Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/56



ESIDES the holidays, Sundays were looked forward to with great pleasure; for then the children could lie abed as long as they pleased, Grandmother, who called them, being at the village at early mass. Mrs. Proshek, and her husband when he was with them, attended high mass; and when the weather was fine, the children went with them to meet Grandmother. As soon as she was in sight, they ran to meet her and shouted as though they had not seen her for a year. On Sundays she did not appear to them the same as on week days. Her face was brighter and more loving, and she was dressed a great deal better. She wore fine black slippers, a white cap of which the stiffly starched strings were tied behind in a bow resembling the wings of a dove; indeed, it seemed as though a dove sat on the back of her head. The children remarked that on Sundays Grandma was very beautiful.

As soon as they met her, each wanted to carry something. One got the rosary, another her handkerchief; and Barunka, being the eldest, carried the handbag. This, however, gave rise to disputes, for the inquisitive boys wanted to see what was in it, which Barunka would by no means allow. It always ended in a quarrel, when Barunka turned to Grandmother, asking her to give the boys a good scolding. Instead of this, she opened the bag