The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1864-04-14
From the New York Methodist.
LITTLE HRLPERS.

thNlNO Va " az RbNA
seated at the open door of a very small
old house in the suburbs ola great city
Are you sick, or dses your leg hur
you very muchl'
Neither, Ellen, Neither, said tho old
man. laying down the newspaper he had
been reading when the little girl ad.
dressed him. But worse, much worse
than that, is the cause Of my sorry now,
Our dear country is in danger. Fort
Sumter has surrendered, aud our flag
has been insulled; and there must be a
dreadful war TO viudicate our rights and
sustain our government
'0h, grandfather, must there be more
dreadful fighting like that you have
told us so much about? and must mo,e
poor men lose their legs and arms as
you did on the field of battlel'
'Yes, Ellen, many, many lives must
be sacrificed before this country can
ogain enjoy the blessings Of peace and
prosperity The old man heaved a
deep sigh as he arose feeble from his
chair and entered the house.
William Duncan was an old soldier
oil the war of 1919. He enlisted from
pure love of his country, leaving his
home far in the interior of his native
State, and o vile and three sons. Soon
after he left his home, his twos Oldest
boys Joined him, and together they
fought for their country's honor. Both
ofhis sons were killed, and he was ear.
ried to an hospital with the loss of leg
and arm. For many weary months his
life was despaired Of, and his final re.
covery left him but the shattered rem
nance of his once vigorous frame. He
returned to his native village, after
three years absence, to end his wife
dead and his only son a widower, with
Two little girls. His sons health had
never been good, and sorrow forlhc loss
Of his wife had hel ped to make hin a
confirmed invalid. The little farm, once
SO productive under the care Of father
and sons, had rapidly decreased in val,
ue when left solely to the charge Of the
SICK and dispirited E1an, aad the merest
pittiance was all that was left for the
wounded soldier, the sick N an, and two
infant children.
The eaefgy which had supported
Wnlisrn Duncan in so many trials and
sorrows did not fail him now. He re-
membered during his long confinement
iu4hat cils4ha.had, seen .salall shops.s
where various commodities suitable for
the very poor were sold-succeed, and
enable their owners TO live comfortable
when their wants we're small. He knew
himself to be Judge Of many kinds Of
articles, and he thought his son could
tend the shop while he purchased the
small wares necessary. He had board
ed for Il short time with widow in the
suburbs Of the city, whose dwelling
Joined one of these little shops; and as
he remembered her uufailing kindness
10 him, he thought it probable that she
would care for the little girls.
He wrote to his old friend, and re-
ccivsd the gratifying intelligence that
the shop he so well remembered was to
lot at very moderate Vont. In short
time the little farm was sold and the
profits vested in the shop, and William
Duncan was every day 10 be seen pur'
chasing the small stores necessary for
It's support. Good milk, fresh eggs and
vegetables, sweet bread, and all that his
means would allow, were always 10 be
had there, but the profits we're SO very
small that it barely sufliced to keep the
four persons dependent on it supplied
with the necessaries Of life,
Still they were very happy. The sit
ualion was so remote from the ceatre Of
the city that fresh air was plenty, and
the little girls grew hardy and strong,
Ellen, the oldest, was child Of usual
promise; not pretty or attractive in any
way to strangers, but gifted with re-.
Elective mind and facility for acquiring
knowledge which made her progress in
the schools to which her grandfather
could afford to send her very remarka-
bic. Her memory was very retentive,
and Bible history and the history Of our
country were very familiar to her. Her
great delight was to hear her grondfath'
Rr's stories Of the battles in which he
bore his part, and many tears were shed
over the sad story of brave men dying
in hospitals away from friends and
home; Of loving messages TO mothers,
wives, or children, whispered by dying
men TO comrades who never left the
walls Of the hospital 70 carry the sad ba'
dear words to the anxious, Crpcctant
hearts at home, Many asorrOwful part
ing had It been William Duncun's fate
to watch, and many dying soldier
blessed the kind manned man, who wal
never weary in the task Of trying t
cheer and sustain those whose work OIL