CHAPTER XVI

ULI GETS NEW COWS AND NEW SERVANTS

[Uli is sent to market to sell two cows and bring back two others.  On the way a man catches up with him and buys his cows at a higher price than Uli expected to get.  At the market he makes two excellent purchases, and comes away with more money than he had before.  He is tempted to conceal this profit from the master, and keep it for himself, but better counsels prevail.  Joggeli bids him share the profit with the milker, and reluctantly pays Uli’s expenses out of his own pocket.  He boasts to his wife that he has tested Uli by sending a man to him to buy the old cows; she upbraids him for this underhandedness.  Uli forces Joggeli to be the first farmer with his haying, but cannot get him to supply decent tools.  The other servants are lazy and slack—­the milker and carter especially so.  Although Uli urges and drives him in vain, Joggeli takes malicious enjoyment in his distress.  At last Uli loses all patience and demands the instant dismissal of the carter and the milker, his own departure being the alternative.  Joggeli is with difficulty persuaded to take this step; but once taken, the good results are immediate and permanent.  The carter and the milker, at first expecting to be taken back in a day or two, finally beg for their old places; but Uli is firm.  New men are engaged, with instructions to take their orders from Uli.]

CHAPTER XVII

HOW FATHER AND SON OPERATE ON A SERVANT

[Things now run like a newly oiled machine; but Joggeli is discontented and constantly seeks cause for complaint against Uli.  He arranges with the miller to have the latter attempt to bribe Uli, to see what he will do.  Uli dresses down the miller, and the latter, to clear himself, betrays the instigator of the plan.  Uli at once begins to pack up, while the mistress, informed by the miller, chides her husband.  With great difficulty the latter is induced to beg Uli’s pardon and assure him that the offense will not be repeated.  The harvest goes on this year as never before.  Joggeli’s son Johannes comes with his wife Trinette and three children for the harvest festival.  Trinette is the same kind of fool as Elsie; they think of nothing but their finery, their ailments, and their supposedly fine manners.  This annual visit is always a torment.  Trinette plays the grand lady, the children are a constant nuisance, and the whole house is in an uproar.  Johannes takes a fancy to Uli, and offers him any amount of pay to take a place with him.  Freneli overhears the conversation and tells the mistress, who is enraged with Johannes.  Joggeli bursts out into a tirade against Freneli.]

CHAPTER XVIII

HOW A GOOD MOTHER STRAIGHTENS OUT THE CROOKED, AND TURNS EVIL INTO GOOD

[Joggeli sows in Uli’s mind suspicion of Freneli, intimating that she is injuring him behind his back.  Uli is deeply wounded, and shows it; but neither Freneli nor her aunt knows the reason, and Joggeli is silent.  Finally the mistress asks Uli, discovers the trouble, and undeceives him as to Freneli; Joggeli wonders at the restored peace, but dares not ask about it.]