She would see a new road and an unfamiliar
country, and could perhaps best forget what was grieving her. She wanted
to take Freneli along; she too hadn't been away for a long time. They
hadn't taken her with them to Elsie's wedding, and it was only fair to
give the girl a pleasure once in a while.
To the latter plan Joggeli had many objections; but this time he gave in
for his old wife's sake and agreed to get along for a couple of days. In
a glory of color the withered leaves hung on the trees, in the gleam of
their own after-glow; below them, in cheerful green, lay the young
crops, and played merrily with the winking dew-drops that clung to their
tips; and over everything the sky spread itself, mysterious and
fragrant, the impenetrable source of God's wonders. Black crows were
flying across the fields; green woodpeckers hung on the trees; fleet
squirrels ran across the road and, hastily gaining a branch, peeped out
curiously at the passing travelers, while high in the air the snow-geese
sailed on toward a, warmer country in their well-ordered triangle, and
their strange travel-song floated strangely down from their lofty
height.
The mother's judicious eyes roved actively over the whole scene; there
was no end to her comments, and she and Uli exchanged many a shrewd
remark. Especially when they drove through the villages did the
noteworthy things become legion, and there were few houses that did not
offer her opportunity for comment.
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