The Portland daily press., 1865-02-25
Saturday Morning, Feb. 25, 1865.
She made a Man of Him.
BY HOWARD GLYDoN.

BY HOWARD GLYDoN.
Fred. Harper coming in to see Hattie Evans
one evening, opened his eyes to an unusual
extent at the sight of the Union badge worn
coqnettishly upon the white shoulder, gleam-
ing through its transparent muslin.
Hattie was enthusiastic about a new project
which had just been broached in the social
circles Of Milford 1t was proposed to form
company OF tne young men OF the place to
join one OF the regiments being sent by the
State to the Army of the Potomac. But this
company was to be composed entirely of Sc
lect material, the young men of a certain set.
all OF whom were known to each other The
idea had originated among the young ladies of
the place, VINO had entered into the work heart
and soul, and who were stimulating the young
men by smiles, threats or persuasions as the
case might require. @
Hattie Evans had constituted herself VOL
unteer recruiting sergeant and had been i'm
mensely successful. Fred. Harper was absent
In New York on law business for his father
when the thing was started, therefore. as we
have said, he opened his eyes on his return
home, on beholding the existing state ofthings.
be was quiet, dreamy sort OF young man,
very sentimental and very poetical, slight and
small OF figure, with wonderfully developed
head brown curls,-the eyes and forehead of
poet,-and was always tsighing like fur
mace When he wasn't writing awIully improb-
able poetry, as Hattie expressed it. ~
Hattie was bright, wholesome, practical
girl-healthy OF mind and body; and pretty
enough to make even want of sentiment in
herself seem sprightly and attractive. She
had no doubt as to Fred's decision on the vol
unteer question. or course he would 90, and
by his bravery win generals Commission
She did not even think it necessary to ask him
if he intended to go. ~ W
But Frsd's mother-a lady with an execu-
tive nose and likewise an executive DISPOSE
tion-had decided it the other way for him.
She wasn't particularly patriotic, and having
husband whom she snubbed and did not
love excessively, was prone to concentrate all
the sentiment of her nature on this sole scion
of her heart aud house, as Fred truly was.-
Moreover Fred, being gentle and yielding of
disposition in all ordinary matters, had never
disputed question with his mother in his life,
or If he had, certainly, it was only to come off
second best. So Mrs. Harper had come 10
think that she was to rule her son all his life.
Aud she did not like Hattie Evans over much,
but she comforted herself with the reflection
that she might rule herson's wife as well sher
son, if he must get married-and she was too
sensible to expect him to live single all his
life. 9E5gQ
so when Mrs. Harper said, you shan't 90, ?
Fred was in sore strait, for he knew that
Hattie would say, you must go.' His mother
threatened to go into o decline and die out Of
hand If he persisted in exposing himself to
the chances of being sun-struck or bullet
struck, while Hattie would doubt his cour-
ageif he remained behind. Finally, habit and
Mrs, Harper gained the mastery, and Fred
succumbed. He went to Hattie and told her
Of it.; she saw that even then she could have
influenced him to make far different decis-
ion. At first her eyes flashed and spirited
words sprang to her lips; then she thought
1T is his mother God forbid that I should
come between mother and sonp And her
head dropped. Therefore she said no word
in opposition to his determination, but she was
very silent for the rest of the evening.
She had the night to think over the matter,
and in the morning she arose pale but strong,
and wrote to Fred this letter: -
'You must be dear to me. My terrible struggle
with my heart last night has told me holc dear. But
with pride is stronger than love- Fred will moi
say word to you against what you have decided upon
cannot stand between mother and But should
be hypocrite If did not tell you now for ALL
that can never marry man whose sense of dnty is
sefn F
Fred. needed some such shock as this tc
rouse him to the stern realities of life. Here.
tofore he had been dreamer, and had been
nurtured so tenderly into manhood by mis-.
taken mother, that he was well nigh spoilt for
al manly purposes.
With a woman's instinct, Hattie knew this
and she also knew that the present crisis was
the turning point of his life.
He sighed and protested, and wrote dolefu
verses, all to no purpose. Hattie was firm
the engagement was broken; and Mrs Har
per exulted greatly thereat.
But Fred. grew gloomy and thoughtful anC
one morning his mother found letter under
her plate at the breakfast table, bidding hel
goodbye, and stating that he had taken the
early train to join his regiment at Washing
ton. She went into awful Mysteries, and on
coming out of them went directly to Hattie's
home, and then upbraided her as the murder
er of her only SON., laying it all to her charge
and If he should die or be killed, his blood
would be upon her head; and then went of
into second ft. .ss Hsf h,a 4c4 i
Hattie felt as if some one had stabbed he
in the heart. She felt that Fred. was right il
going, and she loved him better than ever fo
it; but it was terrible to feel that he nigh
have gone to his death, and worse: if hl
should be killed, that, while she would gC
mourning all her life, his mother would Law
that terrible responsibility upon her shoulders
But what could she have done? She could not
marry coward. sf--
Thereafter, Hattie lived as one lives who
holds his breath in constant dread of some
awful catastrophe. Time went on he wa,
well, and getting to be in love with soldiers
life; he bad been in several battles, and had
been promoted. Oh! how proud Hattie was
of him 1t had needed only this trial to bring
out his really noble character in all its
strength. Hattie was satisfied, and leant up
ON here love for him with perfect faith.
By-andby came the news, 'Hooker's across
and all the terrible fightings of that ill-fate,
advance across the Rappahannock. And thu
tidings came that Captain Fred Harper ha,
been brought to Washington, fatally wound
ed, it was thought.
Mrs. Harper went wild.
oh, Hattie Evans, you have killed my son
and took to her bed An
But Hattie Evans rose up and began to pre-
pare for journey.
Where are you going?' they said.
And she answered them:
TO Washington, to bring him home; or t
stay with him until the last
And she did go with the escort that wen
for that purpose. Every hour and every min
ute she was haunted by the vision of dea,
face, and motionless figure stifening int,
that terrible quiet which comes to us onl,
once. Oh, Godl how hard to realize Ill
With this figure before her eyes. she stem
ped from the cars at the Washington dennt
and did not see an officer with his arm in ,
sling, who was likewise looking at someth;nt
In the distance, until che came into collision
with him, and was nearly thrown down. He
raised his cap and turned quickly to apologize
and the living face usurped the place az IN,
dead onel 1t was Fred Harper.
Coming back to life out of death is some
thing like the way in which she felt how ali
fully realized that he was a flesh and bloc