“I will arise at eve and repair to my neighbor’s cottage. Peradventure the aged widow of the murdered gypsy can counsel me.” So when the evening hour was come, the farmer arose and sought the aged widow’s abode. And as he drew nigh to the cottage, he lifted up his eyes and, behold! the crone sat upon her door-step. [Illustration: THE CRONE.] And when the dame looked upon the farmer she knew his heart was troubled; but she knew not the cause. So, lifting up her voice she cried, inquiringly: “What aileth my neighbor? Has aught befel thy goods? Has bruin descended from the mountains to worry thy flocks? Or, are thy stacks consumed? that thus you droop your eyelids to the path, and move as by a hearse.” And the farmer, drawing nigh, replied: “My flocks unharmed graze sleek upon the hills; my stacks stand unconsumed; yet is my spirit heavy, because my walks are lonely and my heart is sad, and I come as one seeking counsel.” Then answered the dame reprovingly: “Out upon thee, for a fusty, dreamy bachelor! Go take to thyself a wife; then will thy walks be no more lonely, neither will thy heart be sad.” But he, answering her sorrowfully, said: “Mock me not, good madam, but look with pitying eyes upon me, and hearken to my voice. “Behold I am now well stricken in years, my body is stooping to the grave, my manners, like my hands, are rough; my blood, like my hair, is thin; and my teeth but shine in memories of the past. “How, then, can I win maidens’ hearts? Alas! on the contrary, they would giggling flee from before me; no hope for me remains; if I would wed, I needs must wed a squaw!” And his countenance fell. Then was the crone exceedingly displeased, because he said, “I needs must wed a squaw,” and she answered him derisively, saying:— “Go to! Ye speak as with the beak of a parrot, and with the understanding of a babe! Are ye studied in books and know not the proverb, ‘A golden snare will catch the wildest hare?’ “Do not your stacks dot the vale below like an Egyptian camp? Are not your tanks brimming with wine and your cribs grinning with corn? “Do not your cattle graze upon an hundred hills? and your industrious laborers follow in the furrow? And are ye still afeared? Oh, ye of doubting mind! “Go, get thee to thy chest and take to thyself suitable coin, and hasten to that great city by the sea—whose churches point to heaven, but whose people bow to gold. “There sojourn for a season, and make no delay in adorning thyself with precious stones. “Put diamonds upon thy bosom and rings upon thy fingers, and be zealous to stand in the hall-ways and in the market-places, and in the houses of exchange. “Seek to be observed of the people, and take heed that ye look upon all men as being thy servants. “And let thy wealth be noised abroad. “Then shall rise up in the house of mourning the widow of a month, and dry her weeping eyes. “Then shall the maid of many summers lay aside her pets, to readjust her charms, and disinter her smiles.