A Land Remembered

In December of that year, Zech attends the Fort Drum Christmas frolic. As soon as Zech enters the frolic, he wants to retreat, having realized he is the only man there wearing jeans instead of a suit. Before he can do so, Glenda intercepts him. They drink punch, and Glenda teaches Zech to dance.

Later in the evening, Glenda invites Zech to stay the night in a spare bedroom at her parents’ house. She assures him that her parents won’t mind as long as they are “promised” to one another. Glenda explains, “You know, going steady” (211). Although they kiss and agree to be “promised,” Zech lies and says he needs to return to the homestead early in the morning to help Tobias.

After many failed attempts, Tobias’s 100-acre orange grove finally blooms in February of 1880. For Zech, this is all the more reason why the family should own the land. Tobias disagrees. Emma says, “He thinks the land is a gift from the Lord for everybody’s use and it’s not right for anybody to lay claim to it. Maybe it ought to be that way, but it’s not” (219).

Unbeknownst to Tobias, Zech takes some of the family’s gold and buys 20,000 acres surrounding the homestead at $0.