The Fairchilds : or, "Do what you can"

Eben Fairchild stands at a crossroads, torn between his late father’s hopes for a college education and the harsh reality of a family burdened by debt. His mother, still mourning the loss of her husband, worries that without schooling Eben will never rise above their modest circumstances, while his sister Flora tries to keep the household together amid the strain. The conversation in the Fairchild home reveals a mix of love, frustration, and lingering gratitude toward the man who once took Eben in, even as financial pressures loom large.

Determined to support himself, Eben resolves to seek honest work in the local mill, despite his mother’s objections and the uneasy prospect of serving under Jeduthun Cooke, a man of color whose presence complicates the town’s social norms. His pragmatic mantra—“do what you can”—drives him to look beyond idealism and confront the practical challenges of adulthood. The story captures his quiet courage as he steps into an uncertain future, balancing familial duty with personal ambition.