the children never needed to be bidden to fold their hands, and kneel to
ask God's blessing before they slept.




CHAPTER III.

NINE YEARS LATER.


A sunshiny Easter morning shone over hill and valley. A crowd of
holiday-making people poured out of the little church at Tannenegg, and
scattered in every direction. A long row of blooming lads and lassies came
in close ranks, moving slowly towards the parsonage. They were the
newly-confirmed young people of the parish, who had that day partaken of
the Communion for the first time. They were going to the house of their
pastor, to express their gratitude for his careful and tender teaching and
guidance, before they went out into the world. Among these were Dietrich
and Veronica. Gertrude stood at a little distance from the church, and
watched the procession as it passed by. Her eyes were filled with tears of
pleasurable emotion, as she noticed that her dark-eyed Veronica was
conspicuous among all the maidens for the tasteful neatness of her
costume, and for the sweetness and grace of her bearing. The glance which
Veronica cast upon the mother in passing was full of love and gratitude;
and seemed to repeat the words that the faithful girl had spoken in the
morning, as she left her to go to the church. "I cannot thank you enough,
as long as I live, for what you have done for me, mother." A yet brighter
expression of happiness crossed Gertrude's countenance when the young men
came in procession after the girls, as her eyes fell on the well-formed