He liked being a large land-owner, like an English lord, and feeling that he owned half the village, they said.
Moreover, his acres brought him a fair income.

They were sowed to clover and timothy, and barley and corn, and gave such hay and such crops as no others in town.
As Jerome passed these fair fields, either golden-green with the young grass, or ploughed in even ridges for the new seeds, set with dandelions like stars, or pierced as to the brown mould with emerald spears of grain, he scowled at them, and his mouth puckered grimly and piteously.

He thought of all this land which Doctor Prescott owned; he thought of the one poor little bit of soil which he was going to offer him, to keep a roof over his head.

Why should this man have all this, and he and his so little?
Was it because he was better?
Jerome shook his head vehemently.

Was it because the Lord loved him better?
Jerome looked up in the blue spring sky.