th him always, and not seldom sent through all his
being thrills of pain, he bore it hidden from the world, and went
about his work again. Working comforted him. The baking of bread is an
employment that is at once soothing and sustaining. As a man kneads the
spongy dough he has good exercise and wholesome time for thought.
While the baking goes on he may smoke and meditate. The smell of the
newly-baked bread is a pleasant smell, and brings with it pleasant
thoughts of many people well nourished in the eating of it. Moreover,
there is no time in the whole twenty-four hours when a city is so
innocent, so like the quiet honest country-side, as that time in the
crisp morning when a baker goes his rounds.

As Gottlieb found himself refreshed and strengthened by these manifold
good influences of his gentle trade, his burden of sorrow was softened
to him and made easier to bear. Comforting thoughts of the little
Minna--growing to be a fine little lass now--stole in upon him, and
within him the hope arose that she would grow to be like the dear mother
whom she never had known. So the little fine roots of a new love struck
down into his sad heart; and presently the sweet plant of love began
to grow for him again, casting its delicate tendrils strongly about the
child, who truly was a part of the being about which his earlier and
stronger love had clung. Yet the love that thus was re-established in
Gottlieb's breast was far from filling it, and so for ambition there was
ample room.

[Illustration: Sat beside the oven smoking his second pipe 204]

Somewhat to his surprise, one night, as he sat beside the oven smoking
his second pipe, he found himself thinking once more about his project
for making such lebkuchen as never yet had been known outside of
Nuernberg--lebkuchen that would make him at once the admiration and
the despair of every German baker in New York. Nor was there, as he
perceived as he turned the matter over in his mind, any reason now why
he should not set about making this project a reality; for he had money
enough, and more than enough, in store to buy the honey that he had so
long desired. His eyes sparkled; he forgot to smoke; and when he turned
again, half unconsciously, to his pipe, it had gone out. This roused
him. The brightness faded from his eyes; he drew a long sigh. Then he
lighted his pipe again, and until the baking was ended his thoughts no
longer were busied with ambitious schemes for the making o