Wolfert Caught Her Eye One Day Fixed On Him Thus Anxiously, And For A
Moment Was Roused From His Golden Reveries - "Cheer Up, My Girl," Said
He, Exultingly, "Why Dost Thou Droop?
- Thou shalt hold up thy head one
day with the - and the Schenaerhorns, the Van Hornes, and the Van
Dams - the patroon himself shall be glad to get thee for his son!"
Amy shook her head at this vain-glorious boast, and was more than ever
in doubt of the soundness of the good man's intellect.
In the meantime Wolfert went on digging, but the field was extensive,
and as his dream had indicated no precise spot, he had to dig at
random. The winter set in before one-tenth of the scene of promise had
been explored. The ground became too frozen and the nights too cold for
the labors of the spade. No sooner, however, did the returning warmth
of spring loosen the soil, and the small frogs begin to pipe in the
meadows, but Wolfert resumed his labors with renovated zeal. Still,
however, the hours of industry were reversed. Instead of working
cheerily all day, planting and setting out his vegetables, he remained
thoughtfully idle, until the shades of night summoned him to his secret
labors. In this way he continued to dig from night to night, and week
to week, and month to month, but not a stiver did he find. On the
contrary, the more he digged the poorer he grew. The rich soil of his
garden was digged away, and the sand and gravel from beneath were
thrown to the surface, until the whole field presented an aspect of
sandy barrenness.
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