Master Heissler entered the little cabin, as was his wont every morning, and found Olga seated at the bedside, with her eyes fixed steadfastly on the old man's face.

DEATH-BED OF RUSSIAN MATTIS.

"How is the old man ?" asked Heissler.

"He sleeps, and I cannot wake him," answered Olga.

She parted the hair on the dead man's forehead, and continued,"See, Master Heissler, how pale is his forehead; his lips seem to smile."

"Be comforted, my child, be comforted!" said the Master; "I have promised to be as a father to you."

Olga smiled mournfully.

"And do you suppose, Master Heissler, that it is of myself I am thinking ?"

"You must come home with me; you cannot remain here alone with the corpse."

“Oh, I am not afraid! how could I be afraid of my dear old father?" sighed Olga. “Oh, let me remain here."

However, the Master gained his point; and when Ivan was borne to the grave a few days afterwards, Olga was seated in Master Heissler's cottage, listening to a stream of common-place words of comfort poured out by the Master's old housekeeper.

"You will see what a handsome cross the Master will make for the old man's grave," said Heissler, when he came home; "it shall have been for some purpose that he called me a friend."

"Do you know what Annette Sofie says, little Feeger?" said Mrs. Feeger one day to her husband; "she says that the Russian up yonder, near the Vale of Joy, is dead."

"Indeed! Well, and the girl?"

"She has gone to live with Master Heissler, and they say she is quite inconsolable, poor child!"

"If you think as I do, we might let her come to us; we may make something of her. Poor child! what is to become of her at last, if she is to go on living with that old Master Heissler ?"

"Yes, I should like very well to have her, for she is already a very nice-looking girl; and particularly when mamma comes, it will be so dreadful if we are obliged to let the maids wait upon us in the drawing-room and the parlour. Mamma always says that she is sure she should die if she were to be waited upon by such maids as ours."

"Well, to tell the truth, they know nothing about waiting. As soon as the burial is over I will call upon Master Heissler."

In conformity with this determination the Court-Secretary entered Master Heissler's cottage a few days later.

The Master was working at the cross that was to be placed on Ivan's grave, and was, with skilful hand, carving on it the image of a saint. The good Master was determined to place this symbol on the Russian's grave.

"Good morning, Master!" began the Court-Secretary, seating himself opposite to his host. "Good morning, Olga!"

"Good morning!" answered the Master briefly.

"I hear that old Russian Mattis is dead."

"Yes, he is; and in heaven, too, that I am sure."

"He was a worthy old man. But what will become of little Olga "

"She will remain with me until she finds something better." "That is exactly what I thought. My wife offers Olga an asylum in our house, if she would like it."

Master Heissler, who, when promising Ivan that he would take care of Olga, had, in fact, pledged himself to more than he was quite sure he could perform, now lent an attentive car: his countenance brightened.

"The Court-Secretary will admit Olga into his house?"

"Yes, such is our wish. You know us, Master Heissler: we will be kind to the girl, and bring her up to industry, virtue, and good conduct. Besides, she has talents-fine gifts of nature, which ought to be developed."

The Muster thought the offer ought to be accepted, and asked Olga what she said to it.

"What right has a poor orphan girl to interfere with your wishes?" she said. "God's will be done: then I am sure it will be

for my good."

The Court-Secretary returned home, proud and delighted at having brought the negociation to so speedy and happy a conclusion. He had now secured a pupil, to whom he could impart his method in singing, an art in which he considered himself a perfect master. It would really have been a pity that this method should not have been grafted on a fresh stem; for on the old one, it had gradually died away ever since (the exact period is unknown) the Court-Secretary's voice had become so cracked, that it could not produce a single clear tone.

"It will be an occupation for my leisure hours," observed the Court-Secretary, whose every hour was a leisure one; "it will be a pleasant pastime to teach the girl a thorough method, so that in time she may be able to sing in the 'true style.""

Mrs. Feeger, on the other side, who looked forward with no un. founded dread to her mother's usual summer visit, was glad to have found a girl with a neat appearance, who could hand round the tea, and wait at table; and little Frank looked upon Olga as a play-fellow. Every one, therefore, gave a hearty welcome to the "nice" girl, who, a few days afterwards, arrived at Knopestad, in company with a little trunk full of clothes.

"You must not be down-hearted, child; you must not grieve," said Mrs. Court-Secretary. "Your father was old; and, besides, you must be reasonable, and not sorrow about things which cannot be helped. Dear me, child! if you cry ever so much, your father will remain where he is-that he will."

These, and similar attempts at consolation, did not produce much effect; but Olga's good sense and self-command did more. Soon, therefore, it was only when she was alone that she would sit with her hand under her cheek, and with fixed glance, thinking of her old father, who was now sleeping so sweetly; but the thought far from being painful to her, was comforting.

Much time was not allowed to clapse before the Court-Secretary began his musical instruction. This gentleman's execution was in a most remarkable style; and as for his voice, you must have heard it to have any idea of it. The hoarseness which so often came upon him, when he was reciting his own poems, seemed to become permanent when he was singing. In artistical phrase, his voice was somewhat "cracked."

"The lips more parted—not o, but oa. Thus, oa! 'Younder loanely coattage!' bring out the o strongly. You must breathe rapidly, in this way" (coughs)-" in this way, ra-"-(coughs)—" rapidly, I said. So, that's right; it is better already. More emphasis on the f-eff; that's it-eff, forte-efff-very well; now piano ge-je-che-pianissimo, so that it can scarcely be heard: che. Very well."

In this manner the singing lessons were continued one hour every day-for this was as much "leisure time" as the Court-Secretary pretended he could afford to give.

66

'Good gracious! little Feeger," exclaimed Mrs. Court-Secretary, one morning; mamma will be here in a week; we must really put things a little to rights."

The lady seemed anything but delighted at the news which she had learned from a letter just received from her mother.

Indeed, it was no easy matter to entertain the Town-Major's widow, who never forgot that the young people were living at her expense (for there was a contract between the Town-Major and his wife,* in consequence of which she remained in undivided possession of the property until her death); and she thus assumed autocratic power over her daughter, and her daughter's husband. Mrs. Town-Major Gants' visit, therefore, always caused a great commotion in the quiet household, like when Mount Vesuvius suddenly begins to emit flames and flowing lava after a long period of quiet; and the only thing the young couple could do, was to gather up the fertile ashes which remained after every eruption of Mrs. Gants' displeasure-for the end was always, that mamma loosened her purse-strings.

* In Sweden, husband and wife are by law joint-possessors of whatever property may be theirs; and the last survivor, be it husband or wife, in consequence, keeps possession of half the property, the other half being divided among the children, except in cases where a contract signed after marriage determines otherwise.-Trans.

Great preparations were of course made for her reception. Calves were put in to fatten; turkeys were fed upon pea-flour and milk; some game-keepers in the neighbourhood were requested to send the produce of their skill; and the Court-Secretary ceased to fish in the Vale of Joy, but gave orders to a fishmonger to bring perch and pike.

So far matters might be satisfactorily arranged; but the worst remained, and that was the strict examination which they knew would take place during the whole of mamma's visit.

For the same reason that a person who feels himself falling on his face, stretches out his hands in order, at all events, to protect his most prominent features, the Court-Secretary and his wife did everything in their power to keep mamma in good humour. The Town-Major, in bas-relief on the wall, was re-gilded by Master Heissler, who soon made the sainted man as bright as a new penny. In a stone-quarry in the Vale of Joy was dug a deep cavity, which was lined with moss, and obtained the name of "Mamma's Grotto." This undertaking, also, was entrusted to Master Heissler, and Olga was sent to help hin to twine garlands and wreaths.

The Court-Secretary was at work the whole week preparing an impromptu, which little Frank, clad as a genius, was to recite at the entrance to "Mamma's Grotto," the first time the Town-Major's widow came thither.

"Mamma will indeed be surprised," said the Court-Secretary, after he had succeeded in teaching the wild boy to recite the poem. At length the great day arrived; everything was in readiness; the house looked bright and clean, the Court-Secretary was carefully shaved, and his lady was gaily attired, with blue and yellow ribbons in her cap. All the gates opening on the road were decorated with flowers, and sentinels were posted along the road to give notice when Mrs. Town-Major Gants was in view; and ia the "Vale of Joy" were placed some small cannon, which were to be fired off at the very moment the good lady alighted on the steps. In this case, also, Master Heissler was the acting person.

It was three o'clock in the afternoon when the living telegraphs announced the approach of the expected lady.

The Court-Secretary took up his stand on the steps leading to the house. At length the carriage rolled into the yard, the gate of which had been opened by Frank, dressed in a checkered blouse and a yellow straw-hat.

Mrs. Town-Major Gants was a large stately woman, dressed in the height of fashion, with pink ribbons outside her bonnet, and flowers inside. She seemed pleased, but kept a sharp look-out.