Chapter 21
of the day.
Professor Bhaer was grey now, but robust and genial as ever; for he
had the work he loved, and did it so heartily that the whole college
felt his beautiful influence. Rob was as much like him as it was
possible for a boy to be, and was already called the 'young
Professor', he so adored study and closely imitated his honoured
father in all ways.
'Well, heart's dearest, we go to have our boys again, all two, and
may rejoice greatly,' said Mr Bhaer, seating himself beside Jo with a
beaming face and a handshake of congratulation.
'Oh, Fritz, I'm so delighted about Emil, and if you approve about
Franz also. Did you know Ludmilla? Is it a wise match?' asked Mrs Jo,
handing him her cup of tea and drawing closer, as if she welcomed her
refuge in joy as well as sorrow.
'It all goes well. I saw the Madchen when I went over to place Franz.
A child then, but most sweet and charming. Blumenthal is satisfied, I
think, and the boy will be happy. He is too German to be content away
from Vaterland, so we shall have him as a link between the new and
the old, and that pleases me much.'
'And Emil, he is to be second mate next voyage; isn't that fine? I'm
so happy that both your boys have done well; you gave up so much for
them and their mother. You make light of it, dear, but I never forget
it,' said Jo, with her hand in his as sentimentally as if she was a
girl again and her Fritz had come a-wooing.
He laughed his cheery laugh, and whispered behind her fan: 'If I had
not come to America for the poor lads, I never should have found my
Jo. The hard times are very sweet now, and I bless Gott for all I
seemed to lose, because I gained the blessing of my life.'
'Spooning! spooning! Here's an awful flirtation on the sly,' cried
Teddy, peering over the fan just at that interesting moment, much to
his mother's confusion and his father's amusement; for the Professor
never was ashamed of the fact that he still considered his wife the
dearest woman in the world. Rob promptly ejected his brother from one