The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-04-29

was Ni"U w. i"'0iiiatioh III tnoSe pretty,
plump fingers, and my eye followed the m
admiringly, as she gracefully extended her
hand to me with bill-only one-but then
it nigh. be fifty, or even a hundred dol
larbiIl by this time l rather think | ex-
pected the. latter sum; some rich people
had given five hundred dollar checks; why
not she? didn't t.mean to look at the bill
as took it, yet | could not help seeing it
was one-dollar one! Ny thank you, died
away on my lips, and was barely saved
from an audible exclamation of-of-perhaps
| he'd better say dismay, no. that | have
cooled off. Probably my face expressed a
little Of my feeling, for she said, a, if in re-
ply to it, You have no lea, my dear Mrs.
Newton, how difficult i. is for me to get hold
of money in these days; l was never so
strained in all my life. These are dreadful
times do hope this terrible war will soon
be over
l have ~ clear idea how got out OF the
room; hope not.too preciptately, for what
vas the use of being angry9 But l was
angry boiling over. Hard to get hold of
money: | said, as walked straight up the
street, | couldn't stop anywhere in that frame
Of mind, How did she get enough to buy
ner turs, and her costly morning dress, and
that ne% lounging chair, | should like to
know and that diamond ring which she told
me yesterday she had ordered from New
York for Christmas present to her sister
who is rich enough to buy her own rings, or
90 without. Money. she can get enough for
all her own foolish tancies, and then leave
our poor soldiers to lie down and die for
want Of decent food and clothes And as
thought OF the luxurious seats already in
, those handsome rooms, and of the one Just
brought home at the cost of some thirty CT
/ forty dollars. and then of the dying soldie
in the distant hospital, hot tears ran down
my cheeks, How many poor, poor fellows
might nave had bedqu!its ard warm tiannels
bought for them for half that money?
Can it be- cried, that any New England
woman, in such Il time as this, should wrap
herself round with luxuries and forget her
country and its needs. Have We no patriot,
ism, 10 real love for the great principles at
lake. Do We only talk about our love fo-
j!sljce and freedom, yet never get our sous
HIt-d w.t. desire to Go something TO Sus-
,a;n them? Shall cur country be in this
imminent peril, rocked TO and fro by couyui-
sionS which may end in It's very death-,hroe
and VI go on eating, and drinking, and
smiling, as if nothing was the matter .
Shall our brave men he shot down. and car
RED manned al! DYING to hospitals, and VT
move about in our silken draperies, Careless
whether they nave a decent garment, or
comfortable covering, or a refreshing draught
to cool their feyerish lips? ii We are so
lost 10 all right feeiing, SO reckless of the
great interests involved, we deserve to be
ruined-to be todien under foot bv our
halghty foes, who at least are entitled TO the
credit Of making sacrifices for the cause they
are maintaining
At length, l calmcd myself enough to re-
member now many are not doing this; but
that any ore woman should, was cause for
shame and indignation. And on cool rehec-
ton. vas compelled to fear that the num-
Der OF those who were really denying them,
selves a single comfort. CT even luxury. was
very small. Why, in the revolution, the
poor old lady who took in spcre. her cup OF
tea, II found out, was held up to public in
dsna.lon what should ~ think of doing
without our coffee every morning? True, it
may be said there is no demand for that self
denial; bat there IS reason for every true
heated woman 10 rouse herself 10 some con-
sideration os the actual condition of the
country, and to some effort to do all she can
n It's behalf. And the woman who gli1es
&n carefully, merely bent on making herself
comfortable and indulging her own ease in
such day as this, is false to the high and
holy du,ies God has set before her. Thank
God, many women are not thus false Bless
ed are the true workers; come what will to
the cause they love, their rewards is sure
for not one true effort fo- the right, not one
sacrifice made in the humblest home shall 60
unseen by Him who saith, Be thou faithful
unto death and will give thee a crown Of
life
| cannot dwell at length on my further
calls. Some gave liberaly, some very little
but it would not be unfair to class them al
under two general divisions, of which Mrs.
Somers AMI Mrs. Maynard were types the
great difference being that there was, or was
not, spirit CT self denial; they either were
or were not, sufficiently interested in the
cause to give up something for it, time, or
strength, or money. Perhaps the most val
liable donation received, The largest, all
things considered, Was fifty cents from poor
I woman VINO goes out washing; she brought
it to me herself l hesitated about taking it.
for knew she had children dependent On
her but there was such light in her eye
as she said, | can just do without SO little
thing, Mrs. Newton; the sick soldiers have
a deal harder time than we do ; that | was
sure that the pleasure of giving it would be
greater tLan of spending it in any othe,