Chapter 15 . WAITING ` My wife , I have bad news for thee , ' said Professor Bhaer , coming in one day early in January . ` Please tell it at once . I ca n't bear to wait , Fritz , ' cried Mrs Jo , dropping her work and standing up as if to take the shot bravely . ` But we must wait and hope , heart 's - dearest . Come and let us bear it together . Emil 's ship is lost , and as yet no news of him . ' It was well Mr Bhaer had taken his wife into his strong arms , for she looked ready to drop , but bore up after a moment , and sitting by her good man , heard all that there was to tell . Tidings had been sent to the shipowners at Hamburg by some of the survivors , and telegraphed at once by Franz to his uncle . As one boat-load was safe , there was hope that others might also escape , though the gale had sent two to the bottom . A swift-sailing steamer had brought these scanty news , and happier ones might come at any hour ; but kind Franz had not added that the sailors reported the captain 's boat as undoubtedly wrecked by the falling mast , since the smoke hid its escape , and the gale soon drove all far asunder . But this sad rumour reached Plumfield in time ; and deep was the mourning for the happyhearted Commodore , never to come singing home again . Mrs Jo refused to believe it , stoutly insisting that Emil would outlive any storm and yet turn up safe and gay . It was well she clung to this hopeful view , for poor Mr Bhaer was much afflicted by the loss of his boy , because his sister 's sons had been his so long he scarcely knew a different love for his very own . Now was a chance for Mrs Juno to keep her word ; and she did , speaking cheerily of Emil , even when hope waxed faint and her heart was heavy . If anything could comfort the Bhaers for the loss of one boy , it would have been the affection and sorrow shown by all the rest . Franz kept the cable busy with his varying messages , Nat sent loving letters from Leipzig , and Tom harassed the shipping agents for news . Even busy Jack wrote them with unusual warmth ; Dolly and George came often , bearing the loveliest flowers and the daintiest bon-bons to cheer Mrs Bhaer and sweeten Josie 's grief ; while good-hearted Ned travelled all the way from Chicago to press their hands and say , with a tear in his eye : ' I was so anxious to hear all about the dear old boy , I could n't keep away . ' ` That 's right comfortable , and shows me that if I did n't teach my boys anything else , I did give them the brotherly love that will make them stand by one another all their lives , ' said Mrs Jo , when he had gone . Rob answered reams of sympathizing letters , which showed how many friends they had ; and the kindly praises of the lost man would have made Emil a hero and a saint , had they all been true .
The elders bore it quietly , having learned submission in life 's hard school ; but the younger people rebelled ; some hoped against hope and kept up , others despaired at once , and little Josie , XXXXX 's pet cousin and playmate , was so broken-hearted nothing could comfort her .
Bhaer Bhaers Dolly Emil Franz Juno Ned Rob day right