Twice a week I ascend the Snowcap ( Snezka ), where I see the sun rise and this God’s world spread out before me in a grand panorama; and forgetting all my hardships I think, after all, I would not remove from the mountains.”

Mr. Beyer often brought the children stones of various crystalline forms, and told them about the caves in the mountains where such specimens were found; he brought them moss as fragrant as violets; he loved to describe to them the beauties of Rybercol’s garden, into which he had wandered once, when he was lost during a fearful snow storm.

As long as Mr. Beyer was with them, the boys did not leave his side. They went with him to the dam, watched the floating of the logs, and took a ride upon the raft. When he was getting ready to leave, they could scarcely restrain their tears; and with Grandmother they accompanied him part of the way, helping to carry the generous luncheon with which Mrs. Proshek provided him. “Next year, God willing, we shall see each other again. Farewell!” Thus they parted, each wending his way homeward. For several days nothing else was spoken of but Mr. Beyer, the wonders and terrors of the Riesengebirge, and the happy time when he would come again.

Chapter IV.

BESIDES the holidays, Sundays were looked forward to with great pleasure; for then the children could lie abed as long as they pleased, Grandmother, who called them, being at the village at early mass. Mrs. Proshek, and her husband when he was with them, attended high mass; and when the weather was fine, the children went with them to meet Grandmother. As soon as she was in sight, they ran to meet her and shouted as though they had not seen her for a year. On Sundays she did not appear to them the same as on week days. Her face was brighter and more loving, and she was dressed a great deal better. She wore fine black slippers, a white cap of which the stiffly starched strings were tied behind in a bow resembling the wings of a dove; indeed, it seemed as though a dove sat on the back of her head. The children remarked that on Sundays Grandma was very beautiful.

As soon as they met her, each wanted to carry something. One got the rosary, another her handkerchief; and Barunka, being the eldest, carried the handbag. This, however, gave rise to disputes, for the inquisitive boys wanted to see what was in it, which Barunka would by no means allow. It always ended in a quarrel, when Barunka turned to Grandmother, asking her to give the boys a good scolding. Instead of this, she opened the bag and gave them some apples or some other dainty, and good humor was at once restored. Mrs. Proshek would sometimes say: “Mother, why do you always bring them something?” but she replied: “Indeed, that would be strange, if I brought them nothing from church! We were no better.” Thus the old custom was kept up.

Grandmother was usually accompanied by the miller’s wife, and sometimes by some gossip from Zernov, the village nearest the mill. The miller’s wife wore long petticoats, a basque, and a silver cap (a cap heavily embroidered with silver thread); she was a short, buxom woman, with pleasant black eyes, a short flat nose, smiling lips, and a pretty double chin. Sundays, she wore small pearls around her neck; on week days, garnets. She always carried a long, round basket of wicker work, in which she had such spices and herbs as are usually used by good housewives.

A short distance behind the women was seen the miller with some friend. When it was warm, he carried his light gray coat on his cane over his shoulder. On Sundays his boots were blacked clear to his ankles and ornamented at the top with a tassal, which the children greatly admired. His trousers were tucked into his boots, and on his head he wore a high cap of lamb’s fleece, one side of which was adorned with a row of bows made of blue ribbon. The other neighbor was dressed in the same way, except that the long coat with deep folds behind and large lead buttons was green instead of gray, the miller’s favorite color.

The people going to high mass welcomed them as they came from divine service, and they returned their salutations.