against；　these　three　happy　human　beings　did　not　consider　this　a　misfortune；　but　a　necessary　evil　of　life。　They　loved　each　other；　and　when　the　parents　looked　upon　the　lovely；　rosy　countenance　of　their　only　child；　they　did　not　perceive　that　their　bread　was　hard　and　heavy；　they　did　not　miss　the　butter　and　cheese　without　which　the　rich　villagers　seldom　took　a　meal。　And　when；　on　Sundays；　Anna　went　with　her　parents　to　church；　in　the　faded　red　skirt；　neat　white　body；　and　black　bodice；　which　had　been　her　mother's　wedding…dress；　she　heard　the　boys　whisper　amongst　themselves　about　her　beauty　and　sweetness；　and　casting　her　eyes　down　with　timid　blushes　she　did　not　perceive　the　jeering　smiles　of　the　other　girls　who；　though　not　as　pretty；　were　proud　that　they　were　richer　and　better　dressed　than　the　school…teacher's　daughter。
  But　Death；　in　his　inexorable　manner；　had　disturbed　this　modest　happiness。　In　a　year　he　took　the　schoolmaster　Detzloff　and　his　wife　from　the　little　house　which；　to　any　one　else；　would　have　appeared　a　pitiful　hut；　but　which；　to　them；　seemed　a　paradise。　In　one　year　Anna　became　an　orphan；　she　was　entirely　alone　in　the　world；　and；　after　she　had　given　to　her　dear　departed　ones　the　tribute　of　her　sorrows　and　tears；　she　had　to　arouse　herself　and　create　a　new　future。　After　death　only；　the　villagers　became　aware　of　the　great　worth　of　the　departed；　they　now　admitted　to　the　full　the　school…teacher's　merits；　and　were　anxious　to　pay　to　the　daughter　the　debt　owing　to　the　father。　As　he　had　died　partly　from　starvation；　sorrow；　and　work；　they　wished　to　prove　themselves　generous　to　his　daughter；　and　preserve　her　from　the　want　and　misery　which　had　caused　the　death　of　her　parents。
  But　Anna　Sophia　would　be　dependent　on　no　one。　To　those　who　came　in　the　name　of　the　villagers　to　notify　her　that　she　would　receive　from　them　a　monthly　allowance；　she　showed　her　able　hands；　her　brown；　muscular　arms；　and；　raising　her　sparkling　eyes　proudly　to　the　new　school…teacher；　she　said；　〃From　these　alone　will　I　receive　help；　they　shall　give　me　food　and　clothing；　on　them　alone　will　I　be　dependent。〃
  She　then　went　to　seek　work。　The　rich　burgher　of　the　village　would　gladly　have　taken　so　smart　and　industrious　a　girl　into　his　house　and　paid　her　handsomely　for　her　services。　But　Anna　Sophia　declared　proudly　that；　though　she　was　willing　to　work；　she　would　be　no　slave；　that　she　would　sell　her　hands；　but　not　her　freedom。
  Another　house　had　been　built　and　furnished　for　the　school…teacher；　because　there　was　danger　of　the　old　one；　in　which　the　Detzloff　family　had　lived；　falling　to　pieces。
  Anna　Sophia；　by　the　sale　of　some　of　the　furniture；　had　bought　the　old；　dilapidated　hut　for　herself。　And　there；　in　her　hours　of　leisure；　she　lived　over　the　happy　past。　There　she　felt　that　she　was　still　with　her　parents；　and　not　alone　and　orphaned。　In　the　morning；　before　leaving　her　home　to　go　at　her　daily　work；　she　entered　the　little　garden　at　the　back　of　the　hut；　where　in　the　arbor；　laden　with　dark…red　blossoms；　were　the　three　chairs　her　father　had　woven　in　his　idle　moments；　and　the　roughly…hewn　deal　table　made　by　his　axe。　She　took　her　seat　for　a　moment　upon　the　chair　standing　in　the　centre；　and　laid　one　hand　upon　the　one　to　either　side　of　her　Thus　she　had　sat　in　the　past；　with　her　hands　clasped　in　those　of　her　parents。　The　Rhine　flowed　on　as　melodiously　as　before　in　the　dim　distance；　the　trees　were　as　green；　the　flowers　and　blossoms　as　sweet；　the　sky　as　blue。　There　was　no　change；　all　around　her　was　as　in　former　days；　except　these　empty　chairs。　But　Anna　had　only　to　close　her　eyes　to　see　the　beloved　forms　of　her　departed　parents；　to　feel　the　pressure　of　their　hands；　and　to　hear　them　addressing　her；　in　tones　which　love　alone　could　have　uttered；　love　alone　understood。　Then　saying　aloud；　〃Good…morning；　mother！　Good…morning；　father！〃　she　rose；　with　closed　eyes；　from　her　seat；　and　hastened　from　the　arbor　with　the　pleasant　thought　that　she　was　followed　by　the　loving　gaze　of　her　parents。　She　did　not　turn　once；　for　then　she　would　have　seen　that　the　arbor　was　empty；　and　she　wished　to　preserve　the　sweet　delusion　to　be　the　brighter　and　happier　at　her　day's　work。　When；　during　the　day；　she　saw　the　burgher's　wife　surrounded　by　her　blooming　daughters；　she　would　say　to　herself；　〃I　also　have　a　father　and　mother　at　home；　and　they　await　me！〃　Then；　when　her　day's　work　was　finished；　she　hastened　with　a　flying　step　to　her　home；　whose　solemn　stillness　resounded　for　her　with　the　dear…loved　voices　of　the　past。　Opening　the　bedroom　of　her　parents；　she　cried；　〃Good…night；　mother！　Good…night；　father！〃　Then　she　climbed　up　to　her　little　attic；　which　had　been　her　father's　favorite　room；　and　which；　when　she　was　with　him；　he　had　called　a　little　spot　of　Eden。　There　stood　his　writing…table；　and　above　it　the　bookcase；　which　held　her　most　precious　treasures；　her　father's　library。　From　the　window　the　Rhine　could　be　seen　meandering　along　the　smooth　green　meadows；　finally　loosing　itself　between　the　distant　hills。
  Her　father　had　left　her　this　blessed　little　spot；　and　hither　she　fled　when　her　heavy　day's　work　was　over。　There　of　an　evening　she　stood；　gazing　thoughtfully　out　into　the　darkening　twilight；　and　there　daily　she　greeted　the　rising　sun；　repeating　aloud　her　morning　prayer。　Then　with　eager　hands　she　took　from　the　book…case　one　of　the　large　folios。　From　these　books　Anna　Sophia　drew　all　her　knowledge。　And　when；　during　the　long　winter　evenings；　the　village　girls　were　busy　spinning；　she　would　tell　them　the　stories　she　had　read；　no　hand　was　idle；　no　eye　drooping。　She　was　looked　upon　as　the　guardian　angel　of　the　village；　she　knew　some　remedy；　some　alleviation　for　every　illness；　every　pain。　In　a　sick…room；　she　was　all　that　a　nurse　should　be；　kind；　loving；　patient；　and　gentle。　She　was　beloved　by　all；　and　all　the　village　boys　sought　to　gain　her　hand。　For　a　long　time　she　would　listen　to　none　of　them；　and　flew　in　terror　from　those　who　broached　the　subject。
  How　the　youngest　son　of　the　old　shepherd　Buschman　had　finally　won　her　heart；　she　did　not　herself　know。　It　is　true；　he　was　the　handsomest；　best…made　boy　in　the　village；　but　it　was　not　for　this　that　she　loved　him；　for　she　had　known　him　long　ago；　and　had　been　perfectly　indifferent　to　him；　until　within　the　last　few　weeks。　Why　was　it？　Because　he　loved　her　so　dearly；　and　had　told　her　he　would　die　if　she　did　not　listen　to　him。　Many　others　had　done　and　said　the　same　thing；　but　it　had　never　moved　her　sensibilities；　nor　had　their　threats　terrified　her。　What；　then；　had　won　her　cold；　proud　heart？
  The　old　shepherd　had　been　the　occasion　of　their　frequently　meeting　each　other。　For　some　weeks　she