The judge was taken by surprise.
He was laboring already under heavy pecuniary burdens caused by the expenses of Daniel's education.

The farm was heavily mortgaged, and Ebenezer Webster knew that he was old before his time and not destined to many more years of life.

With the perfect and self-sacrificing courage which he always showed, he did not shrink from this new demand, although Ezekiel was the prop and mainstay of the house.

He did not think for a moment of himself, yet, while he gave his consent, he made it conditional on that of the mother and daughters whom he felt he was soon to leave.

But Mrs.Webster had the same spirit as her husband.