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Max Wild the Merchant's Son, and Other Stories
Max Wild the Merchant's Son and Other Stories Author:Franz Hoffmann General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1874 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER II. PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. the following morning when Mr. Wild entered his wife's apartment he found her dressed and waiting for him. Max was sitting by her at the table, drinking his coffee and eating his breakfast, and prattling with the unconscious simplicity of childhood about the destiny that had overtaken him and his parents. ' Now, dear mamma, I know what it was that made you cry yesterday. You had fancied beforehand all that papa told you, and that made you very sad. But what does it signify if we are poor? My tutor has told me a hundred times that poor people are often the happiest, and surely he must know, for he is very poor himself. And when I am grown up, mamma, and become very wise and clever, and have learned a great many things, then you shall see if we are'not very soon rich again. I will be very industrious, and will earn a great deal of money -- so much that you shall have more than you want even.' Thus chattered little Max, and looked all the while so bold and determined that his mother could not help laughing kindly at him. But the flow of his discourse was here interrupted by the entrance of his father, who came to discuss his plans for the future with his wife. Some resolution must needs be taken, and the sooner the better. ' I have made out what is likely to be the amount of our capital when all is withdrawn from the wreck of our fortunes,' he began; ' and when our house and furniture and all that now belongs to us is sold, the sum that is likely to remain after all our creditors are honourably paid is about eight thousand dollars. It will suffice to maintain a ...« less