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332 much pleased and had a kind word for every one. When Christina came to kiss the hand of the Countess, that young lady congratulated her; she spoke to the miller and the gamekeeper, and then turned with loving familiarity to Grandmother, at which the stewardess and her daughter turned yellow with envy; they could not endure Grandmother,—she brought to naught all their plans. But when the fathers seated at the table, with their heads quite full, began to rail at the secretaries and the steward, and when one of them seized the beaker to pass a drink to the Princess, and was only restrained by Tomesh, that lady suddenly disappeared.

Several days after the harvest festival she started with the Countess, for Italy. Before their departure the young lady delivered into Grandmother's hands a beautiful garnet necklace, a wedding present for Christina.

Grandmother was satisfied; everything had turned out according to her wishes. But one thing was still on her mind, and that was a letter to her daughter, Johanna. Mrs. Proshek would have attended to this, but then it would not have been as Grandmother wanted it. One day she called Barunka into her room, closed the door, and pointing to the table, upon which lay ready a sheet of paper, pen and ink, she said: "Be seated, Barunka, I want you to write a letter to Aunt Johanna." Barunka sat down; Grandmother seated herself beside her so as to overlook the work, and began to dictate:

"Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ!"

"But, Grandma," said Barunka, "We do not