Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1862-04-04

the honesty, | am not competent to decide.
Words are cheap, and as easily construct
ed into falsehood as truth. Where two
hundred dollars can be made by writing a
short letter like that, few men are proof
against the temptation.
Mrs. Hardrup dropped her eyes away
from her husbands S face, and sighed, as
she looked down at the floor
+" Already" said Mr.. Hardrup, knitting
bis brows, and speaking in a tone of com
plant, '' my income has been diminished
over two thousand dollars through reduc-
tion Of rents alone. This is frightful =
Where is it to end?' 4 s.'4 q. .'@
"Shall we not bear our part of this ma
tional calamity, John-our part of the loss
and safering?" Mrs. Hardrup's face
warmed, and there wes a tremor of feeling
in her voice. '- z aa
"We shall have to bear it, whether we
are willing or not" answered her husband
coldly.
"Thus far, John, we have really suf-
fered nothing-nothing, While fortunes
have been wrecked, and homes made desc
late in thousands of instances, the storm
has not torn a vine from our windows, nor
broken flower in cur garden. So far as
this home is concerned, not a comfort has
been abated mot privation endured"
Mr., Hardrup lifted his broTs in half
surprise, as he turned to look into his wife's
animated face.
"And shall we fret and murmur be-
cause, in the natural effort at adjustment,
when things are disturbed, something of
our abundance goes to supply the lack in
others? Our case is very much bet
ter than that of Mr.. Spring. Home
comforts have not only been touched with
him, but his most precious things are ta-
ken"
g What precious things?'' The voice
of Mr.. Hardrup, though still cold, was
slightly touched with interest.
&c His children
"Oh " The tone was softer.
Three sons in the army ] saw Ms,
Spring few minutes, to-day. AS you
suggested, called at Goodyear's to order
garden hose, and met her there. What
do you think she was buying? Three In
dia rubber blankets, to send to her boys
in camp. Tears stood in her eyes as she
talked with me about them Her Joseph,
she said, was SO young-not much over
seVenteen-and never very strong boy.
But, when bis brothers enlisted he could
not be held back I'VE could have pre-
vented it., she said, but l had not the
heart to do so. And then, you know, tie
country must be saved ; only through bat
tie can that now be done I have given
my children to God and their country, and
may never see them this side of heaven
again. Her voice choked, adm she turn
ed from me. Ah, my husband it is there
that the war is felt. We are in security.
Our house stands firm. The cloud cur
tanning our sky is not thick enough to hide
the warming sunshine. The weight which
has fallen upon US is light-very light in
accepting cur share of this q eat calamity,
let Us be thankful, that it is so easy to
be borne; and not only thankful, but
ready to help others, who are staggering
IN the way, and ready to fall Don't let
\ Mr, Spring move, | would prefer having
eur horses and carriage sold, to seeing that
family disturbed. Why, now that I think
oft, John Mrs. Hardrup's voice be-
came earnest, almost to enthusiasm is
1t just right for US to keep our carriage,
at an expense Of four or five hundred dol
lars year, when we might use that sum
in SO many ways, in aid of the govern
ment?"
Mrs. Hardrup stopped, suddenly. She
felt that she was pressing her husband
little too closely, and looked for some
half angry or impatient answer. But Mr..
Hardrup, who had dropped his eyes while
his wife was speaking, continued with them
cast upon the floor He had two sons,
boys of twelve and fourteen years of age,
away from home, at school, and his life
was very much bound up. in them. As
his wife spoke of Mrs. Spring and her sons,
bis thought went to these boys, and he
imagined them older by few years How
could be bear to see them subjected to the
discipline, hardships, and privasion of the
camp, or set up as human targets to be
shot at? The father shivered in every
nerve.
There was silence for some minutes, and
still Mr.. Hsrdrup sat, looking at the oues-
tlons which had disturbed him from a new
standpoint, and losing every moment some
thing of the selfish hardness by which he
had been influenced little while before