Thus, there was nothing for it but to fix the day of departure, besides having in readiness the parting gifts and surprises intended for each member of the worthy family.  Such farewell occupations had, however, been long in progress, for it required great management, labor and forethought to hit on the right thing, and have it ready, with only the resources of a very small town.  The handsome chromo-lithographs had been smuggled to the stationer’s, and framed for the embellishment of the great sitting-room; the snuff-box for the Hofbauer the pipe and beer-mug for Onkel Johann, the satin kerchiefs for Kathi and Moidel, were all ready and ticketed; so were the neckties and tobacco-pouches for Anton and Jakob, when a bright idea struck E——.  She would subscribe for the illustrated Alpenfreund, to afford reading in the stube in the long snowy winter evenings.  There was no time to be lost:  the next day we were leaving; so, the rain having ceased, we started for the town to pay the subscription.

We knew that it was two o’clock as we crossed the fields, by the bell of the Capuchin monastery tolling for vespers:  at the same moment the metallic, rattling sound of cattle-bells mixing with the ringing, and the sight of the peasants leaving their work and running in the direction of the high-road, told us that a herd of cattle was returning from the mountains.  Other bells immediately became audible in the contrary direction, the tinkling and rattling continued, and just as we reached the shrine the two triumphant processions met.  The one approaching from the west was headed by a very queen of Sheba.  What a golden heart-shaped bell clanged from her proud neck!  What a tall, beautiful crown, shining like a great sun in a bed of crimson ribbons, blazed on her head!  Her little princess-calf, adorned with streamers, followed close at her regal heels:  her courtiers attended in regular order in their purple and fine linen, or, in other words, their grand red-and-orange collars and their ponderous bells.  When the queen saw the advancing herd she turned round her ample forehead and gave a significant low, bidding her attendants imitate her.  And then, whilst the senners and herdsmen looked evidently fearful of an encounter between the two factions, she steadily but defiantly maintained the middle of the road, forcing by her lofty airs the other queen, who was young and inexperienced, to slink ignominiously into the ditch; so that after the proud conquering herd had swept on, she was with difficulty brought into the road and induced to proceed at the head of her literally cowed followers.  It was but an illustration of what may often be seen in society, when some proud, overbearing chaperone at the head of her party sweeps past some pretty, shy young woman.