ntorian 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."

"I am to go to my uncle!" cried Karl.

"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."

CHAPTER XIV.

Anton was now the most assiduous of all the clerks in the office. Fink
was seldom able to persuade him to accompany him out riding or to t