Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/254

248 "Now good-bye, give the schoolmaster our best regards!"

Grandmother turned around quickly, so the children should not see the tears in her eyes. The dogs sprang about, thinking that they were going out walking with the children, but John drove them back. At Grandmother's call they followed her, but turned back several times with wistful looks, thinking that perhaps some one would call them. Grandmother, too, looked back several times, and only when she saw the children turn to the bridge where Manchinka was waiting for them, did she turn and go home without stopping. The whole day she seemed somewhat absent-minded; she went about the house as if she were looking for somebody. Hardly had the cuckoo in the clock sung four o'clock, when she put the spindle under her arm and said to Adelka: "Come, my dear, let us go to meet our little scholars; we can wait for them at the mill. So they went.

By the statue under the lindens sat the miller, his wife, and several farmers who had brought in grist. "You are coming to meet the children, are you not?" called the miller's wife from afar; "we, too, are looking for Manchinka. Come, take a seat among us."

As Grandmother sat down she asked: "What's the news?"

"Just before you came, we spoke of the conscription; it takes place this week," replied one of the farmers.

"May heaven comfort our young men," said Grandmother.

"They will need to be comforted. I fear there