Goody Grace, Mrs. Blane, Dame Oates, Nanny Pierce
vied with each other in offers of sitting up with him; Andrew, the
young miller, came out of his way to bring a loaf of white bread, and
to fetch the corn to be ground. Peter Pierce, Rusha's lover, and
more old comrades than Patience quite desired, offered their services
in aiding Ben with the cattle and other necessary labours, but as the
first excitement wore off, these volunteers became scantier, and when
nothing was to be heard but "just the same," nothing to be seen but a
weak, wan figure sitting wrapped by the fire, the interest waned, and
the gulley was almost as little frequented as before. Poor Ben's
schooling had, of course, to be given up, and it was well that he was
nearly as old as Stead had been when they were first left to
themselves. Happily his fifteen months of study had not made him
outgrow his filial obedience and devotion to the less instructed
elder brother and sister, who had taken the place of the parents he
had never known. Benoni, child of sorrow, he had been named, and
perhaps his sickly babyhood and the mournful times around had tended
to make him a quiet boy, without the tearing spirits that would have
made him eager to join the village lads in their games.
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