Transcriber's Note:
1. Page scan source: http://www.archive.org/details/oldstoryofmyfarm03reutuoft
The day after Christmas was passed very busily in Mrs. Behrens' housein Rahnstädt. Louisa was continually to be seen running up and downstairs, for she was finishing the arrangement of her father's room.Whenever she thought it was quite ready, and looked really nice, shewas sure to find something to improve, some alteration that must bemade to ensure perfection. Dinner-time came, but her father had notarrived, though she had prepared some little dainties especially forhim. She laid a place for him, however, as perhaps he might come beforethey had finished dinner.--"I don't know why it is," she said tolittle Mrs. Behrens, "but I feel as if some misfortune were going tohappen."--"What?" cried Mrs. Behrens, "you've only lived in town forthree months, and you have presentiments already like a tea-drinkingtown-lady! What has become of my light-hearted country-girl?" and asshe said this, she stroked her foster-child's cheek with a tender touchand loving smile.--"No," answered Louisa, taking the kind hand, andholding it tight between her own, "such indefinite presentiments nevertrouble me. Unfortunately it is a very definite fear lest my fathershould weary of the inactivity of a town-life, after what he has beenaccustomed to in the country."--"Why, child, you talk as if Rahnstädtwere a great city; no--thank God!--the geese go about bare-foot herejust the same as at Pümpelhagen, and if your father likes to seefarming-operations going on around him, he has only to watch the twomanure-carts belonging to our neighbour on the right, and the threebelonging to our neighbour on the left. If he wants to talk aboutfarming he need only go to our landlord Mr. Kurz, who will be toohappy to harangue him about grazing fields and town-jails till he's assick of these subjects as we are."--Louisa laughed, and when thedinner-things were cleared away, she said: "Now, mother, suppose youlie down and have a little nap, while I go down the Gürlitz road, andsee if I can't meet my father."
She put on her cloak, and a warm hood, and set off down the road, whichhad always been her favourite walk since she came to Rahnstädt, for itwas the one that led to the place where she had been so happy. When shehad time she used to go to the hill from which she could see Gürlitzvillage, t he church, the parsonage, and the church-yard, and when shehad a little more time she used to run down to the parsonage to