Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/267

'THE GRANDMOTHER. of lax morals, one of those men that have no scruples about entangling in their snares every girl they meet. I disposed of him quickly, but he paid no attention to my words,—shook them off as if they were dew. Since he would not listen to me, I arranged my work outdoors in such a manner that I should never be obliged to meet him.

"You know how it is; a girl has occasion to be out many times during the day, now in the field, now to cut grass, and often her folks are all gone, and she must be in the house alone.

"In short, neither is it the custom nor is it necessary that any one should guard a girl; she must guard herself, and thus many opportunities can be found by an ill-disposed person to persecute her.

"But God protected me. I went to cut grass early in the morning while everybody still slept. I was always an early riser, for my mother used to say: 'Who is up with the sun, his fortune is begun.' She was right, and if I had had no other profit, the pleasure was ample reward. When in the morning I entered the orchard or went out into the fields and saw the beautiful green grass covered with dew, my heart was filled with joy. Each little flower stood there like a maiden, with head erect and bright, smiling eyes. The birds, dear little creatures, hovered over me, praising God with their songs; otherwise a holy stillness was around me. Then when the sun-rose behind the hills, it seemed to me that I was in the house of God. I sang, and my work seemed but play.

"Once, while I was thus cutting grass,—it