Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/71

Rh when she showed them that paper; then turning to me he gave me this silver dollar, and said: 'Take this as a keepsake from the Emperor Joseph. Do not forget to pray for him and his wife, for prayers coming from earnest hearts are acceptable to God. When you get home, tell your friends you spoke with the Emperor Joseph.' With these words he turned and hastened away.

"Overwhelmed with joy and surprise we knelt down, not knowing what we did. Mrs. Novotny scolded me because I had been so forward, but she also had been bold enough. But who would have thought that it was the Emperor! We comforted ourselves, however, by thinking that if he had been offended he would not have made us presents.

"When Mrs. Novotny came to the magazine she got three times as much for her blankets as she asked.

"We almost flew home, and when we got there, there was no end of telling about it, and everybody envied us. Mother had a hole punched through the dollar, and I have worn it on my neck ever since. Many a time I have been in need, but I would never part with my dollar. A thousand pities that the sod covers that good man!" added Grandmother softly, as she finished the story.

"Yes, indeed, a thousand pities!" echoed the listeners. The children, after learning the history of the dollar, turned it from side to side, for now it had acquired a new interest to them, and Grandmother, because she had spoken to the Emperor, was regarded with even more reverence than before.

At the mill the week began on Sunday evening,