Wolfert Webber, or Golden Dreams by Washington Irving
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9]
him with_the fondest care . nor did they lack assistance from abroad . whatever may_be said of_the desertion of friends in distress, they had no complaint of_the kind to_make . not an old wife of_the neighborhood but abandoned her work to crowd to_the mansion of Wolfert Webber, to inquire after his health and_the particulars of_his story . not one came, moreover, without her little pipkin of pennyroyal, sage, balm, or other herb tea, delighted at an opportunity of signalizing her kindness and her doctorship . what drenchings did_not the poor Wolfert undergo, and all in vain ! it_was amoving sight to behold him wasting away day by day, growing thinner and thinner and ghastlier and ghastlier, and staring with rueful visage from under an old patchwork counterpane, upon_the jury of matrons kindly assembled to sigh and groan and look unhappy around him .

Dirk Waldron was_the only being that seemed to shed a ray of sunshine into_this house of mourning . he_came in with cheery look and manly spirit, and tried to reanimate the expiring heart of_the poor money digger, but it_was all in vain .Wolfert was completely done over .[1] if anything was wanting to complete his despair, it_was a notice, served upon him in_the midst of_his distress, that_the corporation was about to run a new street through_the very center of_his cabbage garden . he now saw nothing before him but poverty and ruin; his last reliance, the garden of_his forefathers, was to_be laid waste, and what then was to_become of_his poor wife and child ?

[1] Exhausted .

his eyes filled with tears as_they followed the dutiful Amy out_of_the room one morning .Dirk Waldron was seated beside him; Wolfert grasped his hand, pointed after his daughter, and for_the first time since his illness broke the silence he had maintained .

" I_am going ! " said he, shaking his head feebly, " and when I_am gone, my poor daughter--"

" leave her to_me, father ! " said Dirk manfully; "I'll take care of her ! "

Wolfert looked up in_the face of_the cheery, strapping youngster, and saw there_was none better able to_take care of a woman .

" enough," said he, " she_is yours ! and now fetch me a lawyer-- let me make my will and die ."

the lawyer was brought,--a dapper, bustling, round- headed little man, Roorback ( or Rollebuck, as it_was pronounced) by name . at_the sight of him the women broke into loud lamentations, for they looked upon_the signing of a will as_the signing of a death warrant .Wolfert made a feeble motion for_them to_be silent . poor Amy buried her face and her grief in_the bed curtain .Dame Webber resumed her knitting to hide her distress, which betrayed itself, however, in a pellucid tear, which trickled silently down, and hung at_the end of her peaked nose; while the cat, the only unconcerned member of_the family, played with_the good dame's ball of worsted as it rolled about_the floor .

Wolfert lay on_his back, his nightcap drawn over his forehead, his eyes closed, his whole visage the picture of death . he begged the lawyer to_be brief, for he_felt his end approaching, and_that he had no time to lose . the lawyer nibbed[1] his pen, spread out his paper, and prepared to write .

[1] in Irving's time, quills were made into pens by pointing or "nibbing" their ends .

" I_give and bequeath," said Wolfert faintly, " my small farm--"

" what ! all ? " exclaimed the lawyer .

Wolfert half opened his eyes and looked upon_the lawyer .

" yes, all," said he .

" what ! all that great patch of land with cabbages and sunflowers, which the corporation is just going to run a main street through ? "

" the same," said Wolfert, with a heavy sigh, and sinking back upon his pillow .

" i_wish him joy that inherits it ! " said the little lawyer, chuckling and rubbing his hands involuntarily .

" what do_you_mean ? " said Wolfert, again opening his eyes .

" that he'll be one_of_the richest men in_the place," cried little Rollebuck .

the expiring Wolfert seemed to step back from_the threshold of existence; his eyes again lighted up; he raised himself in_his bed, shoved back his red worsted nightcap, and stared broadly at_the lawyer .

" you don't say so ! " exclaimed he .

" faith but I_do ! " rejoined the other ." why, when_that great field and_that huge meadow come to_be laid out in streets and cut up into snug building lots,-- why, whoever owns it need not pull off his hat to_the patroon ! "

" say you so ? " cried Wolfert, half thrusting one leg out of bed; " why, then, i_think I'll not make my will yet ."

to_the surprise of everybody the dying man actually recovered . the vital spark, which had glimmered faintly in_the socket, received fresh fuel from_the oil of gladness which the little lawyer poured into his soul . it once more burned up into a flame .

give physic to_the heart, ye who_would revive the body of a spirit- broken man ! in_a_few_days Wolfert left his room; in_a_few_days more his table was covered with deeds, plans of streets and building lots . little Rollebuck was constantly with_him, his right hand man and adviser, and instead of making his will assisted in_the more agreeable task of making his fortune . in_fact Wolfert Webber was one of_those worthy Dutch burghers of_the Manhattoes whose fortunes have_been made, in a manner, in_spite of themselves; who_have tenaciously held on to_their hereditary acres, raising turnips and cabbages about_the skirts of_the city, hardly able to_make both ends meet, until the corporation has cruelly driven streets through their abodes, and they_have suddenly awakened out of_their lethargy, and, to_their astonishment, found themselves rich men .

before_many months had elapsed a great, bustling street passed through_the very center of_the Webber garden, just where Wolfert had dreamed of finding a treasure . his golden dream was accomplished; he_did, indeed, find an unlooked- for source of wealth, for, when his paternal lands were distributed into building lots and rented out to safe tenants, instead of producing a paltry crop of cabbages they returned him an abundant crop of rent, insomuch that on quarter day it_was a goodly sight to_see his tenants knocking at_the door from morning till night, each with a little round-bellied bag of money, a golden produce of_the soil .

the ancient mansion of_his forefathers was still kept up, but, instead of being a little yellow- fronted Dutch house in a garden, it now stood boldly in_the midst of a street, the grand home of_the neighborhood; for Wolfert enlarged it with a wing on each side, and a cupola or tea room on top, where he might climb up and smoke his pipe in hot weather, and in_the course of_time the whole mansion was overrun by_the chubby- faced progeny of Amy Webber and Dirk Waldron .

as Wolfert waxed old and rich and corpulent he also set up a great gingerbread- colored carriage, drawn by a pair of black Flanders mares with tails that swept the ground; and to commemorate the origin of_his greatness he had for_his crest a full- blown cabbage painted on_the panels, with_the pithy motto, ALLES KOPF, that_is_to_say, all head, meaning thereby that he had risen by sheer head work .

to_fill the measure of_his greatness, in_the fullness of_time the renowned Ramm Rapelye slept with_his fathers, and Wolfert Webber succeeded to_the leather-bottomed armchair in_the inn parlor at Corlear's hook; where he long reigned, greatly honored and respected, insomuch that he_was never known to_tell a story without its being believed, nor to utter a joke without its being laughed at .

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9]