CLOUD. 9 



would call me at half-past four, and insisted on my 

 going to bed. It was not easy to sleep, at first it 

 seemed impossible. But I knew that for several 

 days I must be able to give solid help at home, and 

 should need whatever strength I had. After an 

 hour of determination sleep came. At four o'clock 

 I awoke, without Tom's calling, and at once pre- 

 pared for my journey. When all was ready, and 

 my trunk waiting in the hall, I went down for a 

 few minutes to the college grounds. They were 

 very dear to me, and the feeling was strong upon 

 me that it might be years before I should see them 

 again. The walks, the old oaks on the lawn, the 

 young oaks in groves, the flower garden, the green- 

 houses, the vegetable garden, — in the ten minutes at 

 my disposal I glanced at them all. I had done many 

 happy hours work in them. They had brought to 

 me a wealth of beauty. How beautiful they were 

 in the early light of that quiet September morning ! 

 On returning to the hall I found Bircham at the 

 door, and my belongings already bestowed in his 

 one-horse lumber wagon. Tom and I shook hands, 

 and the wagon drove off. I looked back when we 

 were nearly at the plank-road. Tom stood at the 

 horse-block. He waved his hand and turned into 

 the hall. In a few minutes the oak woods shut the 

 college from sight. This was years ago, and I have 

 not seen it since. Year by year I hear of its growth 



