Children -- Death -- Juvenile fiction; Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Farm life -- Juvenile fiction; Siblings -- Juvenile fiction
"As for me, I am off to the regions of wildness, to see what I
can do with the rocks and the hills of rude Nature -- or what
they will do with me, which is perhaps nearer the truth. Not
very inviting, after this gay and brilliant city, where
certainly the society is very bewitching. I have happened to
see a good deal, and some of the best of it. Mr. Haye has been
very attentive to me, and I believe would really like to renew
his old offer. He lives here _en prince_; with every thing to
make his house attractive _besides_ the two little princesses
who tenant it; and who make it I think the pleasantest house
in Mannahatta. _Your_ friend is amazingly improved, though she
is rather more of a Queen than a princess; but the other is
the most splendid little creature I ever saw. They were very
gracious to your humble servant. I have seen a good deal of
them and like them better and better. Herder is charming. He
has introduced me to a capital set -- men really worth knowing
-- they have also been very kind to me, and I have enjoyed them
greatly; -- but from all this I am obliged to break away, -- and
from you; for I have no more room. I will write you when I get
to the N. W. L.
"P. S. When you come hither, take up your quarters with my
landlord, George Inchbald -- cor. Beaver and Little South Sts.
He loves me and will welcome you. Inchbald is an Englishman,
with a heart larger than his means, and a very kind widowed
sister."
Winthrop read this letter gravely through, folded it up, and
took hold of the next business in hand.
He could not go yet to the great city. The future rising steps
to which Rufus looked forward so confidently, were yet far
away. He owed a bill at the tailor's; and had besides one or
two other little accounts unsettled, which it had been
impossible to avoid, and was now impossible to leave.
Therefore he must not leave Shagarack. The first thing to do
was to clear these hindrances from his way. So he entered his
name as law-reader at the little office of Mr. Shamminy, to
save time, and took a tutorship in the College to earn money.
He had the tutorship of the Junior Greek class, which his
father loved to tell he carried further than ever a class had
been carried before; but that was not all; he had a number of
other recitations to attend which left him, with the necessary
studies, scant time for reading law. That little was made the
most of and the year was gained.
All the year was needed to free himself from these cobweb
bindings that held him fast at Shagarack. Another Commencement
over, his debts paid, he went home; to make a little pause on
that landing-place of life's journey before taking his last
start from it.
CHAPTER XV.
I turn to go: my feet are set
To leave the pleasant fields and farms:
They mix in one another's arms
To one pure image of regret.
TENNYSON.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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