"A good thought, Sturm; but, since you are resolved, keep your son no longer in uncertainty."
"He shall know at once; he is only in the garden." And he went and called him in stentorian tones.
Karl hastened in, greeted Anton, and looked expectantly first at him and then at his father, who had seated himself, and now inquired, in his usual voice, "Little mannikin, will you be a farmer?"
"A farmer! that never occurred to me. Why, I should have to leave you, father."
"He thinks of that," said the father, nodding his head to Anton.
"Do you then wish that I should leave you?" asked Karl, in amazement.
"I must, my little man," said Sturm, gravely; "I must wish it, because it is necessary for your dear departed mother's sake."
"Exactly so," said his father; "it's all settled, provided your uncle will have you. You shall be a farmer, you shall learn something regular, you shall leave your father."
"Father," said Karl, much downcast, "I do not like leaving you. Can't you come with me to the country?"
"_I_ go to the country! Ho, ho, ho!" Sturm laughed till the house shook again. "My mannikin would put me into his pocket, and take me to the country." Then wiping his eyes: "Come here, my Karl," said he, holding the youth's head between his two great hands; "you are my own good lad; but there must be partings on this earth, and if it were not now, it would be in a couple of years."
And thus Karl's departure from the firm was arranged.
As the time drew near, he tried in vain to conceal his emotion by a great deal of cheerful whistling. He stroked Pluto tenderly, executed all his various odd jobs with intense zeal, and kept as close as he could to his father, who often left his barrels to place his hand in silence on his son's head.
"Nothing heavy in farming!" said the paternal Sturm to Anton, looking anxiously into his face.
"Heavy!" replied Anton; "it will be no light matter to learn all connected with it."
"Learn!" cried the other; "the more he has to learn the better, so it be not very heavy."
"No," said Pix, who understood his meaning, "nothing heavy. The heaviest are sacks of corn--hundred and eighty; beans--two hundred pounds. And those he need not lift; the servants do it."
"If that's the case with farming," cried Sturm, contemptuously rearing himself to his full height, "it's all one to me whether he lifts them or not. Even my mannikin can carry two hundred pounds."