Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/305

Rh with him, and that she would make a wedding for them on St. Katherine's, and that they were only waiting for Grandmother's consent. "As soon as it is possible, after we are married, we will come to Bohemia to receive your blessing, dearest mother, and to make you acquainted with my George, whom, however, we call Jura. He is not a Bohemian, his home being somewhere on the Turkish boundary, but you can speak with him, for I have taught him Bohemian more quickly than Theresa taught John. I should have preferred one of our nationality, for I know you would have been more pleased; but, dearest mother, what can one do? The heart will not be constrained, and I have chosen my Krobat." Thus the letter ended.

Theresa read the letter. John was present and said: "It sounds as if I heard her, our joyous Hannah; she is a good girl, and Jura is a worthy young man. I know him; he is the first workman at Uncle's, where Hannah is, and whenever I entered the blacksmith shop I loved to look at Jura,—a fellow like a mountain! it would not be easy to find his equal."

"There was one word there, Theresa, that I did not understand, somewhere near the end; read it for me again," said Grandmother.

"It was 'Krobat,' was it not?"

"Yes, that's it."

"That is what they call a Croat in Vienna."

"Is that what it means? May God grant her happiness! But who would have guessed from what remote regions they would come to meet each other! And his name is George, the same as her father's!"