heart, but so genial and pleasant was he that I really indulged the hope
when we parted that his nature was undergoing a change.

During my visit at Elmwood I once met with Farmer Judson. Any resentment
I might once have cherished toward him had long since died out, and,
having lost all fear of the crusty farmer, I accosted him pleasantly,
and offered him my hand. The man felt ashamed to refuse taking the hand
so freely offered; but his grasp was certainly not very cordial; and,
with a few words, which, if they had meaning, were uttered in too low
a voice to be intelligible, he passed on his way. As I gazed after his
retreating form I could not fail to mark the change which a year had
wrought in his appearance. His step was far less brisk than formerly,
his hair was fast turning gray, and I fancied that his countenance wore
even a more unhappy and discontented look than usual. I was then too
young to understand what I have since known that his dissatisfied
expression was caused by his having failed to find happiness in the
possession of worldly wealth, and as yet he had not learned to seek
happiness from any other source.

The time soon came when we must bid a reluctant adieu to our friends
at Elmwood. It was decided that I was to spend another year at Fulton.
Charley Gray was to return to his studies for an indefinite time, and
sad enough we all felt when the morning of our separation came. The
steam-cars soon bore us from the pleasant village of Elmwood where we
had spent six happy weeks. Aunt Lucinda allowed that she felt herself
ten years younger than before she left home and declared her intention
of accompanying me on my next visit to my mother.