The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-07-29

But as the autumn advanced, her strength
was renewed, and she took fresh courage !;
for now she was able to add her earnings to
the family income. She had long left the
comfortable apartments they had occupied
and now she occupied but one room in din
gy tenant house Of an uptown street, swarm
ing with persons as poor as she, and several
degrees lower in the scale of refinement
Alice, pretty child Of fourteen, was now
able to aid her both with the housework and
the needle, and she looked forward to spend
ing the winter in comparative comfort-at
least without positive fear of suffering.
John had passed through SO many battles
unharmed, that she had begun to hope that
he might still be passed by. But ner hopes
we're not destined to fulfllment. The town
rang with the tidings Of some gallant act
reconnaissance or raid-in which little band
had achieved wonders Of bravery. Joy was
on many faces, but Mary Hillyer. was sad,
for John had shared the peril but not the
triumph. Desperately wounded in the COM
mencemsnt of the action, he was lying at
the point Of death in hospital, while the city
rang with rejoicings.
There are wives that can hasten to the side
of their wounded husbands at 6rst tidings
of their sufferings. But for the poor there
is no such consolation. For them is the az
ony of suspense, the terrible waiting for IT,
dings, which may be those Of death, while
they may not minister to the wants Of the
sufferer, pining, perhaps, for their presence
with longing equal to their own.
And so Mary wept and worked on in her
poor home, and far away upon the hospital
cot John struggled and suffered, and, at last,
was pronounced convalescent. They gave
him furlough, then, and he came home
Both had just passed through the deepe't
trouble of their lives hitherto. When they
met once more, changed and worn a. they
were, they threw sorrow backward to the
past, and life grew beautiful and glad once
more. They hardly believed their could be
more trials in store for them. And yet the
bitterest was to come!
! John had taken cold on his way home
He made light Of it, and protested that a
few days Of Mary's nursing would make him
we'll again. Mary was anxious, but abe
tried to believe, and she knew her hand had
lost nothing of its loving skill. But this
time she was not successful. Alarming
symptoms set in, and the physician was 20
moned. And then followed weeks of dam
gsroas illness, when all thought and effort Of
the devoted wife we're merged in this-to
save, if it might be. the beloved life.
And SO the winter, from which she had
hoped so much, wore away, till almost its
last weeks had passed. John recovered and
resained measure Of strength. Almost d
shadow of the robust Englishman who ELI
listed in 81, but still as we'll a. wounds and
disease would permit him to be, be returned
to duty at the close of his already thrice ex
tended furlough.
This was far sadder parting than the
first Something Of pagsantry and romance
had clothed their idea of war before-now
they knew it in all its grim and dire reality
And each foreboded well the hardships tina
lay before them. Nevertheless the parting
was inevitable, and they bore it without use
less lamentation.
John had left bis family at first in compar
ative comfort, but they nov sank into ex-
treme poverty and dsstitution. Again month
had elapsed since he had been paid. E!he,
he came home the pttance from the relic
fund had been stopped, and his illness hat
prevented Mary from adding one cent Of in
come by her needle. One by one their fe,
remaining luxuries had been pawned, then
as means Of supplying his wants and Of Pre-
curing food were needed, every Household
article that could possibly be spared. Cloth
ing, books,-all went for the pit:ance tha
should keep starvation from the door. An
in the bare and desolate room, despoiled G
= all semblance to home, John was oblige
J. to leave those he had once 50 tenderly cher
I ished.
"When am gone, ,Mary,they will give the
;. three dollars per week from the city fund
he whispered tenderly, "and when Marc
;, comes shall be paid"
1t was all the comfort he could give. Ho
% gladly would he have made it more.
,e Three dollars per week! 1t barely,
j. these days Of high prices, purchased bres
at for the children's mouths. And then can
,e season of severe cold, and there was I
i. fuel-no money to procure it. The last sh
g. ling had been spent for loaf, and the Int
< family gathered on bitter night, in the
Or fireless room, striving by drawing closely
IA each other to derive some warmth from Il
W contact. Fiercer and fercer the wind howle,
" the cold grew more intense. They moan
in and shivered away the long hours Of dar
ness.
IS. Another day came and the children ere
r. out to gather fuel in the streets, and fonl
ID, enough for one brief tiny blaze that scarce
to warmed ther stiffened hands. They We
- not beggers, or, perhaps, they had not Gre
ce, beneath the ragged quilt that sheltered tn