You could look for a better husband."
"I could never find a better than you, Jacob."
"Would you work with me, too, at the same place?"
"You know I am not afraid of work," she answered, "and I could
never want any other lot than yours."
Then he told her the story which his father had prompted. Her face
grew bright and happy as she listened, and he saw how from her very
heart she accepted the humble fortune. Only the thought of her
parents threw a cloud over the new and astonishing vision. Jacob,
however, grew bolder as he saw fulfilment of his hope so near.
They took the pails and seated themselves beside neighbor cows, one
raising objections or misgivings which the other manfully
combated. Jacob's earnestness unconsciously ran into his hands, as
he discovered when the impatient cow began to snort and kick.
The harvesting of the oats was not commenced that morning. The
children were sent away, and there was a council of four persons
held in the parlor. The result of mutual protestations and much
weeping was, that the farmer and his wife agreed to receive Jacob
as a son-in-law; the offer of the wages was four times refused by
them, and then accepted; and the chance of their being able to live
and labor together was finally decided to be too fortunate to let
slip.
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