They hardly did that.

The borrowed hundreds were of necessity yet unpaid; there was interest on them that must be kept down; and the failure of Rufus and Winthrop from the farm duty told severely upon the profits of the farm; and that after it had told upon the energies and strength of the whole little family that were left behind to do all that was done.
There was never a complaint nor a regret, even to each other; much less to those for whom they toiled; but often there _was_ a shadowed look, a breath of weariness and care, that spoke from husband to wife, from parent to child, and nerved -- or unnerved them.

Still, Rufus had graduated; he was a splendid young man; all, as well as the parents' hearts, knew that; and Winthrop, -- he was never thought of, their minds and speech never went out to him, but the brows unbent, the lips relaxed, and their eyes said that their hearts sat down to rest.
Winthrop?
He never could do anything but well; he never had since he was a child.

He would take his degree now in a few months and he would take it honourably; and then he would be off to the great city -- that was said with a throe of pain and joy! -- and there he would certainly rise to be the greatest of all.

To their eyes could he ever be anything else?
But they were as certain of it as Winthrop himself; and Winthrop was not without his share of that quality which Dr.Johnson declared to be the first requisite to great undertakings; though to do him justice the matter always lay in his mind without the use of comparatives or superlatives.