The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-04-10

accustomed to shrek at the sight Of a
spider do in the midst of such dreadful
scenesa Ny dear Mrs. Bryan, do per-
suade your daughter to abandon this alb
surd fancy! - an ~ "a
Mrs. Bryan looked helplessly from her
daughter to the Captain, and then back
again. ''' go ...,....
"Captain Lawrence is right" she said.
"Consider, my love, what suffering you
will be compelled to witness ''
"Mamma," said Grace, firmly, s'is it
any worse for me to witness than for those
brave fellows to endure? Oh, mamma, to
think that we have been sitting at home
in ease and luxury while the men who per-
lied life and limb in our behalf lie perish
ing within stone's-thrOw of our Aladdin
palaces! Let me go, for it breaks my
heart to remember how selfish I have
been +" e.t.at ri IT, -.8-HaIG Id .
Soft -natured Mrs. Bryan looked appeal
ingly toward the Captain. He shrugged
his shoulders. on"
"Well, if Miss Bryan chooses to be SO
foolish, /, Of course, have no right to inter-
fere. Only .atl
"Don't trouble yourself to finish
the sentence Captain Lawrence said
Grace, quietly. 81 need not say that l
have not expected the honor of your at
tendance, nor do I ask for it now"
She walked out of the room with the
air of young queen. Lawrence watched
her with glance in which admiration and
vexation were curiously blended. .a
"The superb little vixen " he muttered
between his teeth. 'sWhat evil genius has
put that hospital idea in her head? How
ever, it can't make any difference; he must
be dead long ago. Only l wishlI could
have dissuaded her, for if Pooh!'' he
broke off suddenly, there's no use both
ering myself with such an exceedingly i'm
probable superstition. wonder what makes
me love that girl better the more she sets
me at defiance? Why can't I scorn her as
she scorns me? It's curious psychology
cal puzzle, the ins and outs of that throb-
bling, passionate thing that we call a heart !
By all the Powers! she shall be mine if
peril my own soul to win her,"
The MONDAY sunshine lay brightly on
the floor of the long barrack room, with its
wooden ceiling, and range OF narrow pal
lets on either side, and Grace Bryan felt
sick giddiness Keeling through her brain as
she saw the pale, CHASTITY faces outlined
against pillows scarcely whittier than them
selves-the shattered arms-the mangled
limbs bound down to wooden stretchers-
the expressionless faces whence life and
light were drifting away into the shoreless
tide, side by side with muscles all racked
and contorted by fierce spasms of pain!
This, then, was hospital!
'My dearest, you are fainting!"
"No, mamma, l am not, said Grace,
resolutely battling with the involuntary
recoil of her whole physical nature. "Let
us go on. l feel quite well now"
How the sunken eyes of the sick men
frightened as the fair, slight figure bent
above them with gentle words of plying
encouragement healthful remem.
brances of absent mother and sister love
returned to them with the touch of her
long, soft curls upon their burning fore
heads-the cool contact of her hand against
their fevered palms! And as she passed
on, strength and courage came back, and
the surgeon himself wondered at her nerve
and calmness
They had reached the last of the white
beds, where an attenuated figure was sup
ported among pillows, with an open book
before him. Not reading, however. The
heavy eyelids dropped above the hollow
cheeks, as if slumber had weighed them
down, and there was a sort Of weary re-
pose Swallowed over the sharpened features.
"He is asleep, do not disturb him ~
murmured Grace, under her breath.
No, he is not asleep said the sur
geon; "and this is one of the cases in
which I most pride myself Just gone
when he was brought here-dreadfully
wounded at Fredericksburg, but he is in
fair way to recover now, thanks to our
new system. Come little nearer-hell
be glad to see you'll"
The heavy lashes were slowly lifted at
the sound of their footsteps, disclosing
dark, grave eyes full of the strange mystic
ry that only comes to those who have stood
on Deaths threshold and seen the flow of
the dark, dark river!
"Harral! what's the matter! Speak to
mel" exclaimed the surgeon in dire plex-
ity. "a glass of wine, johnson, quick
he's swOOning again.
Where were your eyes, good Esculapius,
to imagine that John Harral could swoon
with those futtering fingers in bis own,
those blue eyes pouring tides of eager
light into his uplifted heart? Your Phar-
macopeia knows no such remedies as
these!
II knew you would come, Grace. 1
knew you would not leave me all Alone"
he murmured, with the passive bliss of a
child who awakes from hideous dreams to
find his face against his mothers bosom.
For Grace Bryan had laid her cheek on
his pillow and breathed one whisper into
his cara whisper that was like the pull
sing of magnetic life through his veins.
"Tell me once more that you love me!
Let me hear it over and over, dearest!"
he said, with closed eyes.
''Ah, shall soon be well now!"
1t was not until they were in the open
air, safe beyond the hospital ward, that
Grace Bryan fulfilled the Captains predic-
ton, and tainted.
"Of course; didn't I tell you it would
be SOP" triumphantly exclaimed Capt.
Lawrence twisting the fingers of his huck