FORE:Reuben could not understand how his sons could care so little about that which was all things to him. He had brought them up to his ambitionsthey were not like Naomi, thrust into them in later, less-impressionable years. He had not been weak with them, and not been cruelyet only Pete was at all satisfactory. However, he was not the man to sit down and despair before his obstacles. He made the best of things as they wereground[Pg 138] work out of his lads, since he could not grind enthusiasm, and trusted to the future to stir up a greater hope. He somehow could not believe that his boys could go through all their lives not caring for Odiam.
FORE:"I'm hemmed if I'll have you working on my farm in that foolery. You'll m?ake us the laughing-stock of Peasmarsh. You've got Ebenezer on the brain, you have, and you can justabout git it off again."