As we knew him to be one of the most authentic narrators
of the province we begged him to let us have the particulars, and
accordingly, while we refreshed ourselves with a clean long pipe of
Blase Moore's tobacco, the authentic John Josse Vandermoere related the
following tale.
WOLFERT WEBBER; OR, GOLDEN DREAMS.
In the year of grace one thousand seven hundred and--blank--for I do
not remember the precise date; however, it was somewhere in the early
part of the last century, there lived in the ancient city of the
Manhattoes a worthy burgher, Wolfert Webber by name. He was descended
from old Cobus Webber of the Brille in Holland, one of the original
settlers, famous for introducing the cultivation of cabbages, and who
came over to the province during the protectorship of Oloffe Van
Kortlandt, otherwise called the Dreamer. The field in which Cobus
Webber first planted himself and his cabbages had remained ever since
in the family, who continued in the same line of husbandry, with that
praiseworthy perseverance for which our Dutch burghers are noted. The
whole family genius, during several generations was devoted to the
study and development of this one noble vegetable; and to this
concentration of intellect may doubtless be ascribed the prodigious
size and renown to which the Webber cabbages attained.
The Webber dynasty continued in uninterrupted succession; and never did
a line give more unquestionable proofs of legitimacy.
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