A few weeks later the longed-for stamps appeared. They looked neat enough. A striking likeness of Bloemstein was surrounded by a garland of intertwined spades and pickaxes—symbols of labour—and above, in good bold letters, ALTENET.
There were blue, red, and green ones—of one, two, and three groschen respectively.
“Marieke! Marieke!” cried the delighted Bloemstein. “Come here, child; I’ve something to show you. What do you think of that?”
“Oh, quite beautiful, father!”
“Really, child?”
“And will they be sent to all the kings and emperors—all in the whole world?”
“All in the whole world.”
“To Bismarck too?”
“He’s going to get one as well; but it won’t please him, I assure you, Marieke.”