Page:Story of the bitter wedding (1).pdf/8

 mountains, and at harvest-home to the wedding, and in the meantime she gave me this waistcoat to wear on the hills in remembrance of her.

'Old Bernhard went to the forest in spring to choose the finest stems, and to provide us with nice furniture against the wedding.

'So one morning as he was ascending the mountains through those ravines where there are some marvellously fine trees, a little man, in an odd sort of dress, hastened to meet him, screaming violently and beckoning and calling him so earnestly that he could not but go with him. They soon reached a barn, where he found the stranger's wife lying sick and in extremity. Her he relieved and cured; but for me---bride, peace, and happiness, were lost from that hour.'

'Ah, good heavens!' exclaimed Almerich; 'you are talking bravely, whilst I am almost starving---hop, hop, hop---we are trudging on, and my stomach is as empty as a bag-pipe! Yesterday evening---nothing; this morning---nothing! Oh that brave wedding-dance; the fiddle runs off, and Master Almerich is starving here!'

'Now, now, the deuce, then, bawled the herdsman, what have you got in this cursed wallet? Here am I toiling on with this plagued bag, rubbing the very skin off my shoulders,---if there is not at least a little ham