Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-12-17

- Ispent this morning on this rubbish ~
As To whom they are for. YOU shall e,
that tomorrow and as to the money
have spent it is less than half NV u,l,
winter allowance
And you expect to dress ON the otheI
half? cried Nan, with wide open. wonder
ing eyes.
No, the other half goes for coal anl
hOuse-rents'
And you are tn dress on-what?
What have. Except boots and gloves
do not mean to have single new article
this winter
Except, of course, your bonnet; one
could hardly imagine Miss Chaloner in =
last years chaPedU.
Not even excepting my bonnet. Ny
last winters one was black velvet Ii
will alter over irreproachably ] do not
mean that the world shall know these
things, Nan. ! am not going to turn her
NUT, or even togive up the society in which
l have been accustomed to move | had
more finery last winter than half my
friends had sight Of | shall not be con
spieuously shabby if wear them again.
| only let you into my secrets because YOU
are my little cousin, who loves me, and |
think my example may have sonic weight
with you; You are rich enough to do a
great deal of good in the same way. 1t is
going to be Il terrible winter. Taxes are
such as our country never knew before,
and goods are selling at prices we would
have thought fabulous year ago. With
my wardrobe full of last years handsome
dresses, could not think it right to buy
new ones, when the cry of the poor and
the wall of the destitute are on every
side.'
But there have been poor people al
ways, Gertie, and you have never felt like
this before -....
No. have not realized the fact of suf-
fering as | realize it now. 1t is the hour
of darkness over all the land. The
resurrection morning will come by y-and-by
but now the night is muTk, and the stars
are dim. | will tell you all, Nan. have
given more to my country than gold could
buy. One loved, and who loved me.
went in August, with the three years
men. He came to me with the light of
eager courage and self-deyotion in his
eyes, and asked ME to bid him God-speed,
and send him on his mission
Yes, | did it. 1t was hard struggle; |
but what was | that | should stay at home |
and keep my own, and let other women's |
lovers and husbands march, and bleed, |
and die, that | and mine might shelter
ourselves in smiling home. and look out |
through plate-glass, and from between |
soft draperies, at the winter? Yes, |
gave him up. He is gone. He will come /
again, perhaps; but | can never forget
that other perhaps the mouth
which kissed mine at parting may never
kiss again, and the eyes at whose courage
| lit the fire of my own resolve may look
their last on the smoky sky of some
Southern battle-ground.
When had given him up longed to
do something myself. Besides the one
great sacrifice all lesser ones seemed easy,
and almost his last words had marked
1ut my path. How shall bear il! II
clinging to him with a woman's
weakness. BY being always busy, Cert .
'ude,' and | remember the pity i'm his
yes as he said it. There are so many {
ufering ones to comfort-so many
Wounds to heal
Since he went away have been living
J new life. have been among class of y
'eople had never understood before
he good and honest poor. have seen y
here sights to make a woman's heart L
che, and, so far as could, have carried =
onsolation with me. 1t is a small sac |
itice, Nan, to 60 without new cloak or y
rear a last years dress for the sake of
living shelter to the shelterless.
But / never thought you were benevo-
ent, Gertrude, and you always seemed to
lie very fond of dress, in dignifed, high >
nd mighty fashion of your own. a a
so was, and so suppose l am still !;
ut that was not all of me, Nan. | need
d rousing, and can not understand the "
oul which these days of dread and dan =
er, these times of parting and praying u
'ould not quicken to a new life -
Nan Darrow looked at her cousin. y
liss Chaloner's face shone as if she were r.
lspired. Into her great. gray eyes a flood :,
light had broken-her pale face was =
ushed, her head was erect, her chest ~
eaYed. Even Mans unpenetrating gaze y y
0uld not fail to see that for that soul its Al
our had come. u
They did not talk much more. Mans IL
ature was impulsive, demonstratiye,
but she dared not express to
ertrude the admiration which she felt
profound as any sentiment of hers
,uld be. Go thou and do likewise, was at
lie only tribute Miss Chaloner would Y
ave welcomed. nj
The next morning they took the car er
age, packed with the purchases of the &C
~ before, and started to convey them ey
their destinations. On. the way they In
opped at Eyerett's and took in the at
adonna. es
Surely this is not for one of your pen 10
,ners ? Nan asked. Il think one would IN
Irdly feed the hungry with pictures te
There is more than one kind of hunger. en-
lid Nan. You shall see whether my an
It viii be appreciated MT
They had stopped at three houses. do
aying pair of blankets here, dress tn
ere, and at another piece of cotton, fid
need was. At the next pause Miss it
Ialoner took the picture in her hand, bu
d turned with smiling face for Nan it.
follow her. tn
They went up two flights of stairs, and tel
en- a faint, sweet voice answered Come of
to Miss Chaloner's tap on the door. tin
ley entered large and not uncomfort- to
lie room. Everything was scrupulously tn,
at. In one of the windows stood a tea tn
'e, geranium, and a heliotrope. Nan in.
lew they were her cousins fayorite on
wers, and gussed how they came there. tn,
the bed bolstered up by pillows and ma
lifting busily, was young girl She VIII
s not beautiful, and yet Nan thought i'm
? had never seen face so sweet. 1t got
S a delicate, thin face; so pale that the yol
Gerry of blue veins shone through. The ser
IS were dark and full of a mournful shi
lderness. The hair was cut short, like a L
hild's, and lay about the brow in sun y
rings. How the pale yisage brigh ten ber
into n smile as she saw who uos bar Of
ltor! Miss Chaloner took chair near swe
, bed and gave one to Nan, as if she pie
re at home. Then she asked: do