f
insensible wonder. His whole air was that of a different
nature, not at all from affectation, but by the necessity of
the case; and as noble and graceful as nature intended him to
be, they delightedly confessed that he was. Perhaps by the
same necessity, _his_ view of things was altered a little, as
their view of him; a little unconscious change, it might be;
that nobody quarrelled with except the children; but certain
it is that Winifred did not draw up to him, and Asahel stood
in great doubt.

"Mamma," said he one day, "I wish Rufus would pull off his
fine clothes and help Winthrop."

"Fine clothes, my dear!" said his mother; "I don't think your
brother's clothes are very fine; I wish they were finer. Do
you call patches fine?"

"But anyhow they are better than Winthrop's?"

"Certainly -- when Winthrop is at his work."

"Well, the other day he said they were too good for him to
help Winthrop load the cart; and I think he should pull them
off!"

"Did Winthrop ask him?"

"No; but he knew he was going to do it."

"Rufus must take care of his clothes, or he wouldn't be fit to
go to Little River, you know."

"Then he ought to take them off," said Asahel.

"He did cut wood with Winthrop all yesterday."

Asahel sat still in the corner, looking uncomfortable.

"Where are they now, mamma?"

"Here they are," said Mrs. Landholm, as Rufus and Winthrop
opened the door.

The former met both pair of eyes directed to him, and
instantly asked,

"What are you talking of?"

"Asahel don't understand why you are not more of a farmer,
when you are in a farmhouse."

"Asahel had better mind his own business," was the somewhat
sharp retort; and Rufus pulled a lock of the little boy's hair
in a manner to convey a very decided notion of his judgment.
Asahel, resenting this handling, or touched by it, slipped off
his chair and took himself out of the room.

"He thinks you ought to take off your fine clothes and help
Winthrop more than you do," said his mother, going on with a
shirt she was ironing.

"Fine clothes!" said the other with a very expressive breath,
-- "I shall feel fine when I get that on, mother. Is that
mine?"

"Yes."

"Couldn't Karen do that?"

"No," said Mrs. Landholm, as she put down her iron and took a
hot one. The tone said, "Yes -- but not well enough."

He stood watching her neat work.

"I am ashamed of myself, mother, when I look at you."

"Why?"

"Because I don't deserve to have