Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-10-21

Jack ?''
Wanted No, my dear. Not likely.
Why, who are we to go to war with ?
Not with the French, nor yet with Rus
sia or America, nor yet with Germany.
Why, the queens daughter will some
day be empress there"
"Then you don't think there is any
danger then, Jack ?"
Danger? No, my pet; and beside,
what soldier ever thinks about danger?''
''Not about danger, Jack dear, but
about leaving his wife and child
"Hush ! Don't, woman !" he cried,
almost fiercely. 81 can't bear it,
never saw him look so strange be-
fore as he did then, and it was days
before he appeared to get over it really
Then it seemed to be forgotten but /
know now that it always hung over us
both like cloud, though we hid it one
from the other. The years went on,
and we had another and another little
one, and though we were no better off
in money matters, we were very happy,
for better husband, or one prouder
Of his children, never lived. "Neglect
EN-, old woman 2" he used to say.
''No. l hope not. We've got 'em to
take care of, and so we will, as long
as we can. When we can't, they must
buckle to and take care of u.s."
Nothing was ever too hard for him to
do; there was nothing in the way of
work that he would not undertake, and,
from being a well-drilled soldier, he did
it in such an orderly way that the towns
! people liked to get INN to do odd jobs,
and this was very nice, but the draw
back was that they kept him from do
ing anything better.
As | have said, the dread of his be-
| ing called out was always hanging over
us like a cloud, and when the Afghan
war came, he used to get his paper
and read out to me about how the lads
were getting on, and quite flush up
like, as he seemed to grow excited over
what was taking place, my heart used
to sink, and I've laid in bed at night
trembling and in agony lest he should
be wanted again but the good news
came at last of there being peace once
more, aud it was then that found ont
how he had been thinking and reading
about it himself.
"Hooray, old girl, he cried, ''it's all
settled. They won't call out the Re-
serves this time. I'm not afraid to go,
dear, nor should shrink from my duty
as an old soldier, but somehow it would
come hard, just now"
Then the time passed on once more,
and breathed more freely till the news
came of the trouble in Egypt, and once
more ] seemed to be in agony, always
looking forward to the day, and yet
fondlv hoping that what Jack said was
right, and that it would only be in the
case of some great war, or in an emer-
gercy, that the Reserves would be called
out.
Nonsense, my girl" he cried, mer-
rily. "Not for Egypt. They would
not call us out for that. They'll only
want few thousand for that job. "
Don't you make yourself uneasy about
that"
1t was the very next week that l saw
him reading his paper on Sunday morn
ing, as usual, just as he always did over
his pipe when the weeks work was done,
while he read little bits to me of what
he thought would be interesting, and,
that day, war and fighting were as far
from my mind as ever they could be,
till ell at once it struck me that jack
voice was little altered, and as an idea
flashed into my brain, looked up
sharply, and found that he had shifted
himself little so that he had got the
newspaper between us, and that seemed
to make my fancy something certain.
"Jack, said in quick, sharp way,
lyon haven't read anything about the
war in Egypt"
Didn't l 2" he said. "Oh, they're
getting on right enough. l think the
ships'll do all the work. Oh, they'll
polish off the Egyptians and bring the
pyramids back for loot"
got up and pressed the paper down
with my two hands to see that he was
staring at me in a curious, frightened
way.
"Jack," I said, "you're keeping it
back from me. They're going to call
out the Reserves" F"
Yes," he said, letting the paper go
and standing up firm and strong in his
soldierly way; they've settled to have
them out, my girl"
And you'll have to go, Jack ?"
walled.
Yes, dear, I shall have to go like
a man. Like better men than l am who
will have to CO."
There amt no better men, Jack,
nowhere" | cried, as | flung my arms
around his neck, and clung to him.
"No, dear. you can't go-you sha'n't
60" painted. Chow can you leave me
and the childrt tn?"
never felt so proud of my husband
as l did that day, when he streined me
tightly to his breast and said quietly, as
if he was giving orders:
"My little woman is going to be
strong and brave, and to help me in my
trouble. | shall have to go. my darling,
and / will go like a man,"
Yes, Jack" | sobbed piteously,
you shall go like my brave, true hus-
band ; but oh, Jack, it is $3.50 very
hard"
Don't make it harder for me, my
darling" be whispered. "Don't for
Gods sake, don't r
1t seemed to come to me then that it
was my duty to try and help and COM
fort him, and | dashed away the tears
and held his hand in mine, as | laid my
head against his breast
I'm going to be strong, Jack" l
whispered 81 won't make it harder
for you to go-and-and-oh Jack
Jack r.
And then got over it again, and tried
to be cheerful, when had had my cry
out, and chatted and laughed about how