Except the one left out of their thoughts.
The summer passed in the diligent companionship of the oxen and Sam Doolittle.

But when the harvests were gathered, and the fall work was pretty well done; the winter grain in the ground, and the November winds rustling the dry leaves from the trees, -- the strongest branch was parted from the family tree, in the hope that it might take root and thrive better on its own stock elsewhere.

It was cheerfully done, all round.
The father took bravely the added burden with the lessened means; the mother gave her strength and her eyesight to make the needed preparations; and to supply the means for them, all pinched themselves; and Winthrop had laid upon him the threefold charge of his own, his brother's, and his father's duty.

For Mr.Landholm had been chosen a member of the State Legislature; and he too would be away from home all winter.
What sort of a winter it would be, no one stopped to think, but all were willing to bear.
The morning came of the day before the dreaded Saturday, and no one cared to look at another.

It was a relief, though a hated one, to see a neighbour come in.