gs throughout the year. This worthy couple were blessed with one
daughter, who was brought up with great tenderness and care; uncommon
pains had been taken with her education, so that she could stitch in
every variety of way; make all kinds of pickles and preserves, and mark
her own name on a sampler. The influence of her taste was seen also in
the family garden, where the ornamental began to mingle with the
useful; whole rows of fiery marigolds and splendid hollyhocks bordered
the cabbage-beds; and gigantic sunflowers lolled their broad, jolly
faces over the fences, seeming to ogle most affectionately the
passers-by.

Thus reigned and vegetated Wolfert Webber over his paternal acres,
peaceably and contentedly. Not but that, like all other sovereigns, he
had his occasional cares and vexations. The growth of his native city
sometimes caused him annoyance. His little territory gradually became
hemmed in by streets and houses, which intercepted air and sunshine. He
was now and then subject to the irruptions of the border population,
that infest the streets of a metropolis, who would sometimes make
midnight forays into his dominions, and carry off captive whole
platoons of his noblest subjects. Vagrant swine would make a descent,
too, now and then, when the gate was left open, and lay all waste
before them; and mischievous urchins would often decapitate the
illustrious sunflowers, the glory of the garden, as they lolled their
heads so fondly over the walls. Still all these were petty grievances,
which might now and then ruffle the surface of his mind, as a summer
breeze will ruffle the surface of a mill-pond; but they could not
disturb the deep-seated quiet of his soul. He would seize a trusty
staff, that stood behind the door, issue suddenly out, and anoint the
back of the aggressor, whether pig or urchin, and then return within
doors, marvellously refreshed and tranquillized.

The chief cause of anxiety to honest Wolfert, however, was the growing
prosperity of the city. The expenses of living doubled and trebled; but
he could not double and treble the magnitude of his cabbages; and the
number of competitors prevented the increase of price; thus, therefore,
while every one around him grew richer, Wolfert grew poorer, and he
could not, for the life of him, perceive how the evil was to be
remedied.

This growing care which increased from day to day, had its gradual
effect upon our worthy burgher; insomuch, that it at leng