| PAGE | |
| “So trustful of their little mistress” (See [page 33]) | [Frontispiece] |
| “It was the Ivy which had spoken” | [29] |
| “The breath of roses all about her” | [68] |
| “She beheld ... a wretched beggar, shivering with cold” | [75] |
| “Long they sat there by the Rose-bush” | [146] |
THE ROSES OF SAINT ELIZABETH
I.
rom a hill which overlooks the smiling little town of Eisenach, frowns the grim old castle of the Wartburg. It is a gloomy-looking place, with its vast chambers, and long, winding corridors of stone; and yet, that it has held at least one bit of brightness, all would agree who had ever seen the smile of Katrina, the caretaker’s little daughter.
It was Katrina’s chief delight to stand at her father’s side when he unlocked the huge iron portals, and admitted visitors into the castle court; while not a few of these would stop and say some pleasant word to the child, or else stroke her golden hair in passing.
To many persons the life of this nine-year-old girl might perhaps seem very dull; but in Katrina’s happy nature was the spirit of contentment. However, she had one keen desire,—it was to see inside the ancient castle. And sometimes, when there were visitors going in, she would beg her father to take her with him, but he always shook his head, saying: