AM, as you know, my young friends, the surveyor of woods and forests, and in this capacity I was obliged, some years ago, to make a journey to Amsterdam respecting some timber with which we had supplied the Dutch for ship-building, and about the payment for which they made great difficulties. I succeeded beyond expectation in my mission, and was returning in high spirits to Germany, when an accident happened which led to the adventure I am about to relate to you. With my servant Kruz, I had been travelling day and night, when one evening we were overturned at a little distance from a small town, the name of which I have entirely forgotten. Kruz was thrown from the carriagebox, and I fell from my seat, and knocked against the postilion with such violence, that he fell to the ground between the horses. The fore axletree of the chaise was broken, Kruz's arm was much hurt, and the postilion's nose cut. I suffered only from fright; and happily the horses did not attempt to run away. much effort we reached the town, and I went immediately to the inn, and inquired for a wheelwright to repair my carriage. Both the landlord and postilion assured me that I must travel two miles farther, to Hard, where the best artisans of every kind resided. I was not much inclined to do this, particularly as Kruz

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was very ill. I examined his arm, and found that it was put out of joint. The doctor, for whom I had despatched a messenger, came, lamenting that the surgeon had died the preceding week, and that the arm could not be set.

"You had better take your servant to Hard," said he; is a very clever surgeon there."

"What!-where is Hard?" asked I impatiently.

"A small village about two miles_off."

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"But how is it," said I, "that the surgeon and artisans live in a village instead of in the town?"

"The mayor of Hard is a whimsical fellow; he manages everything there, and wishes to make the village into a large town. He is a millionaire, but very miserly. I know him well, but have nothing to do with him; for, between ourselves, he is an odd sort of character."

"Is there an inn at Hard?”

"Certainly; and a better one than this. The mayor established a bath there many years ago, and it is much frequented; but the doctor at Hard is an ignoramus-a charlatan. The mayor took him there: he is an amiable man, but interferes in everything."

I resolved to send my carriage and servant to Hard; and the next morning, having bound the broken parts of the carriage together with a rope, I placed Kruz inside, preferring, as it was a fine morning, to walk to Hard.

II.

THE VILLAGE OF HARD.

About a mile from the town the road suddenly became better. On both sides were rows of fruit-trees, the fields were rich with abundant crops, and there was scarcely a weed to be seen. The village lay before me. Instead of the houses being crowded together, as is usual in that part of the country, they were scattered about, each under shady trees, and surrounded by a garden. The church stood upon a hill in the centre of the village.

"You live in a paradise," said I to an old peasant; "this is the most fruitful soil I have seen in this country." "Thank God our crops never fail," answered he.

"How is it," said I, that your village is so scattered about?" "It was burnt down fifteen years ago, and the government obliged us to rebuild it as you see. There is nothing very disadvantageous in it. I have a long way to walk to church every Sunday; some have a greater distance. This is certainly unpleasant for old people and children, particularly in bad weather. But it was a frightful fire; only five farms, which happily lay at a little distance, were spared."

"How did the fire originate?"

"I do not know. Some say the mayor did it on purpose; but I do not quite believe that."

"That would have been very shameful in the mayor."

"Yes indeed. He is a very strange man-that every one knows he has played me tricks enough. He was first our schoolmaster; and then the government ordered that he should be mayor, and we were obliged to have him so."

"But he must be rich?"

"Yes; a mighty rich man. He never spends a kreutzer, and lives more simply than a common day-labourer. His head is not quite right; and when his silly fits are upon him, he throws money away on all sides: he will soon be ruined. He has no pleasure except in tyrannising over us with his money."

As the old man said this he turned off into a footpath which led through the meadows. The landscape was so pleasing, that I sat down on a stone under a nut-tree, in order to rest and to enjoy the scenery. "How happy might the people of this village be," thought I; "but the government sends a man here who plays the king, and then all happiness is gone." Just then an old woman came up the hill, and I stopped her, and inquired if there were an inn in the village, and where it was.

"In the street to the left of the church, sir. I am the landlady."

"I am glad of it. Can you accommodate my carriage and servants for a few days?"

"My inn is not suited for gentlemen; you must go to the great hotel. A broken carriage arrived there about half an hour ago. Perhaps it is yours?"

"I am sorry that you cannot lodge me. Where is the other hotel?"

"Do you see the little white house with the green windowshutters on the hill? That is the mayor's house, and the hotel is next to it."

"Does the inn belong to the mayor?"

"No, and yes. Everything belongs, and still does not belong, to him. He had it built."

"That is not advantageous to you?”

"Certainly not; the mayor does no good to any one.

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he came into the village my business has become very bad. God pardon him; he has much to answer for at the last day. But I have enough to live on without depending on him."

While she was speaking I heard violent disputing in a peasant's house near. The old woman nodded her head, and said half aloud, "Ah, so, so; it serves Gretchen right!" Saying this she pointed to a path by which I might reach the hotel, and then left me. Just then a portly-looking personage, dressed in the blouse of a peasant, but clean and neat, came out of the house, followed by a weeping old woman and a young boy. The

two latter took leave of the man; and as the boy shook hands with him, he said, "You are quite right, Mr Mayor; I have warned my mother of it often enough."

," answered the mayor, who appeared to be a man

Yes, yes,"

about forty years of age; "but this once I will be indulgent."

The old woman assured him that he should in future be satisfied with her. The village despot turned and walked away.

He went along the same path which the old woman had told me led to the hotel. This induced me to leave my seat and follow him, for I much wished to be acquainted with a man of whom I had in the last two days heard so much. But then, again, I had heard nothing but complaints of him; and had even witnessed his harsh conduct towards others, and I hesitated to follow him. He walked very quickly, and I did not overtake him.

III.

THE MAYOR.

Presently I saw some peasants stop to speak to this strange man, and just as they left him I approached. He greeted me with politeness, and we talked of the weather and the crops. He answered all I asked in such well-chosen language, and at the same time so modestly, that I saw directly that he was a man of cultivated mind. He said that the soil was not better than that of the surrounding country, but that it was better tilled. I expressed my astonishment at that.

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Every owner dwells here in the middle of his own possessions," said he, "and therefore can easily inspect his labourers." But," said I, "these beautiful meadows?"

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"You have not perhaps noticed," answered he, "that all the meadows lie together, and that they are well watered. We have also good marl in the neighbourhood. In other places, as well as this, these things are to be had more or less; but people are often idle or ignorant. Nature is a good mother to all; but men do not always give themselves the trouble to understand her, but prefer following their own conceits."

This remark was too philosophical for a village mayor or schoolmaster. I stood still, and looked at his coarse gray frock and round black straw hat. There was something distinguished, I might almost say noble, in his face.

He looked at me for a moment with a searching look, and then said, "Are you Mr Rödern?"

"I am!" exclaimed I, surprised, and looking at him more closely.

He took my hand, and laughingly said, "You were formerly a slender young man-the delight of all the belles."

I tried to draw away my hand, for I thought that one of his strange fits, of which so many had spoken, was come over

him; but he held it fast, and continued, "What a stout man you are grown! What good genius led you to Hard?" and he embraced me, adding, "Welcome here. Do you not know me?" I was now really perplexed, and yet it struck me I had seen him before; suddenly I remembered who it was. Engelbert!" I exclaimed.

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He answered in the affirmative, and the sound of his voice recalled to my mind my college life. I embraced him with emotion, forgetting all the evil I had heard of him.

He called to a little boy who was working in the next field, and said, "Run to my wife, and tell her I have found an old friend, who will breakfast with me. Let her set the table under the lime-tree, with wine, fresh butter, white bread, and raspberry vinegar."

I now related to him my history since I left college; I told him what had brought me to Hard; and we conversed long upon many of our college companions. "And you," said I, "what is your history?"

"And I," answered Engelbert smiling-"look at me. You see what I am a countryman, and the mayor of the village in which I live."

"How very remarkable!" said I. "How is it that you hide your noble talents in this unknown corner of the earth? Was it your free choice?"

My free choice."

"Have you been long here?" "Nineteen happy years."

"Tell me all-everything," said I impatiently.

"Another time; I see my wife under the lime-tree. You will see my family all together. Come and breakfast with us.'

We followed the path up the hill, and presently came to the lime-tree, under whose shadow sat an amiable-looking young woman, about thirty years of age, very slender, with pretty features, and clad quite simply. A child, scarcely six months old, lay upon her knee; another child sat at her feet, receiving some flowers from a red-cheeked, golden-haired boy, of about four years of age. Two elder boys-the one seven, the other ten-were standing behind their mother, each with a book in his hand: they were dressed in coarse stuff, and were barefoot. The rest of party wore linen dresses.

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The mayor introduced me to his wife, over whose face spread, my salutation, a beautiful blush; he then knelt down before her, and very humbly and playfully asked her forgiveness for being so late at breakfast, pointing to me as his excuse. became friendly with this charming family. The children seated themselves on the grass, round a wooden basin filled with fresh milk, which they ate with black bread. They placed before me white bread, fresh delicious butter, water, raspberry vinegar, and a flask of old Burgundy.