THE LITTLE BAREFOOT. [Illustration: THE CHILDREN KNOCK--PAGE 8.] THE LITTLE BAREFOOT. _A TALE._ BY BERTHOLD AUERBACH. TRANSLATED BY ELIZA BUCKMINSTER LEE. ILLUSTRATED. BOSTON: H. B. FULLER AND COMPANY, (SUCCESSORS TO WALKER, FULLER, & CO.,) 245 WASHINGTON STREET. 1867. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, by H. B. FULLER, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. Stereotyped by C. J. Peters & Son, 13 Washington Street, Boston. Printed by John Wilson & Son, Cambridge. CONTENTS. _CHAPTER I._ THE CHILDREN KNOCK 7 _CHAPTER II._ THE FAR-OFF SPIRIT 16 _CHAPTER III._ THE TREE BY THE PARENTS’ HOUSE 25 _CHAPTER IV._ OPEN THE DOOR 31 _CHAPTER V._ UPON THE HOLDER COMMON 53 _CHAPTER VI._ HER OWN COOK 74 _CHAPTER VII._ THE SISTER OF CHARITY 92 _CHAPTER VIII._ SACK AND AXE 112 _CHAPTER IX._ AN UNBIDDEN GUEST 123 _CHAPTER X._ ONLY ONE DANCE 142 _CHAPTER XI._ AS IT IS IN THE SONG 159 _CHAPTER XII._ HE HAS COME 168 _CHAPTER XIII._ OUT OF A MOTHER’S HEART 183 _CHAPTER XIV._ THE HORSEMAN 196 _CHAPTER XV._ BANISHED AND SAVED 205 _CHAPTER XVI._ SILVER TROT 223 _CHAPTER XVII._ OVER MOUNTAIN AND VALLEY 232 _CHAPTER XVIII._ THE FIRST FIRE UPON THE HEARTH 248 _CHAPTER XIX._ SECRET TREASURES 260 _CHAPTER XX._ FAMILY WAYS 268 [Illustration] THE LITTLE BAREFOOT CHAPTER I. THE CHILDREN KNOCK. Early in the morning of an autumnal day, when the morning mist lay upon the ground, two children, a boy and a girl of six and seven years old, went hand in hand through the back, or garden path, out of the village. The girl appeared the oldest, and carried slate, books, and a writing-book under her arm; the boy had the same in a gray linen satchel, which was slung over his shoulder. The girl wore a cap of white drill that reached only to the forehead, and made the full arch of her brow the more conspicuous. The boy was bareheaded. The footstep of the boy only could be heard, for he had strong shoes on his feet; but the girl was barefoot. Where the path permitted, the children went close together; but, when the hedges made it too narrow, the girl always went first.