Seed-time and Harvest

Jochen sat close by her, and smoked tobacco,--he attended to that business. The old people were not yet visible, for grandmother had said to her daughter-in-

poil our dinner; for, Madam Nüssler, I am going to stay here to dinn

ing on. "They have straw enough for new roofs,--it is merely that the old folks grudge the expense of repairing them. I come here properly only from two motives,--one relates to my health, the other to my heart; for I find that it agrees with me, when I have eaten too hearty a dinner, to get comfortably angry, and, on account of my

went through a field, "they hav

y sow here? Rye! And why so? Because old Jochen, for twe

d extend over t

y lard in butter, and eat it with a spoon! No, Ka

in a couple of years! So

on. Where we stand belongs to your brother-in-law, and his land goes on the right up to my wheat, and on the left to that little clump of firs, for Rexow is quite small. He has also a small field on the other si

s then the

cannot trouble himself about Pumpelhagen, where he has often had such inspectors! And he bought the property in dear times, and a crowd of leeches stand ready to drain the last drop from his veins; and then his lady, the Kammerr?thin, rides grandly in her carriage visiting and enter

ce have some connection with his future; but, interested as he was, his thoughts still recurred to

f stuff for breeches, for Sunday wear; it was a kind of chocolate-colour. And, think, when I went one morning in the dew, through my clover, they turned up to the knee, like a mess of crabs, pure scarlet! And he sent me some Kümmel, the Prussian kind, the old sweet-meats, tin

itz church-tower?

hat,--for he wore a hat on Sundays,--opened his mouth wide, and stared at Habermann with a pai

of the church-tower,--God bless you! the

rens?" aske

o was our private instru

almost the whole night, whether that would be p

to do but to read and study his books, which it would make another man turn green and yellow merely to look at from a distance. That is what he enjoys! And she, the Frau Pastorin,

ember, when he was still a candidate, at old Knirkst?dt's, how he gave us private lessons in the winter

s! In quickness I was your superior, but you were mine in accuracy, and also in orthography. But in letter-writing and in High-German, then I was better again; and these last I have ever since studied diligently, for every man has his favorite pursuit. And when I go to see the Pastor, I alw

abermann by his distinguished manners, as he sailed up to the old servant,

emen the man said; wasn't i

rvants; that is, one announces to the other, until the valet finally announces to him, and by this custom we sometimes have amusing occurrences,--as, the other day, with the kammerj?ger. The first announced to the second, instead of kammerj?

oughtful expression, and in his whole appearance an air of quiet reflection; and in his dress, although it was quite suited to his circumstances, there was the same simplicity as in the furnishing of the room. He might have been about fifty, and his sandy hair was thickly sprinkle

hurry him, the Herr Kammerrath looked quite closely at Habermann. "You want---- But," he interrupted himse

rrath, and my na

hat do I owe the pleasu

rrath was looking for an inspector; an

ania, as I think I have heard

Kammerrath von Rambow, he had it, but the Jews will give nothing for it now. He, like many another farmer, got into diffi

o say, "Wait a bit, there is more coming." The Kammerrath also turned his face away to laugh a little; but happily for uncle Br?sig, it never occurred to him that t

see if breakfast is ready,--your supposition is correct. I have just dismissed my late inspector,--I will tell you, because of carelessness in his accounts,--and I am looking for a suitable man

I tell you? Just like one of us!" But as Habermann quietly passed on, accepting the invitation, he threw up his eyebrows, and stretched out h

ve precedence!" And his waiting was not of a bad order, for he ha

the breakfast-table the business was discussed and decided; Habermann was engaged on a good, sufficient salary, which was to be i

f the troubled life-career of the fifteen years' old full-blooded Wallach, which he had cared for in his business at the farm,--how he had "had the honor to know the old carrion ever since it was born;" how the creature in its younger years h

from my heart. Thank God, I shall be employed again! And that brings me to

understand the way of life and the fine etiquette of noble society. How could yo

he was not yet my master; now, I should not do

Pastor's leave the business to me;

not have the courage to ask so great a favor of any man. If you will

oman, upwards of forty years of age. Everything about her was round,--arms and hands and fingers, head and cheeks and lips; and the eyes looked so round and bright out of her soft round face, as if the eyelids

down, Herr--what shall I call you? Yes, I would gladly have gone to church to-day, but just think, last Sunday the Pastor's pew was broken in halves. B

were round, smooth, white billiard balls, which a pla

Habermann as the bro

are funeral-hymns, and what have you to do with funeral-hymns? You will live forever! You are no better than the Wandering Jew! But, dear heart! one must think sometimes about dying, and so, since our church-pew is broken, and the old cabinet-maker has a fever, I have been reading a couple of hymns 'On preparation for death.'" And with that

nt for you! And what splendid health! Now leave me alone; I

and beneath it were the portraits of the parents of the Herr Pastor and the Frau Pastorin, and their relations, some in colors, some in crayon, some large, others small; and the Lord J

ey were arranged more with reference to their bindings than their contents. And if any one supposed, because she talked Platt-Deutsch, that she had no appreciation or enjoyment of High-German literature, he needed merely to open a book, where a mark lay, and he would find that the marked places had been read with heart and feeling,--that is to say, if he had as much heart and feeling

y years. These hands of the Saviour shall be stretched out in blessing over her, this blessed sun shall shine upon her, and the noble thoughts

rmann, don't say a word! Br?sig has told me everything, and Br?sig is an old heathen, but he is a good man, and a true friend of yours,--and my Pastor thinks just as I do,

s by this time close beside them, "t

e old people into reason; not on account of the little g

nstead of the great ruff, as broad as the white china platter on Which the daughter of Herodias presents the head of John-Baptist to her step-father, he had a pair of little innocent bands, which his dear wife Regina had, with all Christian reverence, stitched, stiffened, pressed and tied around his neck with her own hands. She held correctly that these little simple things were the distinctive ministerial uniform, and not the little four-cornered cape which was worn ove

ch a quiet, kindly expression, that one must hold him at the first glance for a brave man, and although his whole life had been given up to self-denying labor, yet he could--naturally after the Frau Pastorin had taken off his cape and

he reason of their visit, the Frau Pastorin sprang between them, and seized her Pastor by his ministerial gown, and cried, "Not a word, Herr Habermann; Br?sig, will you be so good? You shall know it all from me," said she to her husband, "

ann, yes! We will do it, and, so far as in us lies, do it gladly,"--and he pressed his hand--"but," he added, "we have no experience in the care of children, yet we can

work, which she took in hand at every surprise of joy or sorrow,--after her duster,--and dusted here and there, and would have wiped away Habermann's tears with it, if he had not turne

the Habermann family, said to her impressively: "Frau Pastori

, ask her whether she can help me stuff a couple of little beds. For it is not heathenish, Br?sig, it is a work of necessity, and quite another thing from your Herr Count having his wheat brought in Sunday afternoon. And, my dear Herr Habermann, the little girl must come to us to-day, for Franz," said sh

r's house?" cried the Frau Pastorin. "But the long and the s

ing her to-day. My poor sister will be sorry, but it is better f

n leave, and were outside, he drew a long breath, and said to Br?sig, "How gloomy the world looked this morning, but now the s

got to do now

, my note for six hundred dollars; I have not heard from him sinc

ay: we will both go back to Rexow, and eat our dinner; after dinner young Jochen must lend you his horses, and you can take your little one to Gurlitz; go from there to the c

Habermann, "it

of his wagon and horses. "Of course," cried Frau Nüssler,--"Yes, of course,"

But, dear heart, if one could only keep peace in the family! Don't believe that Jochen thinks differently from me, only he hasn't the en

d Br?sig, "young Jochen, you have got out

et safe home again with the old thing, for it is fearfully crazy

e village pond, and then through the Gurlitz brook; and then, before yo

n; "one might as we

, "What is the matter now?" "There," said he and placed in the hand of the little Louise a pound of Fleigen Markur, for he smoked no other tobacco; but it was only in outward a

Gurlitz, and I will not try to describe how the pretty little dear was handed from one to the other, with kisses and petting, an

is grip. When he got up from his stool, he stuck his left hand in his left coat pocket, and took hold of his breeches on the left side, which was always slipping down; for he wore but one suspender, and that was on the right side. "What's the use?" said he to his Blümchen, when she would persuade him to wear a second suspender.

Habermann. Haven't I always told you," turning to his

Habermann, "hones

hat did you say? 'I should declare myself before the Prussian Justice.' What did I say? 'I will not declare myself before the Prussian Justice; Herr Habermann is an honorable man.' I declared myself o

famous verse,

cannot a

ence know

has pronoun

all my

you mean the paper is good, but the fellow is good for nothing.' Then they said I had the right on my side. I could have him locked up, but it would cost something. 'Do you take me for a fool

said Habermann, anxiously, "but I can

him in a questioning way. "You

ng," said the far

is son about. "David, what are you standing there for? What are you looking at? Why are you

me time, and you shall have principa

And as David came back with the book, the old man said, "David, what do we want of the book? Take the book away. Now, what is it?" turning to Habermann. "I began with nothing, you also began with nothing, I had my business, you had yours, I had go

th a much lighter heart, "I have

" asked

mmerrath, at

door, "Herr Habermann is here. Bring in two cups of coffee!" and as Habermann would have declined the coffee, he added, "Allow me, Herr Habermann, allow me! When I was young, and went about the country with my

e that evening in bed thought over the events of the day, the thought came to him whether a beloved voice had not prayed for him, up a

ound himself already acquainted with his new duties, and in full activity. And so he remained in quiet content for many years.