aging to hear,
and final as to influence.

"You do? Yes, I ought to afford it, if I lived on a crust to manage the
bills. Why not? What's the difference 'twixt her and the rest, I'd like
to know?"

"She could beat the whole batch at her books," said Silas, not doubting
that he spoke with moderation.

"Pretty quick, wasn't she?" said the pleased father. "Yes, I know
Columby!"

"And she deserves it."

"Deserves! You don't think I've been waiting to find that out! Well,
Sir, put it that way, I say, Yes, she does deserve it."

Dexter and young Swift, having spoken thus far, thought on in their
several directions, with serious, steady, strong, far-reaching looks
into the future.

Thus it was that Columbia Dexter took her place in the great school,
where girls, it was said, were regarded and taught as responsible human
beings.

Silas Swift looked so grave, whenever the families mentioned Dexter's
resolution, that Columbia, who had made him repeat already many times
his reflections and observations in the school-room that day when he and
her father were employed in its decoration, said to him one morning,
when they happened to be alone together,--

"I'm afraid you don't think well of what we're going to do."

Whereupon he, somewhat proudly for him, answered,--

"I told your father, when he asked me, what I thought, before he had
made up his mind."

"What did you say?" she asked,--though she could have guessed correctly,
had he insisted upon it, but Silas was not in the mood.

"I said it should be done," he answered, seriously.

"I should go to school?"

"Yes, it is but right."

"Then why do you look so solemn?"

"You're going away from us."

Her hand was lying quietly in his, when she answered,--

"Going away? I shall see you three times every day. What do you mean?"

"When there was your father and mother and me, 'us four, and no more,'
there were not dozens to think about. You'll have dozens now."

"I hope they will be pleasant," she said, looking away, that he should
not see how bright her eyes were, when his were so grave.

"I hope they will. And I'm sure of it. Never fear. I suppose, too, they
must make you like themselves, some ways. I'd be glad, if I thought
you'd make any of them like you."

"How's that?" she asked, half laughing, but she trembled as well. What
would honest Silas say next, he was making such a very grave business
out of this school-going?

"True,--modest,--sensible,--re