fetched me a little conical glass and some of the right stuff. I was filled with new life. We chatted for a while longer. I was truly happy with this strange little man.
At last he showed me my bedchamber. A room full of horse-harness and all kinds of house-lumber. But it had a very good bed in it. In the morning at daybreak I was at the window. I saw the maids and women coming out of the cowsheds with the milk. 'Twas Sunday and all was still quiet in the house. I did not want to wake anyone or make a noise, but also I did not want to creep away without paying the bill. At last the Captain came and called me down to coffee, which I had not expected. 'Twas right good coffee, with cream. Now I was in some anxiety about the size of the bill. I had hardly swallowed down the last cupful when I asked him how much I owed. Ten schillings, said he. Hm, thought I, I had not expected that. I had taken the Captain for an old skinflint but I was grossly mistaken. How easy it is to be mistaken about other people. In St. Gallen I would have had to pay that much for the coffee alone. I paid him the ten schillings with hearty thanks for his kind
The last effort for my legs on this journey, thought I. Only another three good hours to Weyl. Then tomorrow I can travel in comfort with my friend H.
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to Lichtensteig, and hopefully find my own dear folk in good health. Farewell, Frauenfeld! Thou hast no especial charm for me, [...] my spirit found no nourishment with thee and my poor heart, made for friendship and love, would grow cold within thy walls. And so farewell and adieu!
In the afternoon I set out on my way with slow steps, to do three hours' journey in four. For a good stretch away from the town I had to wade through crowds of churchgoers. Walk away, thought I, I am walking too, back to my home country, to my dear own folk, and you are walking hence to listen to an oration or a discourse, which either you will not understand, or will forget within the hour, or maybe simply not hear at all. So thinking all manner of thoughts and observations I went by Matzingen, Lachen and Münchweilen to Weyl.
There I awaited my friend H. We had supper together. In the morning, when I firmly believed I would be able to drive with him, a lady had already bespoken my place, and no more than two persons could be seated. I could not make any objection. I know that the fairer sex,
per se
, has the preferment in such cases. Well, thought I, your legs must get to work again, and I walked out feeling quite rested. And I would have got to Lichtensteig before them, if I had not delayed for a little while half way. Now in Lichtensteig my first thought was to go to my good acquaintance Herr R. St.
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and I lamented to him about my hardships and my disappointed hopes of getting some money in Zürich. And he was so magnanimous as to advance me the needful sum, though of course I had to give him some security. Now I could keep up my credit again, and completed my journey home with a once more lighter heart. I found my dear ones, who had not expected me so soon, in the best of health, after I had spent nineteen days on the journey, and enjoyed so much that was good, so much friendship and goodwill." [Voellmy, v 3 pp 131-162]
30th Oct. (v 1 p 28) Bräker writes to Füssli: "In Herisau I met with the portrait painter Reinhard of Luzern, the same who made the collection of pictures of national costumes of Herr Mayer in Aarau. He told me that he will be making a journey through the Toggenburg. He came last week and stayed with me for six days. He made portraits of myself, my wife, my son and two of my daughters. So almost a whole family group on two boards, just the sort of thing that I saw at Herr Mayer's. He paid us, however, before the sittings. Connoisseurs say and it seems to me too, that all of them are very good likenesses. He is taking on a few more pieces of work in Wattwil and then goes on to Glarus. What do you think, my dear friend, the poor man of Toggenburg and his family are going to be on parade in Herr Mayer's collection! I'm all for it." [Voellmy, v 1 p 28]
The purpose of this series of paintings was primarily to record the different
regional costumes
