The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-03-20

the two fingered over the fire in the little
dressing room between their two rooms,
and talked together as girls do after balls.
Only Ethel was more silent than usual, and
her cousin Grace watched her anxionsly
but furtively. t
"Have you lost something?" Grace
inquired at length, with covert meaning
in her tone. -t...l ,.u =.
"No, I believe not, glancing at rings
and bracelets. IT.
"Lost not good word, perhaps mean
have you not thrown away something to-
night which you will want, and seek for
vainly as the year goes on?" -.., ..' .
Ethel's eyes fell beneath the keen yet
kindly glance which searched her face.
Her cheeks colored. Her answer was a
question scarcely to the point.
"How do you know everything, Grace ?
How did you guess this?"
81 saw it all in a pantomine. Words
could not have been SO expressive as your
face and his. I am sorry for believe you
love him." 'l''.H.i 81.
81 fear I do. But he. did not ask me
that; he only asked me if I could be his
wife?" -. rs ... 'e..t2 to..
"And you told him no2 am sorry,
for do not think he will ever ask again.
If you love him why not marry him?"
"Because l feared might stop loving
him some day. To live the listless aimless
life we women do is bad enough. It Of
tends both my tastes and my principles to
see man idling away his life in this work,
where SO many harvest fields are watt
ing" .. ~. .. .sls.a-t.o o.
Grace looked at her cousin with a
changed expression.
II thought / understood you Ethel, and
yet l should never have given you credit
for such reason. What you say is GER
tainly right in the main, only do not
think it applies to Mr.. Revere. There is
a difference between an idle, aimless life,
and one of waiting till ones right work
comes" a....
"What makes you reckon Mr.. Revere
among the waiters?''
because it is not in his nature to like
idleness. or inaction can see that he is
restive under it. But he is not fond of
vain labor or wasting strength. Did you
never learn that those who wait serve al
so? Howard Revere's time will come, and
his life will be one not to shame any wo-
man that loved him. But it's useless talk
ing now. 1t would not be like him ever to
say over again what he said tonight
Ethel Darricott tried to be light-hearted
when she was alone; but it was clear
failure, and she gave up at last to the tears
that would come. Her cousins words dis
quieted her strangely. Had she, indeed,
thrown away the one pure pearl Fate would
proffer her in this life, and would it's white
glory never again gladden. hearts and eyes,
though she should seek a place of repent
ance even with tears?
So it went on till the surrender of Sum-
ter, and the call which summoned the loyal
| North to arms. Among the first to volun-
! teer his services was the man she had
thought so fond of ease and self, so fearful
of fatigue, SO laggard in the race of life.
His name was enrolled as private at first,
| but his company chose him for captain,
and so Captain Revere led them on to the
! defence Of Washington.
Before he left he called 70 bid Ethel
goodbye, but other guests were in the
drawing room, and he did not see her
alone. Only when he was leaving she
stepped to- the door, with him, and he held
her hand for moment. Perhaps that
touch conjured his soul to his lips. AT
ANY rate he said what he had not meant
! to say. -h
"Iou are not all to me that l once
hoped you would be, Ethel! but you are
my friend, are you not? You will think OF
me sometimes, and be sorry for me little
if 1 fall?" 'adH
"You will not fall, Ethel said resolute-
ly, forcing back the tears that threatened
to choke her. 81 shall welcome you, and
be proud of my friend.'
II l do not como back" he said,
wringing her hand as he turned away,
"God bless You. l have not changed in
my estimation Of you because your heart
would not let you be altogether mine"
He went away with those words, and
then Ethel knew how she loved him.
The next day came-the soldiers were
gone, and Ethel Darricott tried to take up
cheerfully the remnant of life which was
left to her. The best half and the dearest.
she felt, was gone with him but much re-
mained to do, somewhat even to rejoice
in. She was not more exacting of others
than she was of herself To have yielded
idly to her grief would have been to be false
to her ideal. Even her own father saw
no change in her. eSa1
So the months passed on for more than
a year even to the terrible six days Of
fighting before Richmond. In all this time
Captain Revere had never been seriously
wounded, and had never left the post o1
duty. Other men took furloughs-- some
on slight pretexts-and came home but
he never. Perhaps he 1elt that he had nc
true home, and no hope to lure him north.
ward, and SO grew reckless of life.
| Miss DarricOtt meanwhile watched the
papers anxiously. She saw his name Otter
where brave deeds were told, heroic yalol