Samuel Abrabanel, as was his habit, made no commitments then. But Sarah wasn’t expecting any.
December 12, 1631: Higgins House
Karl Schmidt had come to dinner again. This time, he had brought his whole family. He was probably going to formally ask for Mom’s hand in marriage. David didn’t really mind. He had been getting along with Karl better the last few months, and Mom seemed happier than she had been in years. From the look on his face Adolph was probably expecting it too.
Officially they were celebrating the sale of the fiftieth sewing machine, which had happened the previous week. They were making a profit on the sewing machines now, but not enough of one. It would take them years at this rate just for the investments Delia and others had made to be paid back.
Karl said, “I would like to talk to you all about a proposal I have. I have already spoken of it to Ramona and Madam Higgins, but without your agreement they will not agree.”
Karl hesitated; then: “I wish to take over the Higgins Sewing Machine Corporation. I will put in my foundry to pay for fifty thousand shares of stock. I wish to wed Ramona, and with the wedding, I will control her stock. Together with Mrs. Higgins, I would control over fifty percent of the outstanding stock. If you all agree, she has agreed to give me her support.”
“Hear me out,” Karl demanded, apparently unaware that no one was in any hurry to interrupt. “You four have done a tremendous thing. Four children have started a company that may someday be worth more than some kingdoms. You have brought wealth into the world, but starting a company is not the same thing as running it. Already there are others interested in producing sewing machines. So there will be competition and alternatives.
“Even if you do everything right, you will be at a disadvantage because people will not want to deal with children if they can deal with an adult. Others will find it easier to buy iron and other materials. People will say ‘do you want to trust a sewing machine that was made by children having a lark? Or would you rather have one made by ‘mature men of consequence.’ Besides, you have schooling yet to complete, so you will not be able to pay the company the attention it needs.”
Karl talked on. He talked about potential problems, he talked about what he would like to do, how he wanted to make the company grow. David looked at his mother to find her looking at him. Her eyes begged him not to kill this. She was almost in tears, afraid of what he would do. He looked at Grandma as she caught his eye, looked at Ramona, then at Karl, and nodded. He looked to Sarah, she saw him looking at her and gave a slight shrug.
Brent and Trent were looking rebellious and betrayed. David caught their eyes and mouthed the word “wait.” David turned his attention back to Karl, and the business part of the proposal. It was fair. The foundry was worth more than twenty five percent of the company when you included Karl’s connections with suppliers and customers, and both would increase in worth with the merger. He looked at Adolph who looked like he had bitten a lemon. Apparently he did not approve.
Karl was running down now. Not quite sure how to finish. Wanting to come up with something to convince the kids. David looked back at Grandma. Karl would take being interrupted by her better.
Delia picked up the signal. “Perhaps we should give the kids a chance to talk it over?” she suggested. “Why don’t you four go out in the garden and talk it out.”
The kids headed for the garden.
They talked it out. Brent and Trent wanted to say no at first. It wasn’t that they found the prospect of running a sewing machine company all that exciting. It wasn’t.
“Oh, I don’t know,” said Trent, “I just hate the idea of losing.”
“What makes you think you’re losing?” David asked. “You’re gonna be rich, and Karl’s gonna do most of the work to make you that way. You never wanted to be the CEO anyway.”