Her cousin's wife had prepared the big wash,--this was the work laid out
for the whole week. Must Wiseli work there too?
Yes: already she heard a calling from the kitchen, and her cousin Gotti
called her by name,--he stood at the well, and saw her looking out of
the window.
"Make haste, make haste, Wiseli; it is time to be off: the boys are
half-way to school. All the hay is in: make haste and go too." She did
not wait till he told this twice. Like a flash she snatched her satchel
and was off.
"Tell the teacher that I have not sent him his money for a long time,
but he must not be vexed at that, we have had so much work with the hay
this summer."
How happy the child felt as she flew along! She need not stand all day
at the wash-tub: she could go instead to school. How beautiful it was
everywhere about! The birds sang more sweetly than ever from the
trees, the grass was scented, and the pretty red and yellow flowers
glistened in the sun. Wiseli could not stop to enjoy them,--it was too
late for that,--but she felt the beauty as she ran along, and rejoiced
at every step.
That same evening, just as all the children streamed out of the
close schoolroom into the beautiful afternoon light, the teacher
called out, with his serious face peering into the little crowd,
"Whose week is this?"
"Otto's, Otto's," called the whole company at once, and ran off.
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