Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-03-10

'Ihey dldnt tell me, sir. 1he girl
was all in furry, and said, "Please ask
Mrs Catherwood to come right in"
No delay occurred. Without stopping
for shawl or hood, Mrs Catherwood ran
in to her afflicted neighbor. Mr. Gather
wood followed soon after, thinking he
might be of some use. He learned that
dispatch had been received announcing
the death of Captain Lester in Western
Virginia, and that Mrs Lester had tainted
on hearing the intelligence, and was still
insensible. Two children, boy and a
girl, one six and the other eight years of
age, came with noiseless steps into the
parlor. On seeing Mr.. Catherwood they
paused with timid air. lie held out
his hand, and they came and set down
on the sofa one on each side, and leaned
their heads against him There was
something wrong in the house--their
mother was i'll, suddenly and strangely.
No tongue yet had uttered the fatal truth
in their ears They did not know that
they were fatheriess. But they felt the
chill and shadow of impending evil. Mr..
Catherwoods heart grew faint and his
eyes wet. He could not trust his voice
to speak to the children; but he put his
arms around them.
Mammals SICK" said the little girl,
looking up at Mr.. Catherwood with a
sober face, as he drew her, with tender,
pittying impulse, to his side
Pm very sorry" he answered her,
softly.
"And I'm so sorry" responded the
boy. ''But the doctors coming, and
he'll make her well," he added, in a tone
of confidence.
Alas for the unhappy mother! Hers
was sickness beyond the skill of any
mortal physician. Time only, with God S
mercy and loving kindness, could heal
the hurt of her soul.
Mr.. Cathcrwood did not reply, though
he felt that the little troubled hearts be-
side him were waiting for some responsive
assurance from his lips.
Vague sorrows do not rest very heavily
on the hearts of young children. The
unconscious orphans, up later than their
usual hour, were presently asleep, lean
ing against Mr.. Catherwood. The nurse
came in and took them away: How his
heart yearncd towards these children
suddenly left fatherlcss. lie thought of
his own little ones, still within the sphere
of his protecting love of his wife, still
leaning against him as her stay in the
world of himself safe from the peril Of
shot or sabre-stroke, and involuntarily he
looked up, and said, Thank God !"
The doctor came, and stayed an hour
with Mrs. Lester. Life moved again
through her pulses, but unconsciously
continued. There was nothing that Mr..
Catherwood could do for the family, and
he returned home. His wife ca,nc in
soon afterwards the relatives and friends
of Mrs. Lester having arrived and taken
her place in the chamber of the still in
sensible widow. Her eyes were red with
weeping for the sorrow of another-hcr
face pale with pain for the suffering OF
another.
"Oh, Henry! Isn't this sad 2" And
Mrs. Cathcrwood laid her face upon the
shoulder of her husband and 'sobbed
"Poor Mrs. Lester" she added. '.It
will be better for her if her eyes never
again open to the light of this world. II
it were not for her children, could wish
she might pass away and join her hus-
band in the other world"
Mr.. Catherwood made no response.
He was thinking of the complaints he
had uttered little while before and of
his impatience and weak despondency
under his small share of the common
burden which a great national calamity
had laid on the peoples shoulders.
"God has been very good to me,
Henry" said his wife, breaking in upon
his thought, t,-"very, very good l have
my husband. Oh, if you are spared
will suffer whatever evil may come, and
seal my lips in silence. Poor Mrs. Les
ter My heart runs over with sorrow at
the thought of her"
"You have not complained" Mr.. Cath
erwood spoke, in self-humiliation. at
is l who have murmured; | who have
been ungrateful. How sclGshy blind |
was! Looking inward upon our own
little world, with eyes jealous over our
own good-fretting and anxious that the
cost of living had SO increased that some
of our luxuries had to be given up
while the thousands and tens of thou
sands had been called to abandon every
thing-bomes. estates, friends, even life
itself! Yesterday, l met soldier on the
street. Both arms were gone, and the
empty sleeves of his coat hung loosely at
his sides | shall not soon forget the
expression of his fine face There was
humiliation in it. The ultimate power Of
a man is in his hands and arms; and
these were gone. If he had lost both
legs, his arms remaining, the active mind
would yet have the agents by which to
work its will. But, the arms gone, he is
helpless. He cannot put food into his
mouth; he cannot dress himself He
must be almost dependent upon others
l was haunted by the mans image long
after l met him in the street."
at is by contrasting another evil with
our good that we see the greatness of our
blessings" feplied Mrs. Catherwood.
"Oh, my husband! Let us be chary OF
complaint. lest, being accounted un-
worthy, our good to be taken away.
What if we find our income too small for
our present mode of living? Then, let
us eheerfully step down little lower and
thank God for what is left. l lay awake
at night, often, thinking of those who
are suffering up to the climax of human
endurance for their country's sake-of
poor refugees, old meh, tender women
and children driven from their homes,
hunted by blood-hounds; hiding in
swamps and caves; hungry, sick, dying
Of the wounded on battle-felds, perish
ing alone; of the sick wasting in hospi-
tails; Of the myriad forms of anguish
this war has visited upon our peaple.
Oh, Henry! our burden is SO light that
it is sin to complain"
"Say no more, darling p returned Mr..