The Home in the Valley

Va

ption of a lovely valley, the residence of a beautiful and

r home, and as virtuous and good as her mother, who ha

us, which in the end is triumphant; for even the pure are contaminated aft

panes of which glisten through the green leaves, which slightly parted, disclose the sober visage of an ancient black cat, that is demurely looking forth upon the door yard. She has chosen a sunny spot on the window sill, for the cheering beams of the sun are as grateful to a c

n delighted to sail their miniature ships. From the rear of the house the little valley extended itself in undulating fields and meadows, interspersed with barren hillocks and thrifty potato patches. In the fields could be heard the

ushed forth from beneath a huge moss-covered stone. This was the favorite place of resort of a beautiful maide

r home, and as virtuous and good as her mother, who ha

r beloved mother; yet the loss had been partially supplied by her sister-in-law,

ay the bloom of maidenhood, and her countenance lacked the vivacity natural to her age. Her features wore an expression of melancholy,

o, situated between riches and nobility on the one hand, and poverty on

r prospects for the future; for his father, a man of consequence and wealth, intended to marry his mother, and thus the son would bear no longer the stigma of his father's crime. But death, who

hich generally follows. First comes melancholy, then great exertions on the

have above described, but which was ended, however, by ma

d from a small business, and by drawing up legal papers for the surrounding peasantry and fishermen. For a wife he had chosen the daughter of a half pay sergeant, and i

anna, who is sitting beneath the tree near the

shudder from within that shook her slight form. Nanna had lately perceived that her dear sister-in-law, Magde, when she thought herself unseen, had

n the birds! one is greater than the other, and mankind is not behind them. We belong to the poor; there," she continued, turning her deep eyes towards a distant point in the horizon, on the other side of the lake, "there lives the rich; they take no notice of us. Even the poor fishermen and peasants say,

ch she had uncovered during her ablutions, when, to her great astonishment, she discovered a stranger rapidly approaching towards her. He was clothed in a light frock coat; a knapsack was fastened upon his shoulders, and in his hand he swung a knotted stick. Nanna had never befor

ad thought him a gipsy, which wild tribe she g

much resembled, as she stood, with her garments flowing gracefully around her slight figure; her tiny white feet playing with the moi

thus add

have taken the wrong path, although I supp

inquired Nanna, in a vo

" replied t

r glance at his knapsack, "I hoped that

you, is my face so poor a recommendation, that I cannot

na, and a gloomy expression fell upon her lips, which

Far be it from me to wound your sensitive nature. If it will comfort you, I will say tha

eak from y

tly; but tell

of the Valley,

al; but have yo

iselle Nanna; but that grieve

than a peasant girl. Pardon me, I have spo

ilia

sed you t

nded well when

th I shall address you

en see each

probably-we are

then, to resi

hole summer; but I pray you come with me a

ceful folds over her sylph-like limbs, he gazed at her as if enchained by her almost superhuman beauty. To the youthful stranger's reque