E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Emmy,
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
()
A STORY FOR CHILDREN
AND FOR THOSE WHO LOVE CHILDREN
| CHAPTER | |
| I. | UNDER THE LINDENS |
| II. | LONG, LONG DAYS |
| III. | ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HEDGE |
| IV. | ALL SIX |
| V. | BEFORE AND AFTER THE FLOOD |
| VI. | A FRIGHTFUL DEED |
| VII. | LONG-WISHED-FOR HAPPINESS |
| VIII. | MORE CHARADES AND THEIR ANSWERS |
| IX. | "WHAT MUST BE, MUST BE" |
The daily promenaders who moved slowly back and forth every afternoonunder the shade of the lindens on the eastern side of the pretty town ofKarlsruhe were very much interested in the appearance of two persons whohad lately joined their ranks. It was beyond doubt that the man was veryill. He could only move slowly and it was touching to see the care withwhich his little companion tried to make herself useful to him. Hesupported himself with his right hand on a stout stick, and rested hisleft upon the the shoulder of the child at his side, and one could seethat he needed the assistance of both. From time to time he would lift hisleft hand and say gently,
"Tell me, my child, if I press too heavily upon you."
Instantly, however, the child would catch his hand and press it downagain, assuring him,
"No, no, certainly not, Papa, lean upon me still more: I do not evennotice it at all."
After they had walked back and forth for a while, they seated themselvesupon one of the benches that were placed at convenient distances under thetrees, and rested a little.
The sick man was Major Falk, who had been in Karlsruhe only a short time.He lived before that in Hamburg with his daughter Dora, whose mother diedso