Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/243

Rh hitched himself, and started to race about the meadow with the dogs after him.

Barunka, giving her sister the pith doll, said: "Here, you may have this, but you must learn to make them yourself? Who will play with you when we are gone to school? You will be here alone."

"Grandma will be here," replied the child with an expression that said that although it would not be pleasant to be left alone, still if Grandma was with her she would have everything.

Just then the miller came along and handing Barunka a letter, said: "Take it to your mother and tell her one of my men was in town, and the postmaster gave it to him."

"It's from papa!" exclaimed the children running into the house. Mrs. Proshek read the letter with a face beaming with joy, and having finished it, told the children that their father would come home about the middle of May, and the Princess, too.

"How many times shall we sleep?" asked Adelka.

"About forty times," replied Barunka.

"O, my! that is so long yet!" said the little girl, much disappointed.

"Do you know what I'll do?" said Willie; "I will make forty chalk marks upon the door, and every morning when I get up I will rub one out."

"That is a good idea, the time will pass away more quickly," said his mother.

The miller was going from the dam and stopped at Proshek's. His face was sober, the habitual grin was gone, and he held his snuff box in his hand, but did not turn it; instead of that he tapped