The doctor sighed, but he was uncommonly restful and comfortable in
the large arm-chair before the fender. It was quite dark out of doors
now, and the fire gave all the light that was in the room. Presently
he roused himself a little to say "'Poor humanity,' indeed! And I
suppose nobody sees the failures and miseries as members of my
profession do. There will be more and more sorrow and defeat as the
population increases and competition with it. It seems to me that to
excel in one's work becomes more and more a secondary motive; to do a
great deal and be well paid for it ranks first. One feels the injury
of such purposes even in Oldfields."

"I cannot see that the world changes much. I often wish that I could,
though surely not in this way," said the lame woman from her seat by
the window, as the doctor rose to go away. "I find my days piteously
alike, and you do not know what a pleasure this talk has been. It
satisfies my hungry mind and gives me a great deal to think of; you
would not believe what an appetite I had. Oh, don't think I need any
excuses, it is a great pleasure to see you drive in and out of the
gate, and I like to see your lamp coming into the study, and to know
that you are there and fond of me. But winter looked very long and
life very short before you came in this afternoon. I suppose you have
had enough of society for one day, so I shall not tell you what I mean
to have for tea, but next Sunday night I shall expect you to come and
bring your ward. Will you please ring, so that Martha will bring the
lights? I should like to send Nan a nice letter to read which came
yesterday from my little grand-daughter in Rome. I shall be so glad
when they are all at home again. She is about Nan's age, you know; I
must see to it that they make friends with each other. Don't put me on
a dusty top shelf again and forget me for five or six weeks," laughed