“’I, too!  How often have I stopped under the spreading branches of that tree on a hot summer day and found refreshment!’ cried a former post-messenger of Dorbstadt.  A porter who had also lived there added his praises.

“‘But the nut-trees were cut down many years ago,’ the latter added.

“‘I saw it,’ cried the spirit of little Hannele, and one heard from her tone how she deplored it.  ’They were felled when the Poor-house was given up.  ’But the great Son of God has now heard what he wished to know.’

“‘No, no,’ the Saviour answered, ’I should still like to know what became of the wood of these trees.’

“The voices of several angels were heard at the same moment, for many of the poor weavers of Dorbstadt were to be found in the Heavenly Kingdom.  St. Peter, however, bade them to be quiet, and permitted only the one who had last entered the Abode of the Blessed to speak.

“‘I was the village doctor,’ this one began, ’and I quitted the earth because I, too, fell a victim to the pestilence of which many of the poor people were dying, and against which I fought with all my powers, but with small success.  I can tell you all that you wish to know, my Master, for, during forty-five years, I devoted my humble services to the sick poor there.  When Hannele died in our Poor-house—­it happened before my time—­the misery was even greater than at present.  The weavers were ground down by the large manufacturers, until an energetic man built a factory in our village, and paid them better wages.  As the population then increased, and consequently the number of patients, space was wanting in which to house them, for the dilapidated Poor-house—­whither they were carried—­was no longer large enough to accommodate them all.  Therefore the parish, aided by the owner of the factory, built a hospital for the whole district, and the site of the old Poor-house was chosen for it.  The beautiful nut-trees which Hannele had planted had to be destroyed.  I was sorry to be obliged to give the order, but we needed the ground where they stood.  As we had to be economical in everything, big and little, we had planks sawn out of the trees for our use.’

“At this point another spirit interrupted the physician.  ’I have lain in one of the beds made from the wood.  At home I slept on a bundle of straw, and very uncomfortable it was when I was shaken by the fever.  In the hospital all was different, and when I lay in my comfortable bed, I felt as if I were already in Heaven.’

“‘And I,’ cried another broad-winged angel, ’for ten years I walked with the crutches that were made for me from the nut-tree by the Fresh Spring, and old Conrad, below on the earth, is still using them.’

“‘And mine also,’ another continued, ’were of the same wood.  I had lain for a long time on my back; but after I got them, I learned to walk with them and they enabled me to stand before the loom, and to earn bread once more for my family.  That man yonder from Hochdorf has had the same experience, and the wooden leg of William, the toll-gate keeper, who entered here shortly before me, was made of wood from the nut-tree.’