The Babe was thinking of the parsonage, and his mother's knee, and all that.

In the Parsonage of Upper Wood Chapter II

In the Parsonage of Upper Wood

She was a frequent visitor at the parsonage for months at a time and would help the mother in governing the household.

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.

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.

" A little while afterwards the whole peaceful parsonage of Upper Wood lay in deep sleep; only old 'Lizebeth went about the passage calling: "Bs, bs, bs."

'Lizebeth had been in the parsonage of Upper Wood as long as one could remember, for there had always been a son, and when the time had come, then he had become parson in Upper Wood.

When on the next morning the three children of the parsonage passed Marianne's house on their way to school, Sally said: "It is fun to go to school to-day for the strange boy of yesterday will come too; if we only knew his name.

" "Just as if nothing had to be done, and as if I were and had been on a visit in the parsonage at Upper Wood for fifty years and more," was the answer.

She dressed herself in her Sunday-best and entered the sitting-room to take leave, just as though she was going on a long journey, for it was an event for 'Lizebeth to leave the parsonage for several hours.

What a delight it must be to see such a well-ordered household and all so happy together and so joyous," Marianne said with a sigh, and she threw a glance at the room of the stranger, and now 'Lizebeth was completely pacified, for she felt the parsonage again on the top.

At the parsonage the three children stood waiting for the father's return, as they did every Sunday.

He had thought up till now that he would be sent to the auction, away from the happy life in the parsonage, but now this threatening bugbear was done away with forever.

With many tears she bade him good-bye, and Erick too felt sorry that good old Marianne was going away; but since he might stay in the parsonage, it was indeed a different thing for him than if he had had to remain behind alone.

The aunt also agreed with the decision to keep the boy in the parsonage, although at first she had seen in it a disturbance in the order of the household, since the increasing of the number would mean that in the evening it would take even longer to get to a settlement.

Erick soon felt quite at home in the parsonage.

CHAPTER X Surprising Things Happen Weeks had passed by since Erick had become an inhabitant of the parsonage, but 'Lizebeth had not changed her mind.

"I did not know that I ought to talk so in the parsonage; I have never done it and I am sorry for it; now I will always remember to say it," he promised assuringly.

The children of the parsonage, too, undertook daily strawberry-expeditions and every evening belated they returned home.

The order-devoted aunt, who, after a winter's absence, had returned with the summer to the parsonage, did not leave any remedy untried to restore at least the usual condition of things.

When Saturday came and the sun was shining brightly in the sky, then the whole company in joyous mood left the parsonage, Sally and Erick ahead, Ritz and Edi following.

Mother and Aunt were standing before the parsonage, looking in all directions to see if the children would not make their appearance somewhere.

'Lizebeth ran to and fro, hither and thither, and asked of the returning children of the neighborhood, where the parsonage children were.

Sunday morning passed quietly and sadly in the parsonage.