Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-08-25
from Harp er's Weekly
CLARA'S PLEDGE.
you are in earnest, Clara
/. T am-most certainly


attributes of humanity yon might fancy it |
transformed into such a woman as Clara |!
Neade-delicate and fragile, with blue Sc
rious eyes, and folds of chestnut hair knotted |
low upon her neck.
She sat by the open window watching a |
tiny brown bird rock on the branches of a I
blossoming linden in the park below, while !
the yellow sunshine turned her hair to auburn
depths, and the roar Of the great city sound
ed dimly in her ear, and Olive Byington, |
kneeling at her side, played with the rings
upon her white, slim fingers.
You have signed the pledge, Clara ?"
eyes, and mean to keep it."
ooh but Clara" coaxed the little bru-
nette, " it don't say you're not to wear all
those pretty dresses you have already made
up-it says only you are not to buy any thing
new of foreign manufacture"
'The letter Of the pledge may intimate
some such thing, Olive. have given i'll my
adhesion to its spirit"
81 don't see any necessity for being 50
very particular
"But do. Oh, Olive, could | have the
heart to wear diamonds and laces and rain
bow silks when so many lives are laid down
without murmur +"
THAT beautiful crimson silk " sighed Oh
i've, leaning over to arrange the lustrous folds
Vi 5uptlD CNCiiIIl1 AlCoo Ghdt O4l " vi 'htl
opposite Clara shuddered.
''Do YOU know what [ fanced, Olive, the
night | wore it first, and the news came from
the Wilderness?"
"No what =:
az imagined there was blood in all its Grim
son shine; L almost looked to see the dark
drops fall p
Nonsense, Clara you are fanciful. Aud
the pearl necklace you have never once
worn !"
81 could not wear it, dear; it would be like
clasping round my neck the tears of widows
and orphans who have given up their best and
bravest !"
''But, Clara, this is all romantic fantasy
What good do you suppose it will do the Ar
my of the Potomac for you to lock up all
your rich dresses and India silks, and 90
into nuns costume of calico and lnsey-
wOolsey?"
Listen, Olive !" said Clara, softly, while
the blue light in her eyes seemed to glow in
to tremulOus sapphires, and a faint crimson
burned on either cheek-'do you suppose it
will do our soldierheroes no good to know
that we, their wives sisters, daughters, have
laid aside the gaudy trappings that drain
away the country,s wealth, and are crushing
our petty vanities for their sakeS? 1t is easy
to give money, but it is not so easy to deny
ourselves these daily articles of luxury. Can
not we make one trihing sacrifice in memory
of those who have given up home, and com
fort, and life itself for US Oh, l am sick of
hearing cashmere shawls rustic past the SOM
bre weeds of the bereaved ones | am tired
of seeing diamonds shine over the fresh sod
of made graves. Is it meet or sCemIy
that we should lavish money on this absurd
display when Want stalks grimlY Ill our midst
and the soldiers helpless orphans lack their
daily bread p
GLOW can you speak Of such dreadful
things ?" said Olive, complainingly.
"They make you shudder and grow pale do
they, the mere mention Of them? What
must it be to endure them ,"
C am snre am not to blame for them"
said Olive. t. didn't make the war, and !
don't see how it will help matters for me to
turn myself into homespun fright
Clara sighed, remembering that Olive BY
ington was the representative Of other wo-
men innumerable on whom argument and per
suasion were alike wasted.
But, Clara" went on the little brunette,
tripping to the mirror so as more satistacto-
rily to adjust a scarlet geranium that had
fallen from her glossy black hair this is
better in theory than practice You c@5sT
wear calico to Mrs. Eytnges tomorrow
night +"
She nodded triumphantly us she spoke.
&C Can't T."
"No!"
You will see"
',.Clara you never will be so absurd-so
Quixotic"
Clara did not answer she was leaning over
the roses that filled the balcony, and thinking
of something sweet, vet sad, for there was a
smile on her lips even while a crystal drop
sparkles through her eyelashes.
"All aboard " shrieked the conductor
There was a rush for the platform-a shower
of sparks surging up from the grimy smoke
stack of the locomotive, and the long train
began to move.
And just the last car glided slowly past
the station a tall soldier rushed from the
cotfee-room, and sprang recklessly on board,
nearly knocking over the two or three lOung-
ers who were setting the Rules and Regula-
tions" of the Company at defiance by riding
on the platform in the teeth OF law and order.
Halo !" calculated the new conner; g
came within one of being left and that ras
cal who sells cigars told me there was plenty
of time. Before I'll believe the perured
villain again! beg yonr pardon, Sir; |
hope my head wasn't harder than your metal
buttons, for Why, it's Walter Vivian !"
"of course it is" said Captain Vivian,
coolly; land if you'd been Just a whit less
lucky in catching the car-guards you would
have been the late Private Byington."
"Well, you see I'm pretty well used to
hair breadth escapes" said Byington, laugh
ing Have u cigar? No? Perhaps YOU
are right l don't myself think they ever
saw the shores of Havana. Are you home
ward-bound
For day or twO-yes.'
$50 am l. just ran down to Philadelphia
this morning on some regimental business for
the Colonel, and I'm hurryng back to dance
the German with Kate Eytinge tonight. Are
you going Though of course you are"
Il thought of it. How are the ladies in
Gramercy Park? Your sister is well?"
Olive? Yes Quite well enough to tor
ment me out of my life with her Central
Park parties, and her receptions, and ten
thousand other absurd ideas"
"And your cousin, Miss Meade"
"All right. They've got the house full Of
milliners and dress-mak"rs, getting 'em up
for Saratoga or Newport, or some such folly.
What a lot of money it does take to rig 4
woman up, to be sure Talk about the coun-
try's being poor | should like Uncle Abe to
look over Olives bills this Summer. l guess
I'll inclose 'em to him, marked Private and
Confidential ="
And Martin Byington burst into laugh
that fairly shook the platform.
Captain Vivian's face grew grave-almost
stern.
q thought the ladies of New York had
bound themselves by pledge, Or something
of that sort, to put down this reckless tide of
extravaganza"
''Oh, that's all CANNON" said Martin. trim