“‘Come to our Festival! come all! Come from Switzerland! Conductor, let your tickets fall! And, fireman, stay your hand! You who make boots, or who brew beer, You one and all are welcome here.’ “Don’t you think that is, after all, better than the other, aunty?” “Yes, it is certainly very good, but it is too long. It would take Elsli such a time to embroider it.” “That settles it, then,” said Oscar, well pleased that his aunt found a decisive reason for rejecting another. “Now, then, for the last, short and energetic:-- “‘Freedom we shout! Freedom for all! Freedom for ever and aye! We will not yield till all chains fall, And tyrants are banished or die!’ “Do you hear that, aunty?” “Yes, my dear, I can’t help hearing it, and it’s very spirited, but it doesn’t mean anything. I don’t know of any ‘tyrants’ that need to be banished or die, do you? It isn’t to be thought of. Take the first, or, if you don’t like that, choose another from the list.” But Oscar was obstinate. The first he wouldn’t have, and he must somehow or other bring his aunt over to accept this one. “But, aunty,” he began in a tone of remonstrance, “there were tyrants once; don’t you remember the poem about Dionysius, the tyrant? And if there have been once, there may be again, and then this verse would be splendid; don’t you think so?” Before aunty could respond to this appeal, came a fearful pounding at the door, which put a stop to the discussion. Fred and Emma, having hunted over the rest of the house in vain, had at last bethought themselves of this apartment; and, finding the door locked, they felt sure that the objects of their search were within. Emma called through the keyhole:-- “Come, aunty, please, quick! Supper is ready, and papa has come, and mamma sent us to call you.” And Fred shouted in a still louder tone:-- “Come along, Oscar; papa is asking for you.” All was over. His aunt opened the door at once, and Oscar had to follow her. The next morning, when the carriage had been rolled out of the coach-house and stood waiting for the horses, to which the groom was giving the last polish in the stable, Dr. Stein came into the room where the mother and aunt were putting the final touches to the preparation of the children for the journey.