The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-11-07

now a strange sOlace. She took Emily
home with her-her sister from hence
forth. She might go back to school ano-
ther year, perhaps-at present they had
need of each other
How dreary the months were which fol-
lowed! Emily was the first to learn re-
signation for the loss of her dead, who
died so gloriously. Kate was haunted for
ever, as he had feared she would be, by
the idea that she had senthim to his death;
and not even the memory of his own as
surances, those generous last words of his
could give her comfort.
The summer came-the summer of 1862
bringing birdsong and blossom. The
lonely salt-scented sea-breeze rippled the
waves, and shook the pine-trees into mel
ody. From afar Miss Barclay seemed to
catch scent and sound. 1t reused her to
wish to tread the seaside rocks, and press
her careless footsteps in the white sands of
the beach. They went to pleasant, qui-
ct nook, which, as yet, not enough people
had found to spoil. And there the roses
began to come slowly back to Miss Bar
clays cheek, and the light of her eyes.
She might grow cheerful again in time, she
thought, if ouly her fancy would cease to
picture one awful scene-a battle field,
where the setting sun searched with his red
CLEANS 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-mutilate him afterhe was
dead? She had heard such things-she
wished she could forget them.
Walking alone one day, she heard on
the path behind her, voices-Emily's and
another. She turned suddenly. Were her
senses dazed /? Did she dream !? Do the
dead walk She saw a face over which
Southern turf must have grown long ago,
unless it bleached white, unburied, on the
ghastly battlefield. Sight and sense fail
ed her. For the first time in her life she
tainted. When she recovered she saw on
ly Emily. The child spoke eagerly:
1t was my brother, alive, himself He
was wounded, not dead. They took him
prisoner, and last week he was exchanged.
When he came to New York, he found we
were here, and followed u.s."
She had poured the words into Kate's
ear with might and main, bent on making
her understand the truth, lest she might
faint again. But such swOons do not hap
pen twice in one day. Miss Barclay COM
pretended all now, and was herself again
ready, with courteous greeting, for him
who came down the path-the returned
warrior, with scars scanning his broad brow,
and showing how near he had come to the
fate she had feared
He had a furlough to get well in hesaid,
and then he was going back.
OF course he staid with them there at
Sea View for while, and of course they
nursed and petted HIM as women always
do their returned braves. 1t was strange
how soon all the sadness went out of
Kate's heart-the melancholy out OF her
manner. One day he said to her:
"You are too kind to me'
81 do not feel as if | could be- she an
swered, 'when remember what you have
suffered and who sent you forth to fight. :"
He did not speak again for a moment,
and then he asked 4 strange question:
''Miss Barclay what would you think
Of a man, an honest man, who loved a
woman dearly, but did not ask her to mar
ry him because she was rich and he was
poor, and he knew the world would brand
him Il torture hunter?"
Miss Barclay blushed but she answered
bravely:
- should think poorly of a mans cour-
age when the woLlds opinion could sway
in the most sacred matters OF bis heart and
his life and if he believed the lady would
ever remember on which side the fortune
was, | should wonder at him for thinking
bar worthy ot his love
His eyes-those honest, earnest eyes
looked at her with something in their own
glance which thrilled her heart with avery
strange, now timid, joy. lie only said:
g Kate, You know | love you. When |
fight again you will pray for me at home !?
Whose soldier shall | be?"
| think her look told him before her
words did, but he bent tenderly to hear the
answer:
"Mine."