Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/195

189 "Do not borrow trouble: should the steward look dark, his eyes can be brightened with coin, you understand?"

"That could easily be done, but it does not always work; yet on St. John's night I dreamed Milo came to me. But a dream is a dream, and Grandmother says we should not put any faith in such superstitions, nor tempt God to reveal to us the future."

"But Grandmother is not the Gospel.

"I believe her as I do the Scripture; she always gives one good counsel, and everybody says she is a most estimable woman. What she says is the most sacred truth."

"I believe that, too, but I would bet my little finger that when she was young she believed as we do. That is the way all old people are; my mother is forever complaining that the young people are not as they used to be, that all they care for are dances and merrymakings, and that they haven't a grain of sense. That was not the way they acted when she was young, and I know positively that our great grandmothers were no better when they were young than we are, and when we get old, we will sing the same tune they do. But now let us commend ourselves to the care of the Blessed Mother and go to sleep," added Anna, pulling the petticoat tight around herself, and in a little while, when Christina looked into her face she was fast asleep.

In the garret one of the women that slept there was trying to quiet her baby, which, however, kept on crying.

"What! mother, does that child cry this way