about her yesterday. It ought to be sung to her. I'll recite it to you:

A SONG ABOUT A WELL KNOWN YOUNG LADY.

I know a maiden fair of face,
Who mostly turns her back.
All noise she thinks a great disgrace,
But tricks she does not lack.

"No, Kurt, you mustn't go on with that song," Mea cried with indignation.

"Mea is right when she doesn't want you to celebrate her friends in that
way, Kurt," said the mother, "and if she asks you to, you must leave
off."

"But I am her brother and I do not wish to see my sister being tyranized
over and treated badly by a friend. I certainly wouldn't call her a real
friend," Kurt eagerly exclaimed. "I should be only too glad if my song
made her so angry that she would break the friendship entirely. There
would be nothing to mourn over."

Mea, however, fought passionately for her friend and never gave way till
Kurt had promised not to go on with his ditty. But her mother wanted to
know now what had given Mea such red eyes. So she told them that she had
followed Loneli in order to comfort her, for she was still crying.
Loneli had told her then about being caught at chattering. Elvira, who
was Loneli's neighbor, had asked her if she would be allowed to go to
Sils on dedication day, next Sunday, and Loneli had answered no. Then
Elvira wanted to know why not, to which Loneli had promised to give her
an answer after school, as they were not allowed to talk in school. That