Hills of the Shatemuc | Page 6

They untackled their
oxen and let them out, with the spirit of men whose future work was to
be in a larger field. Only Hope's little hand had lifted the weight from
their heads. And Hope's only resting point was determination.
CHAPTER II.
A quiet smile played round his lips, As the eddies and dimples of the
tide Play round the bows of ships, That steadily at anchor ride. And
with a voice that was full of glee, He answered, "ere long we will
launch A vessel as goodly, and strong, and staunch, As ever weathered
a wintry sea!" LONGFELLOW.
"The ploughing's all done; thank fortune!" exclaimed Rufus as he came
into the kitchen.
"Well, don't leave your hat there in the middle of the floor," said his
mother.
"Yes, it just missed knocking the tea-cups and saucers off the table,"
said little Asahel.
"It hasn't missed knocking you off your balance," said his brother tartly.
"Do you know where your own hat is?"
"It hain't knocked me off anything!" said Asahel. "It didn't touch me!"
"Do you know where your own hat is?"
"No."

"What does it matter, Will?" said his mother.
"It's hanging out of doors, on the handle of the grindstone."
"It ain't!"
"Yes it is; -- on the grindstone."
"No it isn't," said Winthrop coming in, "for I've got it here. There -- see
to it, Asahel. Mamma, papa's come. We've done ploughing."
And down went his hat, but not on the floor.
"Look at Winifred, Governor -- she has been calling for you all day."
The boy turned to a flaxen-haired, rosy-cheeked, little toddling thing of
three or four years old, at his feet, and took her up, to the perfect
satisfaction of both parties. Her head nestled in his neck and her little
hand patted his cheek with great approval and contentment.
"Mamma," said Asahel, "what makes you call Winthrop Governor? --
he isn't a governor."
"Ask your father. And run and tell him tea's just ready."
The father came in; and the tea was made, and the whole party sat
down to table. A homely, but a very cheerful and happy board. The
supper was had in the kitchen; the little remains of the fire that had
boiled the kettle were not amiss after the damps of evening fell; and the
room itself, with its big fireplace, high dark-painted wainscoting, and
even the clean board floor, was not the least agreeable in the house.
And the faces and figures that surrounded the table were manly, comely,
and intelligent, in a high degree.
"Well, -- I've got through with that wheat field," said Mr. Landholm, as
he disposed of a chicken bone.
"Have you got through sowing?" said his wife.

"Sowing! -- no! -- Winthrop, I guess you must go into the garden
to-morrow -- I can't attend to anything else till I get my grain in."
"Won't you plant some sweet corn this year, Mr. Landholm? -- it's a
great deal better for cooking."
"Well, I don't know -- I guess the field corn's sweet enough. I haven't
much time to attend to sugar things. What I look for is substantials."
"Aren't sweet things substantial, sir?" said Winthrop.
"Well -- yes, -- in a sort they are," said his father laughing, and looking
at the little fat creature who was still in her brother's arms and giving
him the charge of her supper as well as his own. "I know some sweet
things I shouldn't like to do without."
"Talking of substantials," said Mrs. Landholm, "there's wood wanting
to be got. I am almost out. I had hardly enough to cook supper."
"Don't want much fire in this weather," said the father, "However -- we
can't get along very well without supper. -- Rufus, I guess you'll have to
go up into the woods to-morrow with the ox-sled -- you and Sam
Doolittle -- back of the pine wood -- you'll find enough dead trees there,
I guess."
"I think," said Rufus, "that if you think of it, what are called substantial
things are the least substantial of any -- they are only the scaffolding of
the other."
"Of what other?" said his father.
"Of the things which really last, sir, -- the things which belong to the
mind -- things which have to do with something besides the labour of
to-day and the labour of to-morrow."
"The labour of to-day and the labour of to-morrow are pretty necessary
though," said his father dryly; "we must eat, in the first place. You must
keep the body alive before the mind can do much -- at least I have

found it so in my own experience."
"But you don't think the less of the other kind of work, sir, do you?"
said Winthrop looking up; -- "when