through, and busily. The father in the distant legislature;
the brother away at his studies; and the two or three lonely
people at home; -- each in his place was earnestly and
constantly at work. No doubt Mr. Landholm had more time to
play than the rest of them, and his business cares did not
press quite so heavily; for he wrote home of gay dinings-out,
and familiar intercourse with this and that member of the
Senate and Assembly, and hospitable houses that were open to
him in Vantassel, where he had pleasant friends and pleasant
times. But the home cares were upon him even then; he told how
he longed for the Session to be over, that he might be with
his family; he sent dear love to little Winifred and Asahel,
and postscripts of fatherly charges to Winthrop, recommending
to him particularly the care of the young cattle and to go on
dressing the flax. And Winthrop, through the long winter, had
taken care of the cattle and dressed the flax in the same
spirit with which he shut his bedroom door that night; a
little calmer, not a whit the less strong.

He filled father's and brother's place -- his mother knew how
well. Sam Doolittle knew, for he declared "there wa'n't a
stake in the fences that wa'n't looked after, as smart as if
the old chap was to hum." The grain was threshed as duly as
ever, though a boy of sixteen had to stand in the shoes of a
man of forty. Perhaps Sam and Anderese wrought better than
their wont, in shame or in admiration. Karen never had so good
a woodpile, Mrs. Landholm's meal bags were never better looked
after; and little Winifred and Asahel never wanted their rides
in the snow, nor had more nuts cracked o' nights; though they
had only one tired brother at home instead of two fresh ones.