One brilliant morning in the last of February I had gone to the brook for water.  The cold had moderated to some extent.  But the snow remained deep in the woods and on the fields.  For though the sun shone, the sky was nevertheless hazed with innumerable particles of frozen mist, having the appearance of illuminated dust, or powdered mica.  Somewhere in the depths of this screen I heard the joyous cry of a jay.  And Zoe, who was by my side, said that spring was at hand.

The next day the air was milder.  Soon the snow began to melt.  We heard musical droppings from our eaves.  The brook broke from its manacles.  I could see patches of dead grass and dark earth between the disappearing snow on the fields.  At break of day we heard the chirrup of the chickadee, the sparrow.  I now resumed my plunge at the brook.  And as we were depleted of cornmeal and other provisions, Zoe and I went to town, riding one of the horses which Engle had brought over to me.  Bad news waited us here.  Mrs. Spurgeon had died during the bitter weather, about three weeks before.  Sarah was very much depressed.  And Reverdy seemed almost as unhappy over the loss.

He had much to do, but he would now set to work upon my house.

Soon he came out bringing the men.  I had made a drawing for the work and I was much about watching to see that it was followed.  We could have had bricks for the chimney, though it was a good deal of labor to haul them.  But why not a chimney of stone?  There were plenty of stones of adequate size along the bed of the brook.  And so we used them.  But I did buy lumber for the floors.  I sent to St. Louis for the kind of doors I wanted, and windows too.  I was having a house built with regard to roominess and hospitable conveniences; a large living room, two bedrooms, a dining room, a kitchen, downstairs.  The second floor was to have four chambers.  I had selected a site back from the road.  It was in a grove of majestic oaks, not far from the brook and the hut.  The work progressed none too rapidly.  Some of the men had to be away at times to attend to their farming.  As for myself I had learned to plow, and was at it from early morning until sundown.  I had many laborers working for me, plowing, sowing, building fences, clearing; in a word, reducing the land to cultivation.  It was a big job.

I had won the respect of the community by the energy with which I had undertaken the task.  The neighbors said I was an improvement on my father.  They wondered, however, if I would be as far-sighted and acquisitive as he, if I would add to what I had or lose it.