his future preceptor, except his
position. He was a little, oldish man -- that was all.

Winthrop moved a step or two, and then looking hastily up, the
little man pushed the candle one way and the book another, and
peered at his visitor.

"Ah! -- Do you wish to see me, sir?"

"I wish to see Mr. Glanbally."

"That's my name, sir, -- that's right."

Winthrop came a step nearer and laid a letter on the table.
The old gentleman took it up, examined the outside, and then
went on to scan what was within, holding the lines in the same
fearful proximity to his face; so near indeed, that to
Winthrop's astonishment when he got to the bottom of the page
he made no scruple of turning over the leaf with his nose. The
letter was folded, and then Mr. Glanbally rose to his feet.

"Well, sir, and so you have come to take a place in our
Academy for a spell -- I am glad to see you -- sit down."

Which Winthrop did; and Mr. Glanbally sat looking at him, a
little business-like, a little curious, a little benevolent.

"What have you studied?"

"Very little, sir, -- of anything."

"Your father says, his second son -- What was the name of the
other?"

"William, sir."

"William what?"

"Landholm."

"William Landholm -- yes, I recollect -- I couldn't make out
exactly whether it was _Sandball_ or _Lardner_ -- Mr. Landholm --
Where is your brother now, sir?"

"He is at Little River, sir, going on with his studies."

"He made very good progress -- very good indeed -- he's a young
man of talent, your brother. He's a smart fellow. He's going
on to fit himself to enter college, ain't he?"

"Yes sir."

"He'll do well -- he can do what he's a mind. Well, Mr.
Landholm -- what are _you_ going to turn your hand to?"

"I have hardly determined, sir, yet."

"You'll see your brother -- something, I don't know what, one
of these days, and you'll always be his brother, you know. Now
what are you going to make of yourself? -- merchant or farmer?"

"Neither, sir."

"No?" -- said Mr. Glanbally. He looked a little surprised, for
Mr. Landholm's letter had spoken of "a few weeks."

"Well, what then?"

"I don't know what I shall like best, sir," said Winthrop.

"No, not yet; perhaps not yet. You'll be a happy man if ever
you do, sir. _I_ never knew what I liked best, till I couldn't
have it. Well sir -- what do you calculate to begin upon? -- a
little arithmetic, I suppose, won't be out of the way."

"I should like -- Latin, if y