The Home in the Valley | Page 9

and energy, I hope to be able to
win the favor of the head of the treasury department, so that when my
father, who at present is in a very feeble state of health, shall be obliged
to resign, I may be appointed in his stead. This is my plan."
"You are a shrewd young man," said Mistress Ulrica.
"It is not necessary to be shrewd when the high road is plain before
you."
"But at least you must possess sufficient knowledge of the world to
prevent you, in your youth, from leaving the high road, and wasting
your time in useless dreaming."
"Of dreaming, he who has nothing but his head and hands to depend on,
must not be afraid. If one wishes to enjoy pleasant dreams, he must not
trouble his head about that which he is to eat when he awakes."
"Good! good!" exclaimed Ulrica, "I hope that your wise plans will
succeed, and I do not doubt but what they will, they are so well laid,
and aside from that you are not striving for yourself alone, but for your
parents, to whom I am sure you will always prove a dutiful and grateful
child."

"That is why I should become my father's successor, dear aunt. Had I
not thought of this plan, I would undoubtedly have formed some other;
but with this I am satisfied."
"And do you intend to afford us the pleasure of your company this
summer?" inquired uncle Fabian, abruptly.
"With your permission, dear uncle, your invitation arrived at a lucky
moment, as it came during my vacation."
"Well, well, nephew," said Mrs. Ulrica, "we will go and prepare a
chamber for you."
"Nephew, nephew," exclaimed Gottlieb, merrily, "why we look more
like cousins!"
"You are a little wag!"
"O, I must say more. My mother might have been your mother also,
from all appearances."
"Ah, I was a mere girl when she was married. She was the eldest while
I was the youngest of the family, and the fourteen years discrepancy
between our ages accounts for the differences in our appearance."
"And riches and fortune also," added Gottlieb; "poor mother,
misfortune has always been her lot; and although she has much trouble,
she has nevertheless an angel's forbearance."
"Her disposition resembles mine more than her person does," said Mrs.
H----, casting a glance of tender inquiry upon her husband.
"Yes, my dear," replied he, "your angelic disposition and patience are
well known."
He well understood the smile with which his wife had accompanied her
words.
"Good Fabian, you know how to appreciate your wife!"

"Sweet Ulgenie!"
Gottlieb glanced from his aunt to his uncle.
"Strange people these," thought he. "I think they are playing bo-peep
with each other, or perhaps they are blinding me; well, I care not; so
long as they do not disturb me, I will not meddle with their affairs."
CHAPTER IV.
THE ATTIC-ROOMS.
As we have before stated, Nanna had supreme control over one of the
attic-rooms of the cottage, and for a long time it had been a sanctuary in
which she stored her precious things.
Old Mr. Lonner loved Nanna as the apple of his eye. She was not only
the youngest child, and consequently the favorite, but she also
possessed strong perceptive qualities, and a heart susceptible of the
tenderest emotions. She was, so to speak, a living emblem of those
harmonious dreams that her father in his youth had hoped to see
realized.
The pale and delicate countenance of Nanna, who he thought was
destined in all probability to droop and die like a water lily, which she
so much resembled, carried the old man's mind back to the time when
his father had promised to wed his mother, and he sighed as he thought
how different Nanna's station in life would have been had that promise
been fulfilled. Instead of neglect and insult, homage from all would
have been her portion.
Yet Nanna was the pride and joy of her father's heart, for Ragnar, who
at an early age was obliged to labor for his own support, had preferred
to become a sailor, rather than to acquire a refined education, and Carl
could scarcely comprehend more than that which was necessary for the
performance of family worship. Nanna, on the contrary, would listen to
her father with the utmost pleasure and interest as he related and
explained matters and things which were entirely novel to one placed in

her position of life.
And then, with what eagerness would Nanna read those few books with
which her father's little library was supplied! She fully comprehended
all she read, and she could not resist from becoming gently interested in
the characters described in her books. She sympathised with the
unhappy and oppressed, and although she rejoiced with