this sentence, Mr. Cool? --"

But Bob declined to construe, and took himself off, with a
hearty slap on Winthrop's shoulder, and a hearty shake of his
hand.

"He's so strong, there's no use in trying to fight him into
reason," he remarked to Rufus as he went off.

"What do you suppose Bob Cool would make of your Platonic
quotation?" said Rufus.

"What do you make of it?" said Winthrop after a slight pause.

"Eremitical philosophy! -- Do you admire it?"

"I was thinking mamma would," said Winthrop.

That year came to its end, not only the solar but the
collegiate. Rufus took his degree brilliantly; was loaded with
compliments; went to spend a while at home, and then went to
Mannahatta; to make some preparatory arrangements for entering
upon a piece of employment to which President Tuttle had
kindly opened him a way. Winthrop changed his form in the
grammar school for the Junior Greek class, which happened to
be left without any teacher by the removal of the Greek
professor to the headship of another College. To this charge
he proved himself fully competent. It made the same breaches
upon his time, and gave him rather more amends than his form
in the grammar school. And amid his various occupations,
Winthrop probably kept himself warm without a new overcoat;
for he had none.

It was difficult at home, by this time, to do more than make
ends meet. They hardly did that. The borrowed hundreds were of
necessity yet unpaid; there was interest on them that must be
kept down; and the failure of Rufus and Winthrop from the farm
duty told severely upon the profits of the farm; and that
after it had told upon the energies and strength of the whole
little family that were left behind to do all that was done.
There was never a complaint nor a regret, even to each other;
much less to those for whom they toiled; but often there _was_ a
shadowed look, a breath of weariness and care, that spoke from
husband to wife, from parent to child, and nerved -- or
unnerved them. Still, Rufus had graduated; he was a splendid
young man; all, as well as the parents' hearts, knew that; and
Winthrop, -- he was never thought of, their minds and speech
never went out to him, but the brows unbent, the lips relaxed,
and their eyes said that their hearts sat down to rest.
Winthrop? He never could do anything but well; he never had
since he was a child. He would take his degree now in a few
months and he would take it honourably; and then he wo