Next morning Cousin Maud let me see in a right pleasant way how truly she
was in earnest in the matter of thrift henceforth; she would take but one
small pat of butter from the country wench who brought it, she sent away
the butcher's man and would have no flesh meat, and at breakfast she
abstained from butter on her bread, as she was wont to eat it. Likewise
the chain and the great gold pin which she ever wore from morning till
night, flashing on her bosom like a watchman's lantern, were now laid
aside, and while I was eating my porridge she showed me the coffer
wherein she had bestowed all she possessed of rings, pins, and the like,
which she would presently take to the weigh-house to be weighed and then
to a goldsmith to be valued. Howbeit, when I was fain to do likewise
with my jewels she would not have it so, inasmuch as youth, quoth she,
needed such bravery, and first we must learn how great a portion of the
ransom my grand-uncle would take upon himself to pay.
Hereupon, in fulfilment of my purpose yestereve, I made it my hard duty
to carry the evil tidings to the old baron, and humbly to remind him of
his promise to take care for Herdegen's ransom. It was raining heavily,
and a wet west wind whistled along the miry streets. It was weariful to
wade through them, and when at last I reached the Im Hoff house Master
Ulsenius called to me down the stairs: "Silence, Mistress Margery; there
is worse weather in here than without doors!"
Thus as I went into the overheated chamber, I saw there was no good to be
hoped for: yet were matters worse than I had looked to find them. So
soon as my grand-uncle set eyes on me he frowned darkly, his hollow eyes
had an angry glare and, without answering my good-day, he croaked at me:
"You hoped that the old man might have passed away into eternity or ever
you set forth on your wild adventure? Hah, hah But you are mistaken. I
shall yet be granted time enough to show you whom you have to deal with,
as it has likewise been enough to show me what you truly are! Whereas I
trusted to have found a faithful and wise brain, what have I seen?
Loveless and malignant privity, miserable folly, and such schemes as
might have been dreamed of in a mad-house!"
"But, uncle, only hearken," I tried to say, and forthwith the idea fell
into my mind, which I afterwards found to be a true one, that either
Henneleinlein, had yestereve betrayed to him or to her gossip his
housekeeper, all she had heard at the Forest Lodge. He would not suffer
me to speak to the end, but went on to chide and complain, and broke in
again and again, even when at last I found words and made it plain to him
that we had kept our purpose privy from him to no end but to save him
from grieving so long as we might; and albeit he might be wroth with us,
yet he must grant that heretofore we had ever been modest and seemly
maidens; but now, when it was a matter of life and freedom for those who
were nearest and dearest to our hearts....
Here he broke in with scornful laughter, and cried out that he, for his
part, might not indeed hope to be numbered among those chosen few. He
had ever known full well that when we did him any Samaritan service it
had been to no end save to draw from his purse the money to ransom my
brothers and Ann's lover. Every kind word had been pure lies and
falseness; yea, and worse than either of us were that crafty witch out
in the forest, and the old scarecrow who made boast of having been as a
mother to me. Thus far had I suffered his railing in patience, but now
it was too much for the hot blood of the Schoppers; I could refrain
myself no longer, and broke out in great wrath and reproaches for so vile
an accusation. If it were not that his age and infirmities claimed our
compassion, I would, said I, after such evil treatment, desire of Ann
that she should never more cross the threshold of a man who could so
cruelly defame us, and those two good women to whom we owed so much.
I spoke right loudly, beside myself with rage, and my face aglow; nor was
it till I marked that my uncle was staring at me as at some marvel that I
recovered myself, and on a sudden held my peace, inasmuch as the thought
flashed through my brain that I was denying my brother even as Peter
denied the Lord, albeit not indeed through any fear of man, but by giving
way to my angered pride. Howbeit I had not long ceased when the stern
old man cried out in pitiful entreaty.
"Nay, Margery, in the name of the Saints I pray you! You will not make
Ann my foe. How hardhearted you can be, and how wroth, and against an
old man sick unto death on the edge of the grave!--what was it, in truth,
that brought the bitter words to my tongue, but my care and fears for
you, who are verily and indeed my only comfort and all I have to love on
earth? And now when I say again: I will not suffer you to depart.
I will sacrifice all, everything to keep you from running into certain
death, will you even then threaten to leave me alone in my misery, and
to beguile Ann to desert me likewise?"
Hereupon I spoke him fair and as lovingly as in truth I might, and
pledged my word that Ann should not set foot without the city gates or
ever my lord Cardinal had come into them, and had given him the comfort
of his blessing. And then he was of better cheer, and of his own free
will he minded me of his promise to pay certain moneys for Herdegen's
ransom; and all this he spoke full lovingly and my heart overflowed with
true and fervent thankfulness, so that I took his thin hand and kissed
it. Howbeit, he knew not yet how great a sum was needed: and whereas I
was about to prepare his mind for the worst, Ann came into the chamber,
and as soon as my grand-uncle saw her he cried out in glad good cheer:
"Thank God, sweet maid, all is peace between us again. You forego your
mad purpose, and I--I will pay the ransom." At this Ann flew to his side
and thanked him, with overflowing eyes, and little by little we led him
on, till he cried out: "Well, well, children, they surely cannot set the
price of a kingdom on that young scapegrace Schopper's head!"
So Ann took courage, and told him that Ursula had, of her deep malice,
declared that Herdegen was one of the richest youths of Germany, and that
by reason of this the Sultan had demanded the great price of twenty-four
thousand sequins.
The truth was out; I marvelled to mark that my grand-uncle was not
dismayed as I had looked to see him; nay, but he laughed aloud and said:
"That would indeed be somewhat new and strange! You children would ever
rack your brains over the Italian poets rather than over matters of mine
and thine, albeit that is the axis on which the world turns. There
would, in truth, be no justice in so vast a sum, but that in the markets
of Egypt they reckon in Venice sequins with none but the Franks; nigh
upon thirteen of their dirhems go to the gold sequin, and thus we have-
let me reckon--the old trader has not forgotten his skill on his sick-
bed--we have one thousand eight hundred and forty and six sequins; and
that is a vast ransom still such as is never paid but for lords of the
highest degree. Four and twenty thousand sequins!" And again he laughed
aloud. "It is easily spoken, children, but you cannot even guess what it
would mean. Believe me when I tell you that many a well-to-do merchant
in Nuremberg, who is at the head of a fine trade, would be at his wits'
end if he were desired to pay down half of your four and twenty thousand
sequins in hard coin!"
Then I took up my parable and told him how Eppelein had stamped the sum
on his mind, and that he for certain was in the right, both as to the sum
and as to the Venice sequins, forasmuch as that Herdegen, to the end that
he might know it rightly, had told him that they should be ducats such as
he had three in a red stuff wrapper, and Kunz and I likewise each two, in
our money-boxes as christening-gifts.
Now while I thus spoke the old man was sorely troubled, and his wax-white
face turned paler at each word. He raised himself up, leaning on the
arms of the great chair, so high that we were filled with amazement, and
he gazed about him with his glassy eyes and then said, still holding
himself up: "That, that.... And yesterday, only yesterday.... The
captive himself.... Four and twenty thousand sequins, do you say?....
and I--oh, what were my words?.... But what old Im Hoff promises that he
will do.... And yet.... If you maids had but been duteous children, if
you had but come to me first, as trustful daughters.... Only yesterday I
might--Yes, perchance I might...." And then he stormed forth: "But who
is there indeed to care for me? Who ever comes nigh me with true love
and honest trustfulness? Not one, no, not one!.... Ursula--the lad whom
from an infant--and you--both of you, what have you done?.... Yesterday,
only yesterday!.... But to-day .... Four and twenty thousand sequins!"
His arms on a sudden failed him, and he sank back in a deep swoon, his
colorless face drooping on his shoulder. Now, while we did all in our
power to revive him, and while one serving-man ran for the leech and
another for the friar, meseemed that the old man's left side was
strangely stiff and numb; yet the low flame of his feeble life was still
burning.
Howbeit, when Master Ulsenius had let blood the old man opened his right
eye; and when presently he was able to say: "Book," and then again
"Book," we perceived by sundry signs that what he craved was water, and
that he spoke one word for another. And thus it was till his chief
confessor, Master Leonard Derrer, the reverend Prior of the Dominicans,
came in with the sacristan, to administer to him extreme unction. But
now, when the reverend Father came toward the dying man with the Body of
the Lord, there was so dreadful and sorrowful a sight to be seen as I may
never forget to my latter day. Instead of receiving that Holy Sacrament
in all thankful humility, my grand-uncle thrust away my lord Prior--a
whitebearded old man, of a venerable and commanding presence--with great
fury and ungoverned rage, storming at him in strangely-mingled words,
which for sure, he meant for others, but in a voice and with a mien which
plainly showed that he would have nought of that Messenger of Grace. And
from time to time he turned that eye he could use on Ann, and albeit he
spoke one word for another, he made shift many times to repeat the
Cardinal's name with impatient bidding, so that it was not hard to
understand his meaning and his intent to receive the Viaticum from none
other than that high prelate.
Howbeit, to us it seemed nothing less than treason to the dying man to
interpret this to my lord Prior, in especial since my grand-uncle had,
but now, shown us so much favor. Indeed we were moved to show him all
loving kindness. Ann held his hand in hers, and whispered to him again
and again that he should take patience, and that his Eminence was already
on his way and would ere long be here. The reverend Prior showed indeed
true Christian forbearance, thinking that the departing soul was more
sorely troubled than was in truth the fact. He heeded not the old man's
threats and struggles, but stood in silence at his post, and when
presently the old Baron's hand dropped lifeless from Ann's grasp he sent
us from the chamber.
We could hear through the door the good priest's voice in prayer and
benediction, pronouncing absolution over the dying man, and at times my
grand uncle's wrathful tones, feeble indeed, but terrible to hear. Each
time he broke in on the Prior's pious words we shuddered, and when at
last the priest rang his little bell a great terror fell upon us, whereas
this ordinance is wont to bring comfort and edification to the soul.
We had been on our knees some long space, praying fervently for that
hapless, imperilled soul, when the door was opened, and my lord Prior
declared in a loud voice that the noble Baron and Knight Sebald Im Hoff
had made a good end after receiving the most holy Sacrament.
Then thought I, a good end peradventure, by the grace of Christ and the
Virgin, but a peaceful end alas! by no means. And this might be seen
even in the dead man's face. In later years, whensoever it has been my
lot to gaze on the face of the dead, I have ever perceived that death
hath lent them an aspect of peaceful calm so that the saying of common
folk, that the Angel of Death hath kissed them is right fitting; but my
grand-uncle's face was as that of a man whose dignity is broken by a
mightier than he, and who hath suffered it in silent, gloomy rebellion.
With all our might and soul we prayed for him again and again; howbeit,
as must ever befall, other cares came crowding in, to swallow up that
one. As soon as the tidings of the old noble's death were rumored
abroad, those who had known him in life came pouring in, and messengers
from the town-council, notaries with sealing-wax and seals, priests for
the burying, neighbors, and other good folk, and among them many friars
and nuns. Lastly came Doctor Holzschuher of the council, my grand-
uncle's notary, and one of our own father's most trusted friends, in all
points a man of such worth and honesty that no words befit him so well as
the Cardinal's saying: that he reminded him of an oak of the German
forests.
When, now, this man, who in his youth had been one of the goodliest in
all Nuremberg, and who was still of noble aspect with his long silver-
grey hair lying on his shoulders--when he now greeted us maids well-nigh
gloomily, and with no friendly beck or nod, we knew forthwith that he
must have great and well-founded fears for our concerns. Yea, and so it
was. Presently, when he had held grave discourse with the High Treasurer
and the other chief men of the council, he called to him Cousin Maud and
me, and told us that old Im Hoff's latest dealing was such, to all
seeming, as to take from us all hope that our inheritance from him should
help us to pay the ransom for Herdegen. And on the morrow his will would
be opened and read and we should learn thereby in what way that old man
had cared for those who were nearest and dearest to him.
Hereupon we had no choice but to bury many a fair hope in the grave; and
notwithstanding this, we might owe no grudge to the departed; for albeit
he had cared first and chiefly for the salvation of his own sinful soul,
he nevertheless had taken thought to provide for my brothers and likewise
for Ann and to keep the pledge he had given. Never in all his days--and
this was confessed even by his enemies, of whom he had many--had he
broken his word, and it was plain to be seen from all his instructions
that the true cause of the deadly blow which had killed him was the
sudden certainty that, by his own act, he had bereft himself of the power
to redeem Herdegen by paying the ransom as he had promised.
And this was my uncle's will:
When he had heard from Ann that my lord Cardinal was minded to hasten his
home-coming and give him extreme unction, and had likewise had tidings
that that high Prelate took great joy in his liberty of dealing with the
Papal treasury for alms, he had bidden to him, that very evening, Doctor
Holzschuher, his notary, and certain sworn witnesses, and had in all due
form cancelled his former will, and in a fine new one had devised his
estate as follows:
Ursula Tetzel was to have the five thousand gulden which he had promised
her when he had unwittingly killed young Tetzel.
To Kunz he bequeathed the great trade both in Nuremberg and Venice, with
all that pertained thereto and certain moneys in capital for carrying it
on; likewise his fine dwelling-house, inasmuch as Herdegen would have our
house for his own. And Kunz should be held bound to carry on the said
trade in the same wise as my grand-uncle had done in his life-time, and
pay out of it two-third parts of the profits to Herdegen and Ann; and
that these two should wed was the dearest wish of his old age. Not a
farthing was to be taken from the moneyed capital for twenty years to
come, and this was expressly recorded; nor might the trade be sold, or
cease to be carried on. If Kunz should die within that space, then he
charged the head clerk of the house to conduct the business under the
same pledge. And if and when Kunz should wed, then should he pay only
half the profits to his brother instead of two-thirds.
The eldest son of Herdegen and Ann was to fall next heir to the business;
but if this marriage came to nought, or they had no male issue, then
Herdegen's son-in-law, or my son, or Kunz's.
Likewise he believed that he had made good provision for the maintenance
of the young pair, inasmuch as though it could scarce be hoped that
Herdegen would be able to take the lead of the trading house, yet his
own fortune was not so great as to assure to Ann a life so free from
burthens, and in all ways so easy as he desired for her, and as beseemed
the mistress of so ancient a Nuremberg family.
His landed estates he had for the most part devised to the holy Church,
and the remainder in equal halves to Herdegen and to me.
Three thousand gulden, which he had lent to the Convent of
Vierzehnheiligen, and of which he might at any time require the
repayment, he had set apart to ransom Herdegen and pay for his home-
coming.
Of his possessions in hard coin, three thousand gulden were for
Herdegen's share, and one thousand each for Ann and me as a bride-gift,
and he had devised goodly sums of money to the hospitals and poor of the
city, and the serving-folk and retainers of the household.
But then where was the great and well-nigh royal treasure of which old Im
Hoff had, not so long since, been possessed; so that in the time of the
Diet he had paid down in hard coin thirty thousand Hungarian ducats to
buy himself a Baron's title? Master Holzschuher could tell us well
enough. When that old man had once said to Ann that she could scarce
believe how great profit might be gained in a few years by well-directed
trading with Venice, he spoke not without book. After endowing many
churches and convents in Franconia while he was yet living, with truly
lordly generosity, and providing for masses for his soul and other pious
offices, he had still a sum of forty and four thousand Hungarian ducats
to dispose of. And these moneys, notwithstanding Master Holzschuher's
entreaties that he would devise at least half of these vast possessions
to his own town and near of kin, he had bequeathed to the alms-coffers of
his Holiness the Pope, to be dealt with at the pleasure of his Eminence
Cardinal Bernliardi, with this sole condition: that every year, on his
name-day, mass should be said by some high Prelate for his miserable
soul, which sorely needed such grace. Moreover he had provided that the
document, duly attested by the notary and witnesses, should be sent to
Rome on the morrow by a specially appointed messenger; thus it was long
since far away and out of reach when my grand-uncle had learnt that all
his remaining possessions were not enough to release Herdegen. And this,
as I have already said, had fallen heavy on his soul.
Verily there hath been no lack of fervent prayers for his soul on our
part; and at a later time, when I came to know to how many hapless
wretches his testament had brought a blessing, little by little I forgave
this strange bestowal of his wealth, and could pronounce over his grave a
clear "Requiescat in pace!" May he rest in peace!
When we had presently duly weighed and reckoned with Master Holzschuher
what we had indeed inherited from our rich kinsman, and how much we might
ere long hope to collect of our own and from Cousin Maud, we had it
before our eyes in plain writing that a large portion of the ransom was
yet lacking. The trade of the Im Hoffs' was to be sure of great money
value; but by my grand-uncle's will we might not touch it for twenty
years. Likewise Master Holzschuher pointed out to us by many an example
how wrong it would be, and in especial at this very time, to sell landed
estate at any price, that is to say at about one-third of its real worth.
And finally he told us that the Chancery guardians were not at that
present time suffered to pay down one farthing of our inheritance from
our father. Thus we were heavy at heart, while Doctor Holzschuher was
discoursing in a low voice with Uncle Christian and Master Pernhart, and
noting certain matters on paper.
Then those gentlemen rose up; and whereas I looked in the face of the
worthy notary meseemed it was as withered grass well bedewed with rain;
and glad assurance beamed on me from his goodly and noble features. And
I read the same promise in the looks of Uncle Christian and Master
Pernhart, and where three such men led the fray methought the victory was
certain.
And now we were told what was the matter of their discourse. If they
might find a fitting envoy, they might perchance move the Sultan to
forego some portion of the ransom; yet would they bear in mind what the
whole sum was. Much of our possessions we were indeed not suffered to
sell, yet might we borrow on them or pledge them, and the good feeling of
our friends and fellow citizens would, for sure, help us to the
remainder. Nay, and these gentlemen methought had some privy purpose;
yet, inasmuch as they told us nought of their own free will, we were
careful to put no questions. As we took leave they besought us yet to
delay our departing and to suffer them to be free to do what they would.
And we were fain to yield, albeit the blood of the Schoppers boiled at
the thought that I must tarry here idle, and others go round as it were
with the beggars' staff, in our name, and for the sake of a son of our
house who had done no good to any man. Howbeit, I knew full well that
pride and defiance were now out of place; and while I was walking
homewards with Ann and Cousin Maud, on a sudden my cousin asked me: If
Lorenz Stromer were in Herdegen's plight would I not gladly give of my
estate; and when I said yes, quoth she: "Then all is well." And inasmuch
as she was of the same mind she could, without a qualm, suffer the
gentlemen to ask from door to door in Herdegen's name and in her own.
It was our part only to show that we, as his nearest and dearest, were
foremost in giving. And on that same day Ann brought all she possessed
in gold and jewels, even to her christening coins which she had kept in
her money-box, and among them likewise a costly cross of diamonds which
my lord Cardinal had given her a few months ago.
That evening, again, as dusk was falling, Ann once more knocked at our
door, and the reason of her coming was in truth a sad one: her grand-
uncle, old Adam Heyden the organist, our friend of the tower, felt that
his last hour was nigh, and bid us go to see him. Thus it came to pass
that in two following days we had to stand by a death-bed. On each lay
an old man departing to the other world, and meseemed their end had
fallen so close together to yield warning and meditation to our young
souls. Now, as I toiled up the steep turret-stair, after flying,
yesterday, up the matted steps of the wealthy house of the Im Hoffs,
meseemed that the two men's lives had been like to these staircases, and,
young as I was, I nevertheless could say to myself that the humbler man's
steep stair, which of late he could not mount without much panting, led
up to a higher and brighter home than the wide steps of the rich
merchant's palace.
Howbeit, when I had presently closed that good old man's eyes, I would
not suffer myself to think thus of the twain, by reason that I could not
endure to mar my remembrance of that other, to whom, after all, we owed
much thanks.
The old organist had received the Holy Sacrament at mid-day from the hand
of his old friend Nikolas Laister, the Vicar of Saint Sebald's. He would
have no one to see him save ourselves and Hans Richter the churchwarden,
a man after his own heart, and the Pernharts; and at first he marked not
our coming, inasmuch as he was just then giving a toy to the deaf-mute
boy, which he had carved with his own hand, and Dame Giovanna had much
pains to carry away the child, who had cast himself on the old man with
passionate love. Everything that moved the little one's soul he was
forced, as it were, to express with unreasoning violence; and now, when
the child was so boisterous as to disturb the peace of the others, his
mother took him by the hand to lead him away into another chamber; but
the dying man signed to him with a look which none may describe, and that
moment the little fellow set his teeth hard and stood in silence by the
door. Whereupon the old man nodded to him as though the child had done
him some kindness.
Then he shut his eyes for a good while, and presently asked for some of
the fine Bacharach wine which Cousin Maud had sent him; but his voice
could scarce be heard. Ann reached him the glass, and at a sign from him
she tasted of it; then he drank it with much comfort while Dame Giovanna
held him sitting. The old, sweet smile was on his lips, and as he yet
held the stem of the glass with a shaking hand, and suffered that I
should help him, he cried in a clear voice: "Once more, Prosit, Elsie!
You have waited long enough up there for your old man. And Prosit,
likewise, to my dear old home, the fair city of Nuremberg." Then he took
breath and added according to his wont: "Prosit, Adam! Thanks, Heyden!"
And emptied the cup which I tilted up for him, to the very bottom. Then,
when he fell back and gazed before him in silence, I found speech, and
noted, albeit it struck me in truth as somewhat strange, that he bore our
good town in mind then, in drinking his old pledge. Hereupon he nodded
kindly and added, with an enquiring glance at the churchwarden: "It is
rightly the duty of every true Christian man to pray for all mankind!
Well, well; but they are so many, so infinitely many; and I, like every
other man, have my own little world, inside the great world, as it were,
and that is my dear old, staunch town of Nuremberg. Never have I been
beyond its precincts, and it contains all on earth that is dear and
precious to me. To me the citizens of Nuremberg are all mankind, and our
city and so much as the eye can see from this tower all my world, small
though it may be. I could ever find some good matter for thought in
Nuremberg, something noble and well-compact, a fine whole. I have never
sought the boundaries of the other, greater world."
Yet, that his world was in truth wider than he weened, was plain to us
from the prayer he murmured wherein we could hear my brothers' names,
albeit land and seas parted them from him. And after that, for a space
all were silent, and he lay gazing at the bone crucifix on the wall; and
at last he besought Dame Giovanna to lift him somewhat higher, and he
drank again a little more, and said right softly as he cast a loving
glance upon us each in turn: "I have looked into my own heart and gazed
on Him on the Cross! That is our ensample! And I depart joyfully--and
if you would know what maketh death so easy to me; it is that I have
needed but little, and kept little for myself; and whereas I was wont to
give away what other men save, I came to know of a certainty that all the
good we do to others is the best we can do for ourselves. It is that, it
is that!"
And he stretched forth his hand, and when we had all kissed it, he cried
out: "My God, I now can say I thank Thee! What to-morrow may bring, Thou
alone canst know! Margery, Ann, my poor children! May the bright day of
meeting dawn for you! May Heaven in mercy protect the youths beyond
seas! Here, close at hand is Mistress Kreutzer with her orphan children,
you know them--you and Master Peter--they are in sore need of help--and
the good we do to others. But come close to me, come all of you--and the
little ones likewise."
And we fell upon our knees by the bed, and he spread forth his hands and
said in a clear voice: "The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord lift up
his countenance upon you and be merciful unto you."
And then he sighed deeply, and his hands fell, and Dame Giovanna closed
his eyes.
Yea! Death had come easy to this simple soul. Never knew I any man who
gave so much out of a little, and never have I seen a happier or more
peaceful face on a death-bed.
My grand-uncle's burial was grand and magnificent. All the town-council,
and many of the nobles joined in the funeral-train. Bells tolling and
priests chanting, crape, tapers, incense and the rest of it--we had more
than enough of them all. Only one thing was lacking, namely, tears--not
those of the hirelings who attended it, but such as fall in silence from
a sorrowing eye.
In the Im Hoffs' great house all was silence till the burying was done;
up in the tower, where old Adam Heyden lay asleep, the bells rang out as
they did every day, for wedding and christening, for mass and mourning;
yet by the low door which led to the narrow turret-stair I saw a crowd of
little lads and maids with their mothers; and albeit the leaves were off
the trees and the last flowers were frozen to death, many a child had
found a green twig or carried a little bunch of everlasting flowers in
its little hand to lay on the bier of that kind old friend. It was all
the sacristan could do to keep away the multitudes who were fain to look
on his face once more; and when he was borne to the grave-yard, not above
two hours after my grand-uncle, there was indeed a wondrous great
following. The snow was falling fast in the streets, and the fine folks
who had attended him to the grave were soon warming themselves at home
after the burying of old Im Hoff. But there came behind Adam Heyden's
bier many right honest and respected folk, and a throng, reaching far
away, of such as might feel the wind whistling cold through the holes in
their sleeves and about their bare heads. And among these was there many
a penniless woman who wiped her eyes with her kerchief or her hand, and
many a widow's child, who tightened its little belt as it saw him who had
so often given it a meal carried to the grave.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
Marred their best joy in life by over-hasty ire
Misfortunes never come singly