Then they played “Father and Mother.” The stork brought a baby to the young bride. Adelka was the nurse, Johnny and Willie, the sponsors, and the baby was named Jack. Now they had the christening festival; all sorts of wonderful dishes were served, and this time the dog, too, was a guest, so that they might make up with him. Jack grew up and his father led him to school. Johnny was the schoolmaster and taught him to spell. But one pupil! — that wouldn’t do; they all had to study, and therefore they agreed to play school. As no one brought the prescribed task, the master got angry and ordered each to receive two blows upon the hand. Seeing no help, they submitted; but the dog, who also was a pupil, and didn’t know anything at all except to snuff at things, was to receive in addition to the two blows a dunce card upon his neck, which was done at once. But as soon as the card was fastened, the offended brute jumped down from the oven with a great noise and rolled about the floor, trying to rid himself of the sign of shame. The foreman sprang from his bench, Grandmother almost screamed from fright, and the miller, shaking his snuff box at the children, exclaimed: “By Gemini! let me come there, I’ll —” and turning his box he smiled, but not so that the children could see him.

“That reprobate of ours surely was to blame!” said Grandmother. “I must take them home before the whole house is torn down!”

This, however, the miller’s wife would not allow; they had not finished their conversation about the French war and those three potentates. Grandmother knew them all; she had had great experiences, she understood army life,— every one believed her.

“Grandmother, who were those three ice warriors that the Russian sent against Bonaparte?” asked a handsome youth with a pleasant face.

“I should think you could guess that,” quickly replied the foreman. “They were the three months, December, January, and February. In Russia, it is so cold that people are obliged to wear some covering over their faces to keep their noses from freezing off. The French soldiers, not being accustomed to this cold, froze to death as soon as they came. The Czar, knowing this, drew them on into the country, until they could not return. Oh, he is a crafty one, that Czar!”

“Grandmother,” asked another,” you knew the Emperor Joseph personally, did you not?”

“Of course I did! Why I spoke with him, and he gave me this dollar with his own hand,” she replied as she showed them the dollar that hung on the string of garnets around her neck.

“And may we ask how it happened, and when?” asked several of the bystanders at once.

Just at this point there was a lull in the noise upon the oven, for the children hearing this question were at once attentive, and jumping down begged Grandmother to relate this story, as they had never heard it.

“But both the miller and his wife have heard it,” objected Grandmother.

“A good story will bear repeating,” said the miller, “so just go on.”

“Well, then, I will begin; but you children must be perfectly quiet.”

The children obeyed, and did not lisp another syllable.

Grandmother began as follows:—

“When the Novy Pies (Joseph-hoh) was building, I was a young girl. I come from Olesnic,— do you know where Olesnic is?”

“I do,” said the foreman, “it is in the mountains, beyond Dobruska, on the Silesian frontier, is it not?”

“Yes, it is there. Not far from our house was a cottage, where dwelt the widow Novotny. She made her living by weaving woolen blankets. Whenever she had a good supply on hand, she took them to Jarmirn or Pilsen to sell. She used to be at our house a great deal, and we children would run to her cottage several times a day. Father was sponsor to her son. As soon as I was able to do any hard work, she would say to me, when I came over: ‘Come, sit down at the loom and learn to weave; some day it may be of use to you. What one learns in youth may serve one in old age.’ I was always eager to work, so did not need to be told twice. I soon understood the trade so well that I could weave a whole blanket without assistance. At that time, the Emperor used to come quite often to see the new city, and he was the constant topic of conversation with the villagers. Whoever had the opportunity of seeing him felt greatly honored.

“On one occasion, when the widow was going to town, I asked mother if I could go with her, as I wanted to see the Novy Pies, too. As she was to have a heavy load, mother readily consented, saying: “Yes, go; you can help her carry the blankets.” The next day we started in the cool of the day, and before noon were in the meadow before the Pies. There we sat down upon a pile of timber and began to put on our shoes.