NEW FORTUNES.


Sara went home with slow steps, and a questioning heart.

"Am I cold and proud?" she thought. "Is it wrong to be indifferent to
these petty things about me, and to love books better than people? Do I
look for defects rather than virtues, I wonder? Oh, dear; how much
harder it is to _be_ right than to _do right in this hard
world!"

She opened the cottage door, and saw a sight that drove away all other
thoughts; for there sat Uncle Jabez Wanamead in close conversation with
Morton, while Molly, open-mouthed, was holding baby, and drinking in
every word. It was a great shock to Sara; for having returned to the
battle with her brother, fresh-armed with authority, after Glendenning's
departure, she had made such an impression upon him that she supposed he
had entirely given up his dream of being a fisherman, and was now only
thinking of a flitting to Boston. But, evidently, from his flushed,
interested face at present all her labor was in vain. Uncle Jabez rose
awkwardly as she entered, with a "Good-evenin', Sairay, thort I'd call
'round a spell."

"Good-evening," she said, constraining herself to be pleasant. "It is
growing warmer out."

"Yaas, looks like a break-up, some, makes a feller think o' the Banks
these days. Thort I'd see what Mort hed laid aout to do 'bout shippin'
'long o' me."