make many words; you have been a good, obedient boy Walter, and I am sorry, that you must leave us, but we could not expect to keep you always.  Always do as you have done here, and you will get along, go where you will; always look upon this house as a home, and if you ever stand in need of a friend remember you have an Aunt Lucinda, who, if she does fret and scold sometimes, has learned to love you very dearly, and that is all I am going to say about it.”  It was well that she had no wish to say more, for her voice grew tremulous before she had finished; and these few words more than repaid me for the endeavours I had made to please her during my stay with them.  “My boy,” said Uncle Nathan, “you are now leaving us.  I am not going to spoil you, by giving you money, for if you wish to ruin a boy there is no surer way than by giving him plenty of money; and I want to make a man of you, and have you learn to depend on yourself and save your money:  so at present I only intend giving you enough money to bear the expenses of your journey home, and buy any clothing you may require before going to a situation; but I have deposited a sum of money, to remain on interest for six years; if your life is spared, you will then be twenty-one years of age, and if you make good use of your time, may save something yourself.  I will not say how large a sum I have deposited, but at any rate it will help you along a little, if you should wish to go into business for yourself at that time; and now you had best go to bed and sleep soundly, for you must be up bright and early in the morning.”

The good-byes were all said, and I was seated in the train which was to convey me from Fulton.  As the train passed out of the village I rose from my seat to obtain a last look at the Academy whose white walls shone through the trees which surrounded it.  I suppose if the Widow Green had been there she would at once have said I would never see the Academy again, it being a saying of hers, “that to watch a place out of sight was a sure sign we would never behold it again.”  I certainly tested her saying upon this occasion, for I gazed upon the dear old Academy till it faded in the distance from my sight, and since then I have both seen and entered it.  When my mother met me at the depot at Elmwood, I could hardly believe the tall girl who accompanied her was my sister, Flora, so much had she grown during the past year.  I did not expect to meet Charley Gray, as the holidays were all over long ago, but the good Doctor and his wife were kind and friendly, indeed they had ever been so to me.  “Charley went away in the sulks because you failed to come home during the holidays,” said the Doctor with a good-humoured laugh, “but a fit of the sulks is no very uncommon thing for him;” and then he added, while a grave expression rested for a moment upon his face, “poor Charley I hope he will get rid of that unhappy temper of his as he grows older, if not it will destroy his happiness