“I should like the time, mamma.”

“I wish I were a little richer,” said Mr. Landholm, drawing his breath, —­ “and my sons should have a better chance.  I am willing to work both my hands off —­ if that would be of any avail.  You may do as you please, my dear, about the school.  I’ll not stand in your way.”

“The twelve dollars would pay a man who would do as much work as I could, father.”

“Yes, yes, —­ that’s all straight enough.”

“Is Winthrop going to teach school?” exclaimed Asahel.

“Perhaps so.”

“Then I should go to school to Winthrop,” said the little boy clapping his hands, —­ “shouldn’t I, mamma?  Wouldn’t it be funny?”

“I too?” cried Winifred.

“Hush, hush.  Hear what your father says.”

“I am only sorry you should have to resort to such expedients.”

“Do you think they would take me, father?”

“Take you? yes!  If they don’t, I’ll make them.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Winthrop presently went with the children, who drew him out into the kitchen.  Mr. Landholm sat a few moments in silent and seemingly disturbed thought.

“That boy’ll be off to College too,” he said, —­ “after his brother.”

“He’ll not be likely to go after anything wrong,” said Mrs. Landholm.

“No —­that’s pretty certain.  Well, I’ll do all I can for him!”

“Whatever he undertakes I think he’ll succeed in,” the mother went on remarking.

“I think so too.  He always did, from a child.  It’s his character.  There’s a sharp edge to Rufus’s metal, —­ but I think Winthrop’s is the best stuff.  Well I ain’t ashamed of either one on ’em!”

Winthrop took the school.  He found it numbering some thirty heads or more.  That is, it would count so many, though in some instances the heads were merely nominal.  There were all sorts, from boys of fifteen and sixteen that wanted to learn the Multiplication table, down to little bits of girls that did not know A, B, and C. Rough heads, with thoughts as matted as their hair; lank heads, that reminded one irresistibly of blocks; and one fiery red shock, all of whose ideas seemed to be standing on end and ready to fly away, so little hold had they upon either knowledge, wit, or experience.  And every one of these wanted different handling, and every one called for diligent study and patient painstaking.  There were often fine parts to be found under that rough and untrained state of nature; there were blocks that could be waked into life by a little skill and kind management and a good deal of time; and even the fly-away shock could be brought down to order and reason by a long course of patience and firmness.  But the younger heads that had no thoughts at all, —­ the minds that were blank of intelligence, —­ the eyes that opened but to stare at the new teacher!  What amount of culture, what distance of days and months, would bring something out of nothing!