"
The colonel was much pleased with this story of the tears and the
violets, and begged his wife to tell more about it. She said, "According
to you, Max, violets and strawberries grow all the year round; but, in
truth, it is not exactly the fact. But it is true that the good Andrew
was never tired of bringing in any thing that he thought would give me
pleasure all through the time we were in the school together. He left
long before I did, and went to learn his trade of a joiner in the city.
He came home very often, however, so that I never really lost sight of
him; and when my husband bought this piece of land and we were married,
it happened, also, that Andrew bought property, and wished to be
settled. He had lost his parents, and was quite by himself, and a
first-rate workman. He wanted the little house with the neat, pretty
garden down there half-way to the church; but was not able to purchase
it, because the owner wished for full payment at once, and Andrew could
only pay in instalments, as he earned the money.
"But we knew all about him and his work. My husband purchased the place
for him, and he has never had the least reason to regret it."
"No, indeed I have not," added the colonel. "Andrew has long ago paid
for his house, and now he always brings me the yearly amount of his
labor; and a very pretty sum it is, too.
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