Erick and Sally | Page 3

up the hill from Lower
Wood, and the horse could hardly pull the load, for there was a large
piano on the wagon, a bed, and lots of other things, a table and a little
box, and I think that was all. Now the wagon stopped at old Marianne's
cottage, and all at once there came out of the cottage old Marianne and
a woman, who was quite white in the face, and behind them came a
little boy, and no one had seen them come up. Then four men of Middle
Lot wanted to carry the piano into the cottage but it would not go

through the door because the door was too narrow and the piano too
wide. And all who stood around to look said she must be a very rich
woman, because she had such a large piano. But no one knew from
where she came, and when anyone asked old Marianne she snarled and
said: 'I haven't any time.'
"All the people around are surprised that a rich lady should come to old
Marianne in the wooden cottage; my father has said long since that the
cottage would tumble over one of these days. And Sally! I wish you
could see the woman, you too would be surprised that she should make
her home there. Just think, she wears a black silk skirt on week-days!"
"And what about the boy, how does he look?" asked Sally, who had
followed her friend's story with close attention.
"I had almost forgotten him," continued Kaetheli. "Just think, he wears
velvet pants, quite short black velvet pants and a velvet jacket and a cap
to match. Just imagine a boy with velvet pants!"
"I should think that would be quite pretty," observed Sally, "but what
does he look like otherwise?"
"I have forgotten that, I had to watch the moving of the piano. He is
nothing particular to look at."
"Kaetheli, do you know what?" Sally said, "you go home with me. I
want to ask whether I may go home with you for a little while. I should
like to see that too, and then afterwards we will both go to old
Marianne's to call, will you?"
Kaetheli was ready at once to carry out the plan, and the children ran
together toward the parsonage.
It was only a little while before, that Edi and Ritz had arrived home
panting for breath. In the garden on the bench under the large apple-tree,
Mother and Auntie were sitting mending and conversing over the
bringing-up of the children; for Auntie knew many a good advice, quite
new and not worn out. Now they heard hasty running, and Edi and Ritz

came rushing along.
"May we--in the Middle Lot--to the Middle Lot--people have arrived--a
wagon and a piano--a terribly rich woman and a--"
Both shouted in confusion, breathlessly and incomprehensibly.
"Now," the aunt cried into the noise, "if you behave like two canary
birds who suddenly have become crazy, no human being can
understand a word. One is to be silent and the other may talk, or still
better both be silent."
But Ritz and Edi could do neither. If Edi began to report, then Ritz had
to follow. It always had been so, and to be silent at this moment of
excitement, that could not be expected; therefore both began afresh and
would no doubt have continued thus for some time if Sally and
Kaetheli had not arrived on the scene. They made everything clear in a
short time.
But the mother did not like to have her children run to the Middle Lot
for the sake of staring at strange people who had arrived there, and to
increase the gaping crowd who, no doubt, were standing in front of
Marianne's cottage. She did not give the longed-for permission, but she
invited Kaetheli to stay at the parsonage and take afternoon coffee with
the children and afterwards play in the garden.
That was at least something; Sally and Ritz were satisfied, and they ran
at once with Kaetheli into the house. But Edi showed a dissatisfied face,
for wherever something strange could be seen or found, he had to be
there.
He stood there without saying a word. He was thinking whether he
dared to work on his mother to get the desired permission. He feared,
however, the auxiliary troops which his aunt would lead into battle to
help his mother. But before he had weighed all sides his aunt said:
"Well, Edi, have you not yet swallowed the defeat? Isn't there some old
Roman, or Egyptian, who also could not always do what he wanted?
Just you think that over and you will see that it will help you."

That helped, indeed, for Edi was a great searcher in history, and when