Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-02-16
"What is the matter, dear, arc you sick?'


questioned she.
"Only tired, said he with a weary look.
| After the table wasclearcd and the kitchen
once more in order, Marian went in and sat
down on her husband knee and looked ten
dcrly up in his face saying:
81 know you work too hard John. You
must be careful of yourself Some of these
DAYS you will take sick and die, and then
what will become of poor little Grace and mei
Oh, John, it would kill me to lose you "
and tear fell wilfully down against her
check
Her husband did not answer, but he felt
truly that such tender flower needed tender
and loving care, or it would be blighted. -
lie looked out of the window-the landscape
looked dreary.
Il am sure you do not feel well what
can do for you?'
John Elmer forced her anxious face down
upon his bosom that he might not see how
sweet it was, then he said
Marian, wife, ! have unpleasant news
for you can you listen to me now? 1t will
effect us materially"
His speech blinded her perception. She
asked
"Have your wages been reduced? know
old Mr. Hugh is very stingy Perhaps we
can get along though, if we are very saving,
if the winter is so hard. could get along
almost anyhow with you and baby"
The strong man bowed his head ever hers
and groaned. The trial of their lives was
upon them. How should he tell her the
Marian" he faltercd. "Marian, am
Drafted ~
She started-showed him a white terrified
face, and then she was very still. 1t was
over. He had told her, and that patient
passionate, earnest heart had been sentenced
to its torture. She lay very still in his arms,
moaning as one means when hope has been
overcome by life. This was the skeleton
she had tried to hide, and, now how naked,
how distinct and terrible-how ghastly it
I stood up before her! What woman heart
l suffers-what it beares-what it breaks with,
: was coming to this child-woman.
d Baby Grace wakened up and stretched out
n her arms and smiled. Marian arose slowly
/ and went and raised her to her bosom -
d She had given up John as to death, and she
e felt this was all that was left her. The night
n fell as it had fallen upon her heart.
John Elmer could have bought his life fol
d could buy it. Three hundred dollars is {
4 ptiful amount, but for want of it Marian
it heart was beginning to petrify. Marian die
le what she could 1t was but little, tha
A. which she could not do was killing her. H
le could make no provisions for wife or child
n there was none in his power. He woul,
h leave them in the care of Him who fed tn,
A. ravens. The morning came when John FL
mer was to leave his home-dark and rain
ID -cold and oh so dreary. He felt that
r, was for the last time. He parted frol
at Marian-oh what parting So wretched
= so sorrowful! 1t was just like a soul tor
- from the body-he looked into her tace--h
er saw nothing but anguish; and that strane
It. stiffness which sometimes comes unaccoun
i'd ably over children was upon Grace. ii
ds snatched himself away-he dared not loo
ID back. Marian took up her child, clio.
it.. against her bosom, so close it struggled
lie get free, and turned and went in. A ric
e. stakeholder remarked at dinner that da
sy having paid six hundred for his two sons :
". THAT copperhead Elmer went to day
iy could not raise the 'spondulicks Goo
ID enough for him--he might have vountee,
ne ed long ago.
ir Such sympathy had Marian.
We Weeks and months passed on. 1t wa
of dreary with Marian oh, so lonely. She ha
~ nothing but Grace now. She heard frOl
ne John but seldom. 1t was very seldom b
,e sent her money, for the wages of dratte
a man are not wonderful and it was hard t
n, make the ends meet. The winter was com
,g on, and every thing was going up her hous
ly rent had fallen due, and she was in need c
Lh wood. Strange what changes arc wrough
ne in so short a time. From the modest eas
a Marian was coming to want--it might be t
ut suffering or starvation--she could not tel
ct She left her baby and went out to hunt ft
ce work. She had her sewing machine an
h. she could sew. She had not counted tn
20 difficulties. Her husband was a drafted ma
nd a "butternut" they had nothing for he
to do. They gave their work to Union vo
ne unteers. Marian looked in their faces an
n wondered what they meant. Was belief
ut reproach? Was it a disgrace to be drafted
ed lfso, it fell upon him. She was proud--th
he little woman. But when she went back ar
found Grace crying for her, and the roo
at cold, her pride began to give way to dispai
NJ One day came letter to Marian. She rea
en- it tear essly, but twas the wedge that, drive
in sharply in, divided the already broken hear
nd 1t was from companion of Johns tellir
air how he had been unable to bear the roug
ss- usages of war, how he had fallen i'll, and O
Ter ter lying long time in the hospital, he
, died. He should have written her befo
| a but had been separated from John on deta,
,at service during his sickness Then it spoil
ch of his gallantry, his close observance of h
of assumed duties, etc. But what matter,
3 if all this to Marian? He was dead-he W
ust gone-she could never, never see his de
ing face again. She would never be held in
bic arms-never feel the pressure of his kiss
sat He was dead and Grace was fatherless. B
ing Marian grief was silent She rose up a
IN, took up her burden, and thought she wou
tile live for the sake of the little one. But
,ic- was hard work to live. She got some lit
nes work to do, but she could only rent o
the room now, and barely keep them in food.
ark Sometimes they had no fire for an ent
her day. Even Marian's health suffered, a
she the child took severe cold that ended
by the Group and terminated its little life.
of Marian thought she had suffered her f
ok measure of loss, but when this last and ol
it. treasure was taken away, the last tie IL
per bound her to this life was broken WI
uts was country to her? In all its length a
its breadth-she had none to love her--no sr
ith in its boundaries she could call her home
cen What was it to her that the country shor
be saved? She was dying Of grief a
, in starvation.
adv Work became scarce and hard to get.
Some one was always before her. One