But there was really no “home” for her to return to after the “scheme of visits” had served its purpose. Though the new Mrs. Baker was kindly enough, her coming inevitably gave Mrs. Glover an uncomfortable visitor status. Moreover, Mark made it clear that he had no intention of letting six-year-old George Glover stay on in the household.

Abigail Tilton now opened her more spacious home to her sister, but the hospitality was not extended to George. Abigail’s son Albert was a weak, spoiled boy, a year younger than his boisterous cousin, and this may have been reason enough for not wanting George in the house. Helpless to provide for him in any other way, Mrs. Glover was forced to make temporary provision by sending him off on his own round of visits.

It was probably Abigail who came up with the final solution. Mahala Sanborn, who had been like a second mother to George, had married one Russell Cheney, and the two were going to the village of North Groton to live, forty miles away in the foothills of the White Mountains. George was to go with them. It would certainly have been presented as a temporary arrangement at first, but the strong-minded Mrs. Tilton was doubtless convinced that her ailing sister would be better off if she were relieved of all further responsibility for the boy. Mahala was delighted to have George, and Cheney was willing. All that anyone left out of account was Mrs. Glover’s own feelings—and possibly George’s.

A letter to her brother-in-law, Andrew J. Glover, and his wife on April 22, 1851, gives a quick glimpse of the situation. George was staying with his uncle and aunt at Concord when Mrs. Glover wrote them: