The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-11-25

poor living. AniS oPAlnS VI Ao~A' '
ever looked little better for them, Tor John |
had secured small farm two or three miles
from home, to carry OIL at the halves and ne
hoped by autumn to have a few dollars IN
his pocket wherevith to help pay OFT the
mortgage. But in spite Of this good Tor
tune, Frances, as she sat rocking the cradle
thought that her husband had seemed silent
and anxious for the last few weeks, and her
mind, always torcboding, grew troubled with
the sense OF some new grief to befall them.
The stocking dropped from her fingers, and 1t
was some minutes before she discovered that
her child had at last worried itself into a
restless slumber. She got up wcariedly and
reluctantly, and attempted to bring some or
der out Of the chaos that reigued around her.
Perhaps YOU think she and her husband were
rather weak bodies, but if you ever tried to
get your daily bread off from eighty two acres
Of New Hampshire rocks, with house and
four babies for capital, you will have little
charity for that species of weakness.
Hour BY hour the morning wore away,
and although the noisy children trooped in
one after the other, woke the baby and undid
a great part Of her work, still, by noon,
which brought dinner and her husband thl"gs
did look little more civilized. Noon Ger
tainly did not bring large amount OF din
ncr that day, but looking across the flat, she
saw Johns manly form, aud u glow passed
over her thin, saIlow face, for in spite OF their
uuromantic surrounding, these two people
loved each other as do not many husbands
and wives who live in very stately dwellings.
She took up the salt pork and potatoes, Int.
cd the baby into high chair, and when
John escorted by the three dirt pie makers
came into the Kitchen, he looked as II ne
thought she had done ABOUT as we'll as a
y. woman could who had anything to do with
But still she noticed the cloud on his face,
noticed his careless ans ers to his children
and once or twice detected a long hard breath
as i, he We're making up some desperate re-
solve. She tried to speak it two or three
times. but something sealed her lips and h'
saved her the effort; Fanny, our com
pany, the Stark Rifles, are going to the war;
She saw it all in momeut-the plctur
of her husband as she had seen hlm year
ago, before they had ever thought OF benz
er married, above his fellows on the muster-hel
in height, yet STOPPING low his proud head
: acknowledgement Of her timid bow. An
when another scene took is place-that tai
6aure in the old familiar uniform lying star
ed with dust and blood Oh "a far-of battle
ground she looked ready to faint, but stl
he went on with his story.
l. knew it week ago, Frances
CIV it when the governor called out the reg'mel
the to which we belong, but | dared not tt
,ad you :;
No word from the pale woman by his ST.
only the wild thought In her brain. Cou
ow she not hold, keep back this man, Aer o
pad earthly hope, from what seemed to hcf' CT
lew tain death.
the We 20 to Concord Saturday. (and
was day is Thursday thought the stricken "
ing man.) AT first l determined l wouldn
ters couldn't 60, but wh,n | went to the compa
ina meeting last night, and the squire read
odd presidents call Tor help, my blood boiled
ood my hand went up with the rest. Goa oi
the knows, Fanny, bow hard it is to leave y
rcd, and the children, but don't dare to be
not coward. Why, Fanny, | couldn't ever sh
hat urandsire's old queens arms to the boys az
nool # turned my back on my country low.
'll,ng His great voice trembled, and the wond
aoy ioe baby caught hot tear on its grimy III
,oor hand hut there wasn't line that looked ]
her. faIteriny in that stern face. The wles te
e. fell like summer rain, but the words OF
'ins husband thrilled her, for the true blood OIL
that - Ia %, .o ,v.s in hor veins. and it shan
hef her now that even for second she
that thought of holding back her dearest and b
only if liberty called. Had she not llste
gar. while he read how the Massachusetts tro
igeu were massacred in Baltimore, how Elswo
had was shot down like dog, and didn't
tho know that this war would decide whether
nave was to he slavery or freedom for her childr
He was all she had Of strength in the wol
''ha' but for his sake she would not hold
oooy back. She did not need many words whit
" 70 in to express her consent; but when he
'he her white lips stffen into sternness, lie k'
one hc had no weak complainDgs 10 strut
even with. There is not much time, counting
oeen hours, between Thursday and Saturday,
mere there was much done in that poor househ
'onn for new life possessed Frances Plummel
ner She did not grow young again; she nj
u m,hey dill that this side OF the grave; but she
Iney strong, for hers was the baptism of tire
odest She listened while John told how she ct
n.- Get along in his absence, how this aud
o0ng one would assist her, how he would save
down ry cent Of his pay for her and the childr
Inc and without any rinking she told hin