"If only to hasten the happiness of old Lorischen and her well-beloved little fat man, pray do not delay your coming back as soon as ever you can conveniently manage it.

I say nothing about myself or of Madaleine, my new daughter; for, you must be able to imagine without the aid of any words of mine, how we are both longing and praying to see you again!" "And now for sister Madaleine's letter," cried Eric, when he had kissed the signature to that of his mother's which Fritz handed over to him as soon as he had done reading it aloud.

"It seems almost as big a one as mutterchen's and I dare say there'll be lots more news in it!" "Ah, I think I'll read this first to myself," said Fritz dryly; adding a moment after when he noticed Eric's look of intense disgust: "you see, she only writes to me, you know." "Oh yes, that's very fine!" exclaimed the other, in a highly aggrieved tone.

"Never mind, though, I can pay you out sooner than you think, Master Fritz! See this little note here!" "No--yes--what is it ?" said Fritz, looking up in an absent way from the second of the home letters, which now lay open on his knee.
"Ah, wouldn't you like to know, Mr Selfish-keep-his-letters-to-himself sort of a brother, eh?
Well, then, this note here contains some of the dearest words you ever saw penned! It was enclosed by Miss Celia Brown in a letter of her father's to you--which you've taken such little account of that you chucked it down on the floor in your ridiculous hurry to read that letter which you won't tell me about.

Now, I did intend, Master Fritz, to give you this delightful little note, which I would not part with for the world, for you to read it your own self; but, now, I shan't let you once cast your eyes over it, there! It is only a little tiny note; still, I think much more of it than all your big letters from that Madaleine Vogelstein, who I don't believe is half as handsome as Celia!" "All right then, we're both satisfied if such is the case," rejoined Fritz, in no way put out by this outburst, or alarmed at the terrible reprisals threatened by Eric, and then, the elder brother bowed his head again over the unfolded sheets of scented paper lying on his knee that came from his sweetheart across the sea.
The letter was all that the fondest lover could wish; and, with the omission of a few endearing terms, Fritz subsequently read it to Eric, who thereupon relented from his previous resolution and showed him Miss Celia Brown's note.