"You are up early!" said Zachary Brä- | frightful object; and when you had gone sig, for it was he, and he threw himself up to the throne of God, our Lord would dowu by Axel, on the grass. "Have you have said to you: Thou fool! Thou come out fishing, too?" With that, he laid his hand on the handkerchief and the revolver: "Ah, so! You were going to practise pistol-shooting a little. I used to be a very good shot, myself, could shoot ont the ace of hearts and the ace of clubs, without fail." Then he stood up, with the revolver in his hand : "You see that mark on the fir yonder, they are getting ready to fell timber, I will wager four groschen, I never bet higher," bang! the shot went wide of the mark,-bang! missed it again, and yet again, and so on with the six shots. "Who would have thought it? All missed! Who would have thought it? Well, I have lost. Here are the four groschen. That is such an old fool of a pistol!" he cried, and tossed the revolver far out into the pond, "children and young people might hurt themselves with it." Axel was in a strange humor; all at once, between his firm, deliberate resolve, to which he had been driven through fierce struggle and conflict, and the dark portal he was about to enter, stood this familiar, yes, in his eyes even vulgar life, as audacious and impertinent as a peasant at a fair, which could be shoved aside, neither to the right hand nor the left. He started up: · Herr!" "Herr-rr!" cried Bräsig in return. "What do you want here?" "And what do you want here?" asked Bräsig back again. “You are an impertinent fool!" cried Axel. "You are the greatest fool!" cried Uncle Bräsig, "you were about to commit the most fearful crime, from a reckless impulse, and you had forgotten everything, - your wife, your child. Hm! just touch a little spring, then we are out of it all! Wasn't it so? Who is the fool now?" Axel leaned against a tree, with one hand pressed to his heart, and the other shading his eyes from the sun, and before him stood this vulgar man, with a fishingrod in his hand, and had interposed between him and the dark portal, it was life, however! "Do you see!" continued Uncle Bräsig, "if you had come three minutes earlier than I," those were the three minntes when he lay praying, on the threshold, for his wife and child, then you would be lying here, with a hole in your head, a 66 didst not know, what, this very night, thy dear gracious Frau was doing for thee, and the Herr Inspector Habermann, and Frau Nüssler, and the Frau Pastorin and Moses, and and the others,' -"and when the Lord had told you, do you know what you would have suffered? Hell torments!" Axel removed his hand from his eyes; and stared at Bräsig : "What? what did you say?” "That thirty-one thousand thalers have been advanced for you, this night, and Moses advances it, and your cousin Franz has arrived, who may possibly do something more. But you are an ignorant creature, who lets that greyhound of a Triddelsitz get revolvers, to shoot the day-laborers with, and then goes to shooting himself." Franz is here? Franz, did you say?" "Yes, he is here; but he did not come on your account, he is here because he is determined to make Louise Habermann Frau von Rambow; but if you want to thank anybody, - Franz will do something, will perhaps do something_more, then go to your dear gracious Frau, and to Karl Habermann; you can go to Moses also, if you like, and you must not forget Frau Nüssler, and the Frau Pastorin, they have all been good to you this night." I never attempted to shoot myself, and cannot tell exactly how a poor man would feel, when, between himself and his resolution, ordinary life presses in so forcibly. I should think it might be a little vexatious, as when a weary, weary traveller is offered a glass of flat, sour beer, — and Uncle Bräsig looked a little sour, this morning, which he may not refuse; but then comes the love of life, dear, human life, and a wife, with a child on her arm, pours him a glass of cool, fresh wine, and he drains the glass: "Sol now tell me what has happened.” Uncle Brasig related the good news, and Axel tottered from the tree, and fell upon the old man's neck. "Herr Bräsig! Dear Herr Bräsig! Is it all true?" "What do you mean? Do you think I would deceive you, at such a moment as this?" Axel turned dizzy before the black abyss, into which, just now, he had looked so boldly; he staggered back, and there was a singing and a ringing in his ears, and a glowing and shining before his eyes, and everything to which he was usually indif ferent pressed overpoweringly upon him,-| he pressed his hands over his eyes and began to weep bitterly. Uncle Bräsig stood and looked at him compassionately, and going up to him with the most tender pity took him by the shoulder, and shook him gently, saying: "Herr Inspector! and you, Axel?" "Yes, dear Frida. I got home this morning," said the young man in a low voice. "And now you will not go away again, now you will stay here," said Frida, decidedly. "Ah, Axel, I have much to tell you, good news. But how do you and the IIerr Inspector happen to be together?" "We all wander, here, in confusion, and you are greatly to blame for your misfortunes; but the fault is not wholly yours; what possessed your blessed Frau Mother to make a lieutenant of you? How could a farmer be made out of a lieutenant? It is just as if the musician, David Berger, who has blown half his breath out of his body with his trumpet, should set up to be pastor, and preach preach with his half-breath; he couldn't hold out. But" —and he took the young man by the arm, | fast. But, gracious Frau, what fine sau"come away from this place, and then you will feel better." "Yes, yes!" cried Axel, "you are right! All my misfortunes arose from this unblessed soldier career. I got in debt there, and these first debts brought others in their train. But," he added, standing still," what shall I say to my wife? 66 Nothing at all," said Bräsig. No," said Axel, "I have solemnly resolved to tell her the whole truth, henceforth." "Do you think the young gracious Frau will be likely to ask you right to your face why you didn't shoot yourself this morning? If you should get into any difficulty about it, I will tell fibs for you, I should not mind doing it; for it would be too horrible that such a dear young Frau should carry the thought with her, through her whole life, that the husband who should have cared for her was ready to leave her and her child, like a coward. No!" he added firmly, "she must not know it; no one need know it, but you and I. And make yourself easy, she is still asleep, for she could not have gone to bed before morning, and she must have been dreadfully tired." They came back to Pumpelhagen, and met Daniel Sadenwater in the hall. "Daniel," said Brasig, "let us have a little breakfast, as soon as possible. For," he added, when Daniel was gone, "you must eat a little something, so as to have a different feeling in your stomach, for such things take away a man's strength." Did he speak entirely from benevolence, or a little from self-love? For when the breakfast came, Axel ate nothing, but he ate like a thresher. About ten o'clock, Frida came into the room, and exclaimed: Now, thought Uncle Bräsig, it is time to keep my promise about fibbing. "I went out for a little fishing, this morning, — you will not take it ill, gracious Frau, that I have left my fishing-rod in your hall,and I met the Herr von Rambow, who was out walking, and we looked at his wheat together, and he invited me here to break sage! you must surely have got the recipe from Frau Nüssler." "No," said Frida, absently, looking at Bräsig and at Axel, as if it seemed very strange to her that. Axel should have invited the old inspector. "How did it hap pen, Herr Inspector," she began. Hold! thought Brasig, you will fib yourself into a trap, you must give another turn to the conversation, so he interrupted: "With your leave, gracious Frau, you always call me 'inspector,' and so I have been; but I have been promoted, I am now assessor at the court. Apohpoh!" turning to Axel, "why don't you take your money, that lies ready for you at the court, in Rahnstadt?" "What money?" inquired Axel. "Why, the fifteen hundred thalers, that the baggage hadn't spent. You must have had a letter about it, several weeks ago, from the court." "I have had so many letters from the court, of late, that I no longer open them." "I know about the business," cried Frida. "Frau Nüssler told me, on the way. I will get the letter," and she ran out of the door. 66 Young Herr von Rambow," said Bräsig, drawing himself up, "there you have done wrong again, for we judges are not only the punishers of mankind, we are also the benefactors of mankind." "But do tell me what money it is!" "Here is the letter," said Frida, giving it to her husband. Axel opened it, and with what feelings! " Money, money!" had so long been the cry of his soul, always "Money!" Now this sum of money fell unexpectedly into his lap, but what money! "Oh, my God!" he cried, staggering blindly about the his eyes, the last ice was broken up, and under the warmth of her lovely, spring sunshine his whole soul flowed out, open and free,- still in swelling waves, but free. And Zachary Bräsig stood at the window, and drummed the old Dessauer, so that Fritz Triddelsitz, who was passing by, came up and asked, "Herr Inspector, do you want me?" "No!" growled Bräsig, "go about your business, and attend to your farming." A carriage drove up, and Habermann and Franz got out of it. Franz had gone with Habermann, about nine o'clock, to see Moses, and had told him that, instead of the other good people, he would pay the thirty-one thousand for his cousin, and Moses kept nodding his head, and said, "You are good; the others are good, too; but you are rich; better is better." "Why did you not let me destroy myself?" cried Axel; "this is a thousand When the business was settled, and times worse than death! To receive bene- Franz had gone a little way along the fits, and such benefits, from people, whom street with Habermann, he said, "Dear in better times I have despised and slan- father, sit down here. a moment, on dered, yes, even ruined! Not merely to this bench, I will come back directreceive, no!—if one will live, to be obliged to receive it! Oh, oh!" he cried, striking his forehead, "why should I live? How can I live, with this sting in my heart?" ly, I have forgotten something I wanted to speak to Moses about." And when he went back to Moses he said, "My fatherin-law, Habermann, told me, this morning, that Pomuchelskopp wants to sell Gurlitz." "Wonder of wonders!" cried Moses, Habermann, father-in-law! What does it mean?" "I am going to marry his daughter." The old Jew rose painfully from his chair, and laid his withered hand on the young head of the Christian nobleman : "The God of Abraham bless you! You marry into a good family." So he raged against himself and the world, and Uncle Bräsig stood by quietly and looked at him. At last he said, "Go" on like that a little longer; that pleases me uncommonly; the old nobleman's humor must work itself out. What? You will have no friendship with honest, burgher people? Isn't it so? If the Herr Vons should come, or even the Pomuchelskopps and Slusuhrs and Davids, so that nobody need know of it, that would And after a little, Franz said, "Buy be more agreeable to you; but they won't it for me, transact the business for me, come any more. But that is only a sec- but my name must not be mentioned, ondary matter; you ought to be ashamed and no one especially Habermann that, under the eye of God, who delivered is to know anything about it. At St. you this morning, you have again expressed John's, I can raise a hundred thousand the wish that you had shot yourself. Why, thalers." you are a double suicide!" Axel was silent, and turned pale; he trembled, as he thought of the abyss into which he had looked that morning; Bräsig took his arm and seated him on the bench, where his old father and his young wife had sat, in their anguish and distress. Gradually he recovered himself, and Zachary Bräsig took him again by the arm: "Come! come to your gracious Frau! That is the best place for you now," and Axel followed like a lamb, and when his dear young wife took him in her arms, and drew him down by her on the sofa, and comforted him, then the hot tears started from “But how high shall I go?" "I leave that to you; but inquire about it to-day. I will come again to-morrow, and we can talk it over." "Well," said Moses, "this is business, this is honest business. Why shouldn't I do a little business?" Franz left him. When Axel saw the two getting out of the carriage, he tried to control himself, and to conceal his agitation, but in vain. Too wild a flood was rushing through his soul, the green leaves were torn and scattered, and branches and limbs of trees floated down the current; Frida and Brä sig interposed; and when he was rushing | heart was, now that he was no longer intowards Habermann impulsively, Frida debted to these people, but only to his held him back, saying, "Axel, dear Axel, cousin; and in this better mood, he agreed not now! To-morrow, the day after, any to everything, promised to let the inspect time! You can always find him.” or manage the estate, and to give Franz proper security. And Habermann took his hat, and said he had a message from Fritz Triddelsitz's father, and went out. Franz went up to Axel, and embraced him, and said, "Come into the other room, Axel, I have much to say to you." Our story rapidly approaches its conclusion. After a week or so, Moses came to terms with Pomuchelskopp, for Gurlitz. It was sold for a hundred aud ninety-two thousand thalers. From Moses, Franz went straight to Schultz, the carpenter: hold your "Herr Schultz, can you tongue?" "Trust me for that." "Well, I am now owner of Pumpelhagen; send some of your people out there, and let them tear down the paddocks you built yonder." And when they had been there awhile, Franz looked in at the door, and called Frida. And, a while after, Daniel Sadenwater ran out into the yard, to look for the Herr Inspector Habermann, and as he passed in, before Brasig's eyes, Bräsig began to find it lonely in the room, and he went out into the garden, and placed himself on a little elevation, and looked over to the Rexow firs, and the Lauban pond, thinking his own thoughts, and they began in this wise: "Remarkable! What is life, what is human life?" and when his thoughts had lasted about an "See, see! So with Herr Pomuchelshour and a half, and he had snapped at in-kopp too, it is at last: 'Out! out!'" numerable flies, they at last broke out into "Yes,; but now listen to me. I want words: "I wish one could get something to have a pastor's-widow-house built there, to eat, by and by, and then a quiet place, and it must be planned exactly like the to recreate one's self a little!" parsonage, and stand just opposite, close by the church-yard. You can take the measure to-morrow." And his wish was granted, for Daniel came and called him, and when he entered the room Habermann stood by Axel, holding his hand, and Franz was rubbing his hands, and looking at the dinner-table, and he came up to Bräsig, saying, "Herr Inspector, we have good appetites to-day!" And Frida stood there, with the sweetest smile, and the most blessed content in her face, and said: 66 “I have thought, all along, that the beasts would have a short life." "Well; I am also, after St. John's, the owner of Gurlitz." "Yes, old friend," said Habermann, He went off, and old carpenter Schultz you are a Jack of all trades, and know stood in the door, looking after him. all that is going on; but you never thought of this: the Herr von Rambow has exchanged with Franz, he takes Hogen Selchow, and Franz, Pumpelhagen." That is a good arrangement, Karl, and if you crack your jokes on me, because I knew nothing about it, I knew, at least, several years ago, that the Herr von Rambow, who was your pupil, would come to something." And he went up to Franz, and shook his hand heartily. After dinner, many things were talked over, and every one conld perceive, by Axel's demeanor, how much lighter his Noblemen, noblemen! Crazy performances! Cap-ribbons! Apron-strings! But Pomuchelskopp out! out! Isn't that good news?" Franz went to Hogen Selchow; Habermann and Inspector Bremer, who had been engaged for Axel, went with him. Axel departed, with bag and baggage, and the burgomeister from Rahnstadt came in, to superintend the transfer of the property, and with him Bräsig, as assessor. weeks were taken up in this business, and in the repairs and refurnishing of Pumpelhagen; then all was arranged to satisfac Three tion. The Frau Pastorin, also, had com- as well make an end of it; but I know pleted the preparations for the wedding. how it is: many people would like to be I shall write about this wedding, exactly informed of what has happened to our as it was; it passed over very quietly, and friends during the eighteen years since I shall quietly pass it over. 1818, and so I will write one more chapter. The day after the wedding, Louise and Franz, and the Frau Pastorin and Habermann, sat in a great coach, and Bräsig was on the box, and they drove to Pumpelhagen. As they passed through Gurlitz, there was a great display of fir boards and beams, and oaken sills, and a notched beam lay all ready, on one side, and the carpenter, Schultz, stood there, in his shirt sleeves, superintending his workmen. Franz stopped the carriage, and called out to the energetic old man, "Is everything ready, Herr Schultz?" "Everything is ready." "Then you may speak, Herr Schultz." "All right!" said Schultz. "But, Mamselle Hab-I should say, gracious Frau, what trouble you have cost me! When I thought I had it, I hadn't it by a long way. I shall have to put in another notched beam." "What?" asked Louise, and looked at Franz. "Only this, dear child," said Franz, putting his arm around her, "that I have bought Gurlitz, and am going to build a pastor's-widow-house here, just like the parsonage." "For me?" cried the little Frau Pastorin, and the tears which had risen to her eyes, when she looked at the church-yard where her Pastor slept, flowed freely, and she grasped his hand, and bathed it with tears of joy, for the tears which start in sadness often change to tears of joy. "And I thought," continued Franz, "that my father-in-law and Bräsig might live with you, as they have done. And I thought, father, you could undertake the management of Gurlitz, and you and Bräsig could also have an eye to Pumpelhagen, and see if it is managed properly." "Just the thing!" cried Bräsig, from the box, who had heard everything because the front was down, “Karl, what did I say to you? He'll do!" Habermann's eyes glistened with joy. To have occupation and responsibility again! to be active and useful! Louise threw herself upon her husband's breast: "Franz, what a dear, dear fellow you CHAPTER XLVII. CONCLUSION. A YEAR ago, before I moved from Mecklenburg to Thuringia, I visited the old chimney-corner once more, where I had spent so many happy days in my youth; and so I came to Rahnstadt, and went from there one afternoon, iu the month of June, along the road to Gurlitz. I intended to visit Habermann and Brasig and the Frau Pastorin, whom I had known since the time I was an apprentice, and had often visited in Rahnstadt; I had known Gottlieb too, at first in his Pietist days, and, strangely, we came to be very good friends, although we held quite different opinions; probably because I was a very sedate youth, and Gottlieb liked me on that account. When I arrived at Gurlitz, I went up to the widow-house, and took hold of the handle of the door; the door was fast. "Hin!" said I to myself, "it is Sunday afternoon, it is hot, they have all gone to sleep." I went to the window, and raised myself on tiptoe, to look in; when a voice behind me said: "Eh, Herr, that will do you no good; there is nobody there." "Doesn't the Frau Pastorin live here?" "She is dead." “And Habermann?” I inquired. "He has moved to Pumpelhagen, to live with the gracious Frau.” "Is the Herr Pastor at home? "Yes, he is at home," said old Jürn, for it was he, "yes, he is at home, and the Frau Pastorin too; they are just drinking coffee." I went to the house and knocked at the door. "Come in!" cried a rich voice. I entered, well, in the course of my life, I have met with a great deal that I could not explain, and some things that were very surprising,- but this time I was not merely surprised, I was really startled! There sat Gottlieb, his hair cut very reasonably short, and instead of resembling the hollow of Frau Nüssler's baking trough his form was more like the incre sing moon; the white, sunken cheeks had become smooth and ruddy, and the red, full lips seemed to say, "We have had a good dinner to-day, but we and the stout teeth behind us have done our duty." And that |