REMINISCENCES OF GERMAN CHILDHOOD. 165

family, with the exception of the servants, who walked,
and Mr. Mill, who accompanied Carl on horseback. ~
The church was four miles off, and according to a well
established custom, they did not return between ser-_
vices, but took with them a frugal collation.

After the usual services, and such greetings as are
common between a good minister and his family with
many of the people, they all returned to the parsonage.
And here the evening hours were spent in a manner
quite new to Carl. After early tea the whole house-
hold assembled in the large sitting-room. Even the
servants were there as soon as they had supped, and,
what is unusual, they retained their seats after evening
prayers.

“T love,” said Mr. Mill, “to see my family around
me, and on no day do I love it more than on the Sab-
bath. Why should not our domestics come in for a
portion of the children’s bread ?”

Books were distributed, and an hour was spent in
singing hymns, interspersed with occasional comments
and an occasional anecdote. Even Mrs. Mill, though
a meek and retiring invalid, made bold to relate an
incident of her youth concerning her grandfather, an
officer of the Revolution, and a pious man. Encou-
raged by such beginnings, Carl found his mouth opened,
and after a little embarrassment, and in reply to several
interrogatories, proceeded to give a narrative, which
may be thus abridged,—