Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-11-08


Hour by hour the morning wore away,
and although the noisy children irooprd in
one after the other. woke the baby and un-
did great part of her work, still. by noon,
which brought dinner and her husband.
things did look little civilized. Noon
certainly did not bring large amour, Of
dinner that day, bur looking across the fiat.
she saw Johns manly form, and d glow
passed over her thin, sallow face, for in
spite OF :heir unromantic surroundings,
these two people loved each other as do moi
many husbands and wives who live in very
stately dwellings. She took up the salt
pork and potatoes, lifted the baby into
high chair, and when John, escorted by the
three dirt pie makers, came into the kichen,
he looked as if he thought she had done
about as well as woman could who had
nothing to do with. But still she noticed
the cloud upon his face, noticed his careless
answers to the children, and once or twice
detected a long hard breath, as if he we're
making up some desperate resolve. She
tried to speak of 1t two or three times, but
something sealed her lips, and he saved her
the effort. 9 Fanny, our company, the
Stark Rifles, are going to the war;
She saw it all in mument--the pic
lures of her husband as she had seen him
years ago, before they had ever thought of
being married, above his fellows on the
muster field in height, yet STOPPING low his
proud head in acknowledgement of her
tinid bow. And then another scene took
its place-that tall figure, in the old famil-
lar uniform, lying stained with dust and
blood on far off battle-ground. She
looked ready TO faint but still he went on
with his story.
g / knew it week ago, Frances--knew
it when the governor called out the regi-
ment to which we belong, but | dared not
tell you"
No word from the pale woman by his
side,-only one wild thought in her brain.
Could she not hold, keep back this man,
her one earthly hope, from what seemed to
her certain deathi
We go to Concord Saturday (and to-
day is Thursday thought the stricken wo-
man). I" At first ! determined | wouldn't,
couldn't go, but when | went to the compa-
ny meeting last night, and the squire read
the Presidents call for help, my blood boil
ed, and my hand went up with the rest.
God only knows, Fanny, how hard it is to
leave you and the children, but don't dare
be coward. Why, Fanny, couldn't ev-
er show grandsire's old queen's-arm to the
boys again, if ! turned my back on my
country now"
His great voice trembled and the Won
dering baby caught a tear in its grimmy
little hand but there wasn't line that
looked Ike faltering in that stern face. The
wife's tears fell like summer rain, but the
words of her husband thrilled her, for the
true blood of the true old State was in her
veins, and il sliamed her now that even for
second she had thought of holding back
her dearest and best, if liberty called. Had
she not listened when he read how the
Massachusetts troops were massacred in
Baltimore, how Ellsworth was shot down
like dog. and didn't she know that this
49,. ,,,,.,,ld .lan;aa ,,h.tbor n uas IN Ia. FREE
dom or slavery for her children! He was
| all she had of strength in the world; but
| for his sake she would not hold him back.
She did not need many words wherein to
express her consent; but when he saw her
white lids stiffen into siernness, he knew he
had no weak complainings of hers to strug-
| gle with. There is not much time, counted
by hours between Thursday and Saturday,
| but there was much done in that poor
household, for new life possessed Frances
Plummer. She did not grow young again
she never did that this side of the grave;
but she grew strong for hers was the bap
ism of fire. She listened while John told
her how she could get along in his absence,
how this and that one would assist her, how
he should save every cent OF his pay for
her and the children and without any
shrinking she told hm in clear, full tones
that comfor.ed him even amid the grosns
and din of Bull Run, that he was ts deny
himself no comfort his pay could procure.
( for she could work as well as he. Only
once she broke down, when together they
inspected her little stock Of potatoes, there
was enough to last until those on the east
knoll were ripe, and then, please God, he
would be with her again if he was with her
at ALL Their eyes met, spite OF their res
olutely turning away from each other, and
1 the bitter tears filed them.
Saturday came, and he went, and she
took up her summers work alone, not with
out the hope and courage that come from
selC.renunciation. When she was the most
weary she remembered her husband toiing
in the trenches benrath a southern sun, and
no groan or complaint passed her lips. Her
little family lived deecntly, thanks to her
| and exan The nearest