Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/239

Rh "Nothing is the matter, Grandma, only I am so very happy," replied Barunka. Grandmother bent down, kissed her grandchild on the forehead, but said not a word,—she understood her Barunka.

On Easter Sunday, Grandmother took a cake, some eggs, and some wine to church to be blessed. When she returned, she cut up the cake and gave each one a piece, and also a little wine. The poultry and cattle also got their extra portion of food as on Christmas, so that they would become attached to their home and return good profits.

Easter Monday was a bad day for the women, for then the waits came to sing and to switch them. Hardly were they awake at Proshek's, when they heard a voice behind the door singing: "A little wait am I," and somebody knocked at the door. Betsey opened it very carefully, fearing it might be one of the boys come to give her a switching; but it was the miller, the earliest of them all. He came as meek as a saint, and wished them a merry and happy Easter; but all at once he pulled out a switch from beneath his coat and began to apply it vigorously. He spared no one, and even Mrs. Proshek and Adelka and Grandmother were struck several times across their petticoats "so the fleas shouldn't bite" as he said. He was treated the same as any other wait, he got his Easter egg and an apple. "Well, boys, have you done your duty this morning?" he asked.

"They are nice fellows! other days one can hardly get them out of bed; but to-day I was hardly in the sitting room when they began to switch me," complained Barunka, and both the miller and the boys laughed at her.