Rico and Wiseli | Page 3

the morning on the threshold, he
would stand there for hours without moving, gazing into the far
distance with dreamy eyes, if the door of the house over the way did
not open, and a little girl make her appearance and look over at him
laughingly. Then Rico ran over to her in a trice, and the children were
busy enough in telling each other what had happened since the evening
before, and talked incessantly, until Stineli was called into the house.
The girl's name was Stineli, and she and Rico were of exactly the same
age. They began to go to school at the same time, were in the same
classes, and from that time forward were always together; for there was
only a narrow path between their cottages, and they were the dearest of
friends.
This was the only intimacy that Rico had, for he had no pleasure in the
companionship of the other boys; and when they thrashed each other,
or played at wrestling, or turned somersaults, he went away without
even looking back at them. If they called out after him, "Now it is
Rico's turn to be thrashed," he stood perfectly still and did nothing; but
he looked at them so strangely with his dark eyes, that no one meddled
with him.
In Stineli's company he was always contented. She had a merry little
pug-nose, and two brown eyes that were always laughing; and around
her head were two thick braids of brown hair, that always looked
smooth and neat, for Stineli was a very orderly girl, and knew very well
how to take care of herself. For that her daily experience was excellent.
It is true Stineli was scarcely nine years old, but she was the eldest
daughter of the family, and had to help her mother in every thing, and

there was a great deal to be done,--for after Stineli came Trudi and
Sami and Peterli, then Urschli and Anne-Deteli and Kunzli, and last of
all the baby, who was not baptized. From every corner, at every
moment, Stineli was called for; and she had become so handy and
skilful with all this practice, that work seemed to turn itself out of her
hands of its own accord. She could always put on three stockings and
fasten two shoes before Trudi had even placed the legs of the little one
she was helping in the right position. And while her mother was calling
for Stineli to help her in the kitchen, and the little children wanted her
in the bedroom, her father was sure to shout out from the stable for
Stineli to come to his help, for he had mislaid his cap, or his whip-lash
was in a knot, and she found the one in a trice,--it was generally on the
meal-box,--and her limber fingers had no trouble in untying the knotted
lash. So, you see, Stineli was always busy running about and working,
but always merry with it all, and rejoiced also in winter, when the
school began. Then she went with Rico to school and back again, and
in recess they were also together. And in summer she was still more
happy, for then the lovely Sunday evenings came when she could go
out; and she and Rico went, hand in hand,--the lad was always waiting
for her in the doorway,--over the big meadow towards the wood on the
hill-side that projected far out over the lake like an island. They used to
sit up there under the pines, and look out over the green waters of the
lake, and had so many questions to ask and so many answers to give,
and were so happy, that Stineli was happy all the week in thinking it
over and looking forward,--for Sunday always came again.
There was yet one other person in the household who called for Stineli
now and then,--that was her old grandmother.
She did not want her assistance, however, but had generally a bit of
money to give her that she had put aside, or some little thing that would
give the girl pleasure; for the grandmother noticed how much there was
for Stineli to do, and that she had less pleasure than other children of
her age, and the child was her favorite. She always had something
ready so that she could buy herself a red ribbon at the yearly market, or
a needle-case, if she wished.
Rico was also a favorite with this good grandmother, and she liked to
see the children together, and tried to contrive a little recreation for
them now and then.

On summer evenings the grandmother always sat by the door on a
tree-stump that was there, and often Stineli and Rico stood by her side
while she told them stories. But when the