Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-10-29

Kate's warm heart overfowed instantly
She put her arm round the shy, trem
bling girl and drew her to her side. Sh
whispered,
Il have no mot her, dear, and no siste
| shall need you as much as you will neeC
me. Let us love one another"
Mr.. Keene did not hear the whisper
but he saw the quick blush of pleasure
flush his sisters cheek, and the confdins
gesture with which her hand stole into
her new friends, and he was satisfied.
I'VE need not detain Miss Barclay any
longer" This afternoon 1 shall be busy
but will come to you again this even,
ing"
There were few words spoken during
the short walk, but when they were part.
ing on Miss Barclays doorstep she gave
her hand to Richard Keene, and said,
earnestly,
DO not doubt that all l can do for your
sister VIII be labor of love. There has
been a.va"ant place in my heart, lonely
longing for some one to care for, and she
will fill it. If'-heP eyes filed with
tears-''if anything should happen, she
shall be as near to me as she would have
been to you"
Richard Keene pressed the hand he
held
Il believe you," he said. Emily is a
good child. You will not find in her
GOODNESS or ingratitude"
That evening Kate Barclay sat alone.
living over in thought the parting which
she knew was taking place, fancying how
these two, who were all the world to each
other would say good-by-a good-by which
might, all too possibly, be forever. She
almost repented of her own doing-not
quite-for she knew her soldiers heart
was in his work, and she felt that if he
had been her own brother she could have
sent him forth as cheerfully. She was
not dealing to another such measure as
she would not have borne to have dealt
to herself
1t was little past nine o'clock when
the bell rang, and the servant announced
Mr.. Keene. She had not expected after
their bargain was made to see him again
but she was glad after all that he should
have reclloned her among the number of
those to whom it became him to say fare
well. He came in as calm and self-pos-
sesSed as ever
Il have been bidding Emily good-by," |
he said, as he sat down. 81 had to leave |
her at nine o'clock, and | thought might |
venture to come to you. After all, it is |
by your means that go, and that makes
a sort Of tie between us; a bond which it |
would be presumption TO call friendship, |
and yet which will make me think of you
when | am gone"
Kate had not the courage TO tell him !
that his young sisters thoughts would |
scarcely follow him with 4 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 unnerved 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.
81 will tell you honestly why / came
here tonight, Miss Barclay. / have been |
thinking how possible it was that nigh. |
never come back, and if that happened |
feared you might regret that you sent me
away. WANTED to guard against youryex- !
ing yourself with any such needless sor-
row. 1t was the one longing of my heart |
to go and if could have affected it any
other way should have done so long ago. |
Come what may, l shall never be sorry
have but one life. aud there is nothing
else l would like so well to do with it as |
to give it to my country. | can trust |
Emily to you without fear, and she was all |
had to keep me back. In any event,
want you should be thankful. as / shall
be. that you helped me to CO."
Naf5 oh
manly he was! how unselfsh, trying. ey-
en- in this last hour, to shield her whom
he scarcely knew from possible pang -
She could not speak, but she put out her I
hand. He took her hand tenderly."
Il am going now," hesaid his eyes rest
ing on her as if he longed to soothe away :
her tears, as he might have done his sis S
ter's. 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 v
you ~ which trembled on her lips he was t
gone. Would she ever see him again
her soldier2
The next Saturday the principal of the
at Gramercy Park was sum-
noned toan interview with Miss Barclay :
The latter lady explained briefly the rela- :
ion of protectress in which she stood to :
Miss Emily Keene; and expressed her de- q
ired that thereafter her ward should spend =
Ill her vacations and every Sunday at her Y
house. The poor. solitary, ,bereaved child ',
vas glad enough to go home with her; \
md that was the beginning of a true, sis :
erly love between those two.
As the months passed on they grew =
,,1 to afh ilrri- =
,ould scarcely have told which was dear ;
n, the brother far away, or the new sis :
er she had found at home. Kate's life /.
iad been solitary hitherto, since her pa +
ents died. The young girl filed up ;
old in it, and made her both better and :,
happier.
They read war news together, Snd trac- Il
ID on maps the routes of the armies. En- I,
Iy herself was scarcely more excited over
he news of a battle than was her friend, .
Who followed with ceaSeless anxiety and -
Iaily prayers the fate of the soldier whom
he had sent into the field. For a long :,
ime he seemed to be Fortunes soldier .
lso. lie had been noticed for his valor !
nd promoted from the ranks; but he a
lad passed through all perils unharmed. n
)ften Miss Barclay recalled their first in !,
erview-saw again, as for the first time, h
he tall athletic fgure-the resolute, mas I
erful face-the clear, honest eyes; per- v
laps she liked Emily all the better that h
hose same honest grey eyes shone from h
nder her thoughtful forehead. n
All this time, while danger seemed not "
o touch Richard Keene, she had pre- a
that his hour of doom was COM .
ng. She never spoke of this to Emily, n
nd the child lulIad IN n Sansa Of sacurif,- =,
y his past immunity from harm, was n
rowing to think of him cheerfully. His :,
etters came often, written in good spirits, n
always to his sister, but never h
rithout some cordial, reverent, almost N
ender mention of her who sent him forth
a fight the great fight in her stead. Still q
he subtitle sense which foreteils coming +
anger haunted Miss Barclay like phan- 7
ON. She could not lull it. a,
\ day came at last when she opened h
Il. IL