In school, he had always been one of the
brightest scholars. Afterwards, he had learned his father's trade and
had gone on his journeyman wanderings, finally returning to the village.
Instead of wearing a black hat, as befits a tradesman, and as his father
had done all his life, he put on a green one, decorated it with all the
feathers obtainable and strutted around in the very shortest homespun
coat to be found in all the valley; whereas his father always had worn a
coat of dark, even black cloth with very long tails to indicate his
station as tradesman. The young shoemaker was to be seen on all dancing
floors and bowling alleys. Whenever any one gave him a piece of good
advice he merely whistled. He attended all shooting-matches in the
neighborhood with his target-rifle and often brought back a prize, which
he considered a great victory. The prize generally consisted of coins
artistically set. To win them, he frequently had to spend more coins of
the same value than the prize was worth--especially as he was very
generous with his money. He also participated in all the chases of the
surrounding country and won a name as a marksman. Sometimes, however, he
issued alone with his double-barreled gun and climbing irons, and once,
it is said, returned with an ugly wound in his head.
In Millsdorf there lived a dyer who carried on a very notable industry.
His works lay right at the entrance of the town at the side toward
Gschaid.
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