When these men rolled mighty casks about, and lifted hundred weights like pounds, they seemed to the new apprentice like the giants of fairy lore.

Some of them belonged to this firm exclusively, others to a corporation of porters who worked for different houses, but T.O.Schroeter's was the house they liked best.

For more than one generation the head of this particular firm had enjoyed their highest consideration, and stood godfather to all their large-headed babies.
Among these men, the strongest and tallest was Sturm, their chief--a man who could hardly get through narrow streets, and was frequently called to move a weight found impracticable by his comrades.

Wonderful stories were told of his exploits; and Specht affirmed that there was nothing on earth beyond his powers.
His relations with the firm were very intimate indeed; and having an only child, upon whom he doted, and who had early lost his mother, he placed him, at the age of fifteen, in T.O.Schroeter's house, in a nondescript capacity.

The boy was a universal favorite, knew every hole and corner, collected all the nails and pieces of packthread, folded all the packing-paper, fed Pluto the watch-dog, and did sundry other odd jobs.