The Opposite House: A Novel — page 239: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

234 The Opposite Flouse. The mills, adorned with gala decorations, awaited the coming of their lord and master, looking very unfamiliar in their festal splendor. On the sides of the entrance rose two slender masts, visible for a long distance, twined with gay garlands, between which were various coats of arms, while crossed banners fluttered proudly in the<-r. A thick gar- land of pine-needles united them lke a waving triumphal arch, bearing in the center a shield, which was to greet the returning hero from the distance. Every door in the court-yard was twined with green ; the German colors, blended with those of the coun- try, floated from gables and attic windows, while tall oleanders and cedars were grouped in tasteful masses around steps and pillars. Even the old well in the court-yard had assumed a holiday aspect; small pine-trees concealed its weather-beaten roof, and bright-hued paper roses decked it here and there amid the green boughs ; two maid-servants still stood talking in front of it, while fastening the flowers in a few empty spaces. Lohfeld had just shouted a word of cheer, then turning to his door again, he hammered away to his heart’s content. The fuller and gayer of hue his decorations became,the greater grew the zeal of the worthy superintendent. Liesbeth was stand- ing at the foot of the ladder, industriously handing up the golden bits of tinsel, while from time to ComicbdoOoks.c©