The family retired to a distant town, and lived there in very great
distress. The mayor endeavored to obtain a livelihood as a scrivener, or
clerk; his wife worked at dressmaking and millinery, and Caroline, who
soon became skillful in such matters, faithfully assisted her.
A lady in town--the Countess von Buchenhaim--gave them much employment,
and one day Caroline went to this lady's house to carry home a bonnet.
She was taken to the garden, where the countess was sitting in the
summer-house with her sister and nieces, who had come to visit her. The
young ladies were delighted with the bonnet, and their mother gave
orders for three more, particularly praising the blue flowers, which
were the work of Caroline's own hands.
The Countess von Buchenhaim spoke very kindly of the young girl to her
sister, and related the sad story of the worthy family's misfortunes.
The count was standing with his brother-in-law, the colonel, at some
little distance from the door of the summer-house, and the colonel, a
fine-looking man in a hussar's uniform and with a star on his breast,
overheard the conversation. Coming up, he looked closely at Caroline.
"Is it possible," said he, "that you are the daughter of the mayor of
Rebenheim? How tall you have grown! I should scarcely have recognized
you, though we are old acquaintances."
Caroline stood there abashed, looking full in the face of the stranger,
her cheeks covered with blushes. Taking her by the hand, the colonel
conducted her to his wife, who was sitting near the countess.
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