Chapters XVII and XVIII Summary

Sara returns to New York much better off than she was when she left the city. She left with her belongings wrapped in newspaper and tied with clothesline. Now she has a new satchel. When she left she ate bread, herring and a pickle, sleeping when she could in her seat. Now she orders what she likes from the dining car and sleeps in a berth. She says that she can go into a department store and buy whatever she wants but she chooses a well-made suit for school. She finds a large, airy room to rent and furnishes it very simply, leaving much of the space open.

Sara has been away six years but now she is going to visit her parents. When she arrives, she finds that her mother is desperately ill. Sara is filled...