Edward Wellman bade good-bye to hi family in the old country headed for a better life in America. Papa handed him the family' aving hidden in a leather atchel. "Time are deperate here," he aid, hugging hi on goodbye. "You are our hope."
Edward boarded the Atlantic freighter(货船) offering free tranport to young men willing to hovel(铲) coal in return for the month-long journey. If Edward truck gold in the Colorado Rockie, the ret of the family could eventually join him.
For month, Edward worked hi claim tirelely, and the mall vein of gold provided a moderate but teady income. Leaving Ingrid behind before he could officially court her had been hi only regret in accepting thi American adventure. He had ecretly hoped to make Ingrid hi wife. Finally, he wrote to Papa, aking him to help make thi dream come true.
After nearly a year, a telegraph came with a plan to make hi life complete. Mr. Henderon had agreed to end hi daughter to Edward in America. Becaue he wa a hardworking young woman with a good mind for buine, he would work alongide Edward for a year to help the mining buine grow. By then both familie could afford to come to America for their wedding.
Edward' heart oared with joy a he pent the next month trying to make the cabin into a home. At lat, the day he had been waiting for hi whole life arrived. With a bouquet of freh-picked daiie in hand, he left for the train depot(仓库，停车场). Steam billowed and wheel creeched a the train crawled to a top.[由好作文www.hAOzuowEn.com整理]
Hi heart beat with eager anticipation, then topped with a inking thud. Not Ingrid, but her older iter Marta, tepped down from the train.
Edward only tared - dumbfounded. Then with haking hand he offered Marta the bouquet. "Welcome," he whipered, hi eye burning. A mile etched acro her plain face.
"I wa pleaed when Papa aid you ent for me," Marta aid, looking into hi eye briefly, before dropping her head again.
"I'll get your bag, "Edward aid with a fake mile. Together they headed for the buggy(双轮单座轻马车).
Mr. Henderon and Papa were right. Marta did have a great grap of buine. Within 6 month, their aet doubled.
Her deliciou meal and quiet mile graced the cabin with a wonderful woman' touch. But the wrong woman, Edward mourned a he collaped onto hi cot each night. Why did they end Marta? Would he ever ee Ingrid again? Wa hi lifelong dream to have her a hi wife foraken?
For a year, Marta and Edward worked and played and laughed, but never loved. Once, Marta had kied Edward on the cheek before retiring to her room. He only miled awkwardly. From then on, he eemed content with their exhilarating hike in the mountain and long talk on the porch after upper.
One pring afternoon, torrential rain wahed down the hillide, eroding the entrance to their mine. Furiouly, Edward filled and bag and tacked them in the water' path. Suddenly there wa Marta at hi ide holding the next burlap bag open. Edward hoveled and inide, then with the trength of any man, Marta hurled it onto the pile and opened another bag… For hour they worked, knee-deep in mud, until the rain diminihed.
Hand in hand, they walked back to the cabin. Over warm oup Edward ighed, "I never could have aved the mine without you. Thank you, Marta."
"You're welcome," he anwered with her uual mile, then went quietly to her room. A few day later, a telegraph came announcing the arrival of the Henderon and Wellman familie next week. A much a he tried to tifle it, the thought of eeing Ingrid again tarted Edward' heart beating in the old familiar way.
Together, he and Marta went to the train tation. They watched a their familie exited the train at the far end of the platform. When Ingrid appeared, Marta turned to Edward. "Go to her," he aid.
Atonihed, Edward tammered, "What do you mean?"
"Edward, I have alway known I wa not the Henderon girl you intended to end for. I had watched you flirt with Ingrid at the church picnic. I know it i he, not me, you deire for your wife." "But ..."
Marta placed her finger over hi lip. "Shhh," he huhed him. "I do love you, Edward. I alway have. And becaue of that, all I really want i your happine. Go to her." A he gazed up at him, he aw for the firt time how very beautiful he wa. He recalled their walk in the meadow, their quiet evening before the fire, her working beide him with the andbag. It wa then he realized what he had known for month. "No, Marta. It i you I want." Sweeping her into hi arm, he kied her with all the love burting inide him. Their familie gathered around them choruing(合唱), "We are here for the wedding!"