Fritz almost died of grief when he found that she did not return; but a
few years later he found comfort in marrying Gredel Dich, the miller's
daughter, a fine, stout, active girl, who made him an excellent wife; and
Catherine, his mother, was quite pleased, for Gredel Dich was quite an
heiress!

Only Brémer could not be comforted; he was as fond of Myrtle as if she
had been his own child, and he drooped visibly from day to day.

One winter's day when he had got up, and was looking out of the window,
he saw a ragged but pretty gipsy girl passing through the village covered
with snow, and with a heavy bag upon her shoulders, and sat down again
with a deep sigh.

"What is the matter, Brémer?" asked his wife.

There was no answer. She came close. His eyes were closing. There he lay
dead.




UNCLE CHRISTIAN'S INHERITANCE




When my excellent uncle Christian Hâas, burgomaster of Lauterbach, died,
I had a good situation as maître de chapelle, or precentor, under the
Grand Duke Yeri Peter, with a salary of fifteen hundred florins,