National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1868-03-20

AOu IL bo WIN y ,1Ou huOW
where it should CO."
Lange found the simple keepsake
where it had all along been careful
ly hidden, and at that moment
Clyde tainted entirely. Firing near
at hand compelled Lange to move
back to his regiment, and with new
er thought but that his friend was
among the dead, he that evening
wrote the promised message to the
little girl up among the mountains,
and enclosed in it the myrtle leaf
she had given when she gave her
troth.
CHAPTER II.
1t was midsummer-time when the
message reached its destination
midsummer amid the gray New
Hampshire hills. There had been
breaths from tie sunny South
which were waited even into the
peaceful valley where the Hammond
homestead was situated, and which
had a taint of blood in them. But
none Of them had breathed upon
the senses of the little home circle
that now waited anxiously for news
from the "boy in blue"
He had been kept safely so long
that they were beginning to think
him proof against the dangers of
war, but when news of the battle
came and was not speedily followed
by assurances Of his welfare, they
doubted. In the midst of their anx-
ious doubling and hoping. came
tho message.
It was just such an one as came
to many and many another home
just such an one as cut to thousands
Of other hearts-saving, perhaps,
the leaf of myrtle. This sanctified,
in certain sense, the grief of Ellen
Vane to herself. She had not
known of his keeping it. He never
had mentioned it i'll his letters, and
she had almost forgotten the giving
of it. How much it had been to
him-how much her memory had
beem1p him--th little faded leaf ell
oq| v told. AS something sa-
cre9y wherefore, she laid it aside.
And as he brought it forth often to
see the picture which it hid from all
others, SO she as often drew it from
its receptacle and read in it a sad
der story than ever a young heart
ought to know, and to see in it 1t
sadder picture than ever loving eyes
ought to behold. The dry leaf was
! to her q semblance Of others of its
kind, which she saw evermorc run.
! Ming over Il lonely grave.
Midsummer died away in a smoky
haze; the harvest moon came
and went with its silver sheen; au.
tumn put on its many.colored robes
of royalty, and reigned in splendor.
Over the Hammond farm, mean
while, the sunlight and moonlight
seemed to shine dimly. Things are
not as they used to be before the
reading of that terrible message.
Nell was merry hearted body, as
Clyde had said. but her merriment
was not now as genuine as formerly
She saw the picture of that lonely
mound alas! too often; and when
n grave comes into the heart the
laugh goes out. The Old folks
whom She endeavored to comfort
seldom spoke Of their loss in hel
presence, but together they spok,
of him who was slain with tender
ness, and of their lonely future will
shade of dependency lightcne,
only by the faith that it would sOol
be brighter "ovcr the river
The duh, lcaden days of Novem
Der crept on apace. There was
chill ia .he heart of Ellen Nanc an,
those whom she knew as father an,
mother; there was a chill in the al
around them. The snow came drift
ing silently down, at length. Dun
ing all the weary day proceeding
Thanksgiving the ieathery flake
iioated through the still atmosphere
while the fields grew white, and til
trees nodded to each other with ne,
and spotless plumes, and the seriI
ga bushes appeared in strangel
grotcsque FORMS. Before the tw
{ light settled over the new earth wit
= an uncertain dimness, Ellen dre'
? forth her myrtle leaf once more, an
e dreamed over, as she looked upon j
/ the brief happiness that gladdene
. her young life, seeing still, throug
b. the thin veil of her dream, the gra,
| that she fancied would never |
, shut out of her sight.
Z Morning Observation-Disclosures
| morning-calm, clear and beautiful
4 Arranged in its white robe the worl
c seemed rs pure as in the long goI
;. Eden days. The hush of holy S
c lenCe was on the air--such hus
as might prelude the Ldus Dec
i all heavens angels. 1t was a
}, day for thank offerings.
n Thanksgiving should be honort
+ ut the Hammond farm house rs
). had been honored there for u ha
7 century. Less joyful pc, naps-
p there would be no merry gathcrin
o no happy meeting of old and yonn
: no laughing evening gamcs--but /
c less sincerely honored. The on
3 breathing OF thankiulness in the o
y mans prayer, after the mornil
r meal, wa no less fervent because of
:, tremor in the voice which uttered
q He could give thanks even am
G his mourning.
Throughout the forenoon Ell,
;, bnsied herself in preparing Il