Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/308

302 shek; "there is no disputing of tastes." This was his favorite saying. "Now, our bar-maid from the tavern could be married, and not go about as if she had been put under the water, if those deuced fellows had not taken away what she liked," continued the miller taking a pinch of snuff, and casting a side glance upon Christina who was there also.

"I was sorry for both of you, when I learned from Theresa's letter what had happened," said Mr. Proshek, looking kindly upon Christina's pale face. "Has Milo become somewhat reconciled to his lot?"

"What can he do? he must be reconciled. It is hard enough for him," replied Christina, turning to the window to hide her tears.

"Yes, indeed," said the gamekeeper; "shut a bird up in a golden cage, and he will still prefer the woods."

"Especially if his mate is pining there without him," said the miller, with a mischievous smile.

"I, too, was a soldier," began Mr. Proshek: a smile played about his lips as he said this, and his blue eyes turned to his wife.

She smiled in return, as she said: "Yes, and what a hero you were!"

Don't you laugh, Theresa; when you and aunt Dorothy came to the fortifications to see us drill, you wept, both of you."

"And you with us," laughed Mrs, Proshek; "but at that time nobody was in a laughing mood, except, perhaps, those who observed us."

"I must confess," said the tender hearted Mr Proshek, "that it was all the same to me whether