Our milkwoman is a person of importance in her village. This we did not
know till recently, though we were quite aware of our good fortune in
getting excellent milk and rich cream daily; and we had had occasion to
admire her rosy cheeks and broad, solid row of white teeth,--in fact,
had already laid a foundation of respect for her, upon which a recent
event has induced us to build largely. A very comely, honest woman we
always thought her; but when she came smilingly one morning, and invited
us, one and all, out to her vineyards, to eat as many grapes as we
could, to help gather them if we wished, to see her _Mann_ and all her
family, and to investigate the subject of wine-making, we were
unanimously convinced her equal was not to be found in any village in
Wuertemberg, and the invitation was accepted with enthusiastic
acclamations.
We were much edified to learn that the condition of things demanded a
certain etiquette. We were to visit people of inferior station, we were
told, and, in return for their hospitality, must take unto them gifts.
The idea struck us, of course, as highly commendable, and we declared
ourselves ready to do the correct thing. But we were quite aghast to
learn that a large sausage should be offered to our hostess,--in fact,
that this object would be expected by her; that it actually was lurking
behind the pretty invitation to come to see her under her own vine and
fig-tree. A sudden silence fell upon our little party at the
breakfast-table. It really did seem as if something else might more
fitly express our grateful appreciation and kind wishes.