them came a little boy, and no one had seen them come up.  Then four men of Middle Lot wanted to carry the piano into the cottage but it would not go through the door because the door was too narrow and the piano too wide.  And all who stood around to look said she must be a very rich woman, because she had such a large piano.  But no one knew from where she came, and when anyone asked old Marianne she snarled and said:  ‘I haven’t any time.’

“All the people around are surprised that a rich lady should come to old Marianne in the wooden cottage; my father has said long since that the cottage would tumble over one of these days.  And Sally!  I wish you could see the woman, you too would be surprised that she should make her home there.  Just think, she wears a black silk skirt on week-days!”

“And what about the boy, how does he look?” asked Sally, who had followed her friend’s story with close attention.

“I had almost forgotten him,” continued Kaetheli.  “Just think, he wears velvet pants, quite short black velvet pants and a velvet jacket and a cap to match.  Just imagine a boy with velvet pants!”

“I should think that would be quite pretty,” observed Sally, “but what does he look like otherwise?”

“I have forgotten that, I had to watch the moving of the piano.  He is nothing particular to look at.”

“Kaetheli, do you know what?” Sally said, “you go home with me.  I want to ask whether I may go home with you for a little while.  I should like to see that too, and then afterwards we will both go to old Marianne’s to call, will you?”

Kaetheli was ready at once to carry out the plan, and the children ran together toward the parsonage.

It was only a little while before, that Edi and Ritz had arrived home panting for breath.  In the garden on the bench under the large apple-tree, Mother and Auntie were sitting mending and conversing over the bringing-up of the children; for Auntie knew many a good advice, quite new and not worn out.  Now they heard hasty running, and Edi and Ritz came rushing along.

“May we—­in the Middle Lot—­to the Middle Lot—­people have arrived—­a wagon and a piano—­a terribly rich woman and a—­”

Both shouted in confusion, breathlessly and incomprehensibly.

“Now,” the aunt cried into the noise, “if you behave like two canary birds who suddenly have become crazy, no human being can understand a word.  One is to be silent and the other may talk, or still better both be silent.”

But Ritz and Edi could do neither.  If Edi began to report, then Ritz had to follow.  It always had been so, and to be silent at this moment of excitement, that could not be expected; therefore both began afresh and would no doubt have continued thus for some time if Sally and Kaetheli had not arrived on the scene.  They made everything clear in a short time.

But the mother did not like to have her children run to the Middle Lot for the sake of staring at strange people who had arrived there, and to increase the gaping crowd who, no doubt, were standing in front of Marianne’s cottage.  She did not give the longed-for permission, but she invited Kaetheli to stay at the parsonage and take afternoon coffee with the children and afterwards play in the garden.