The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-11-14
BIDDEFoRD MAINE, FRIDAY MORNING,
viii make me think of you when am gone.

his young sisters thoughts would scarcely
follow him with more constant interest
than her own. She asked him instead how
Emily had borne the parting.
.Bravely,' he answered. He knew the
child's heart had been almost broken, but
she had kept back any utterance of complaint
or lamentation, whose memory might have
unerved him when the hour came to test his
courage
Then there was silence between them for
few moments, and he was the first to break
it.
twill tell you honestly why l came here
tonight, Miss Barclay. Ihad been thinking
how possible It was that might never come
back, and IL that happened. feared you
might regret that you sent me away. /
wanted to guard against your vexing your
self with any such needless sorrow. 1t was
the one longing of my heart to go,and IL
could have effected it in any other way,
should have done so long ago. Come what
may shall never be sorry, l have but one
life. and there is nothing else l would likcso
we'll to do with 1t as to give it to my coun.
try. can trust Emily to you without fear,
and she was all had to keep me back. In
any event. l'want you should be thankful, as
/ shall be that you helped mo to co.
Kate's tears were choking her. How man.
" ho was How unsellish, trying even in
this last hour to shield her whom he scarce
ly knew from possible pang! She could
not speak, but she put out her hand. He
took it tendcrly.
Il am going now," hc said, his eyes rest
ing on her as il he longed to soothc away her
tears as he might have done his sisters. God
keep you, Miss Barclay, and give me strength
to fight valiantly in the cause for which you
have sent me forth to do battle
Before sho could speak the God bless you,
which trembled on her lips he was gone
Would she ever see him again-her soldier :?
The next Saturday the principal Of the os-
tablshment at Gramercy Park was summon
ed to an interview with Miss Barclay.
The latter lady briefly expressed the rcla.
tion of protectress in which she stood to Miss
Emily Kcenc, and expressed tho desire that
thereafter her ward should spend all her Va.
cations and Sundays at her house. The
poor, solitay, bcrcavcd child was glad enough
to 60 home with her; and that was the be.
ginning Of the true sisteriy love between
those two.
As the months passed on they grew nearer
and dearer to each other. until Emily could
have scarcely told which was dearor, the
brother far away, or the new sister she had
found at home. Rates life had been solit.
airy hitherto, since her parents died. The
young girl filed up void in it, and made
her both better and happier.
They read the war news together, and
traced in maps the routes of the armies
Emily herself was scarcely more excited over
the news of battle than was her friend who
followed with ceaseless anxiety and daily
prayers the fate of the soldier whom she had
sent to the field. For long time he seemed
fortunes soldier also. lie had been noticed
for his yalor and promoted from the ranks; (;
but he had passed through all pcrils unharm-
ed. Often Miss Barclay recalled their first
intervicw-saw again, as for the first time,
the tall, athletic figure, the resolute. master
ful facc-the clear, honest eye; perhaps she
liked Emily all the better that those Same
honest gray eyes shOne from under her
thoughtful forehead.
All the time, while danger seemed not to
touch Richard Kcenc, she had a presentiment
that his hour Of doom was coming. She
never spoke Of this to Emily, and the child,
lulled to sense of security by his past i'm
munity from harm, was growing to think of
him cheerinlly. His letters came often,
written in good spirits, addressed always to
his sister, but never without some cordial,
rcyerent, almost tender mention Of her who
sent him forth to fight the great fight in her
stead. Still the subtle sense which foretells
coming danger haunted Miss Barclay like a
phantom. She could not lull it.
A day came at last when she opened the
paper, feeling what its contents were before
she saw them. She read there that Richard
Keene was dead. The Federals had been re-
pulsed, leaving their dead, Of whom he was
one. for the enemy to bury.
She read the tidings calmly. She know
he had died as hc would have wished, for she
recalled his parting words. Her soldier was
cone-her stake in the war. Her hope Of
success seemed to have died with him. She
did not feel like weeping. Shescarcely know
that she felt at all only the cold, dull ache
that made her clasp her hand tight to her
heart reminded her. She said to herself still
calmly;
Il must 60 to Emily, and tell her that !
sent her brother to his death.
She put on her things, and wondered va
guely, that she did not weep as she saw her
own still, composed face in the glass.
Emily came to her. in the same room, the
front parlor at school. where they had met
iirst-camc in joyful with welcome, but start
ed back appalled, by the white. still face she
met. Miss Barclay went up to her and said.