The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-11-27


| of you when | am gone.
! Kate had not the courage to tell him that b
young sisters thoughts would scarcely folio
him with more cOntant interest than her ow
She asked him instead how Emily had bogr
the parting.
'Brayely,' he answered. He knew the child
lheart had been almost broken, but she ha
kept back any utterance of complaint or Ia IN
entation, whose memory might have unnerVe
him when the hour came to test his courage
Then there was silence between them for
few moments, and be was the first to break i
Il will tell YOU honestly why l came here to
night Miss Barclay. | have been thinkin
how possible it was that might never com
back, and, il that happ ened, feared you nigh
| regret that you sent me away. L wanted
guard against your vexing yourself with an.
such needless sorrow 1t was the one longing
of my heart to go, and if [ could have effected
| it III any other way should have done so Ion!
ago. Come what may, shall never be sorry
| [ have but one life, and there is nothing else
would like so well to do with 1T as TO give
to my country. can trust Emily to you with
out fear and she was all | had to keep me back
In any event, want you should be thankfui,a
shall be, that yon helped me to 60:
Kate's tears were choking her How manly
he was! how unselfSh, trying, even IN th(
from possible pang She could not speak
but she put out her hand. He took it tender
ly.
4 AIN going, now, he said, his eyes resting
on her as if he logged to sooth 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 she could speak the God bless you !!
which trembed on her lips he was gone Would
she ever see him again-her soldier.
The next Saturday,the principal OF the estab-
lishment st Gramercy Park was summoned TO
an interview with Miss Barclay. The latter
lady explained briefly the relation of protect
ress in which she stood to Miss Emily Keene,
and expressed her desire that hereafter her
ward should spend all her vacations and every
Sunday at her house. The poor, solitary, be
reaved child was glad enough to go home with
her; and that was the beginning Of true, Sis
terly love between those two.
AS months passed on they grew nearer and
nearer to each other, until Emily could sca1ce>
ly have told which was dearer, the brother far
awav or the new sister she had found at home.
Hates life had been solitary hitherto since her
parent died The young girl filled up void
in it, and made it both better and happier
They read the war news together, and traced
self 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 into the
field For long time he seemed to be FoT~
tunes soldier also. He had been noticed for
his valor and promoted from the ranks; but
lie hsd passed through all perils unhaImed.-
Often Miss Barclay recalled their first inter
view-saw again as for the first time, the tall,
athletic figure--the resolue, masterful face
the clear, honest eyes, perhaps she liked Emi-
ly all the better that those same honest gray
eyes shone from under her thoughtful forehead
At this Time while danger seemed not to
touch Richard keene, she had presentment
that his hour of doom was coming. She never
spoke of this to Emily, and the child, lulled to
to sense of security by his past immunity
from harm, was growing to think othim cheer
fully
His letters came often, written in good spirits
always to his sister, but never with
aat som. cordial, reverent, almost tender men
ton of her who sent him forth to fght the great
fght in her stead. Still the subtitle sense which
foretels coming danger haunted Miss Barclay
like phantom, she could not lull.
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 repHised,
leaving their dead, of whom be was one, for the
enemy to bury.
She read the tidings calmly. She knew he
died as he would have wished, for she recalled
his parting words Her soldier was gone-her
S AXE in the war. Her hope Of success seemed
60 have died with him. She did not feel like
weeping. She scarcely knew what 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:
81 must go to Emily and tell her that / sent
her brother to his death,
She put on her things and wondered vague
ly 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
parIor at school, where they had met hrSt-came
in Joyful with welcome, but started back, appal-
led by the white, still face she met Miss Bar
clay went up to her and said drearily:
Emily, am all you have now. He is gomez
The girl 10 whom the i'll news came with such
fell suddenness burst into passion OF grief; then
irving to comfort her, her friend wept also, and
the tears were strange solace She took En-
lily home with her-her sister from hencetorth.
She might go back to school another year FER
haps-at present they had need of each other.
How dreary the months were which followed!
Emily was the first to learn resignation for the
loss OF her DEAD, VINO uleu 50 SIOllUuoiys Aate
was haunted forever, as she had feared she wod
be- by the idea that she sent him to his DEATH
and not even the memory Of his own assurance,
those generous last words Of his could give her
comfort
The summer came-the summer of '62 bring
ing bird~song and blossom. The lonely salt
scented sea breeze rppled the waves, and shook
the pine trees into melody. From afar Miss Bars
CLAY seemed to catch scent and sound. Itroused
her to wish to tread the seaside rocks, and press
her careless footsteps IL the white sands OF the
beach.
They went to pleasant quiet nook, which as
yet, not enough people had found to spoil. And
ther the roses began TO come slowly back to her
cheeks, and the light to her eyes. She might
grow cheerful again in time, she thO't, If only
her fancy would cease to picture one awful scene
"a battlefield where the setting sun searched
with red beams for the slain, and found one
face, face she knew, with clear honest eyes, and
mouth that would never smile more.
Did they wound him-muulase him after he
was dead? She heard such things-she wished
she could forget them
Walking alone one day, she heard on the
path behind her voiees-Emlly and anoth~
er's She turned suddenly. Were her senses
hazard Did she dream? Do he dead walk
She saw face over which southern turf must
have grown long ago, unless it bleached white.
unburied, on the battlefield Sight and sense
failed her. For the first time in her life, she
tainted When she recovered she saw only
Emily. The child spoke eagerly
1t was NV brother alive, himself. lie was
wounded, not dead. They took him prisoner,
and last week he was exchanged. When be
came to New York he found We were here, and
followed US
She had poured out the words into Katie S
ear with might and main, bent on making her
understand the truth,lest she might faint again.
But swoons do not happen twice in the same
day. Mis- Barclay comprehended all now, and
was herself again ready with courteous gree
ting for him who came down the path-;he re
turned warrior, with the scar scanning his broad
brow, and showing how near he had come to
the fate she had feared.
He had furlough to get well in, he said
then he was going back.
OF course be staid with them there at Sea
View fer a whie,a and OF course they nursed and
petted him as women always do their returned
! braves, 1t was strange how soon al