Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1884-12-18

with thoughts that burn and glow
hut would rest
Upon thy breast.
And simply tell thee SO. e
~Lixe Jewels wrought
With gold, ighthought
al set In song for thee;
But take not worse
This little VERGE
OF trust that iitdb Ia me-"
Only after had read these verses did
1 recall Romeo's confidence about
verses writ when everybody was
asleep;" and then, too, / first recog-
nized the handwriting we had adj
mired so much on the package OF
battlefield mementoes. / told no oiH
Of this new knowledge that had come
to me in such astfange way, but simply
handed the paper to Romeo, to be
placed by him under his comrades
pillow before it should be missed,
Not long after this the h0spitable
matron received iutter from her ole
friend Chfistina Rossiter, Just back
frefn Europe. She wrote:
'The circumstances which led us to
go abroad were so embarrassing, and
even painful. that neither tp YOU nor ID
any one did wish to make them known.
do so now because / wish to ask your
aid in making what little amends l may
for my own %ell-meant, but mistaken
acts. You know, my dear friend, how
entirely my whole life and thoughts
have been concentrated upon one Iur-
pose, namely-the welfare of my
daughter Eta. You know the promise
of her early years, and how it Justified
my motherly devotion. 1t was my p.lr-
pose TO spare no pains in cultiveting
ner unusual musical gifts; To give her
the best training this country could
furnish, and afterwards the best
siao.crS abroad. Knowing, AS you do,
she unhappy experience of my own
brief married lite while still in nv
teens, you will not be surprised that an
other thing upon which / was firmly
resolved for Eta was that she should
never marry, or make an engagement
something more than child's choice in
SO important matter. / kept her out
of general society, gave up the house
In New York, and removed to the lovely
end quiet village of Nyack, twenty
four miles away, which offered
likewise the attraction of II good school,
with a fine master of vocal culture.
Alasi it had also aRother attfaetiph 6h
was aware OF it Eta had given her
love to Professor Hatch, lecturer on
English poetry. i wonder now, look
ing back, that had never thought of
this danger, for Etta's enthusiasm for
poetry is second only to her love of
music. myself attended the lectures
en- Spenser. Indeed, it was during
these that l discovered the ever-new
dered the old lines:
sand ever when his eie did her behold
His heart did SCENE to melt in pleasures
manifold"
He may have been very worthy
young man; he probably was. No one
seemed to know much about him, be-
yond the fact of his residence in New
York, whence he came three times a
week to deliver the Institute lectures
that furnished his support while he was
writing poetical composition. In
my sorrow and disappointment chose
to treat the whole affair as a youthful
bot6 that f they T Void R66Id No @
cation with each other during the
two years that Eta and
should remain abroad. BY
this test wished to satisfy myself that
it was likely to be an enduring love; be-
sides, | could not abandon my lifelong
ambition for Etta's musical culture.
She did her best, poor child, to satisfy
me; practiced with faithfulness; but
with dstraughtmanner thatconvinced
me that her thoughts were
often far away, and read the
'Faerie Queen daily. The out
break of the war decided our return
somewhat before the expiration of the
two years. Almost as soon as we had
arrived we learned that on the first call
for troops Professor Hatch enlisted,
and is supposed to have been killed in
the battle of Bull Run. Poor Eta has
said little, but the stricken look in her
face is a constant reproach to me. She
seems now to have but one wish in life
TO serve rs hosuital nurse. shall
the thought of her going to some far
away post, alone and unprotected.
Can YOU, my friend, find place for her
with youp 1t would give her the use
fulness she seeks, and would be great
comfort to
Your sorrowful friend,
CHRISTINA RossITER.
Our good matron was very glad to
accept the proffered service, and
thought best to confide to us the whole
story, lest sometime we should unwit-
tingly wound the feelings of her new
assistant. The story excited our warm
est sympathy. We waited with eager
ness the expected arrival, and were full
of all sorts of tender plans for such
comfort and happiness as we might be
able to bring her. Our affection for
the unseen Eta was almost as great
as our hatred for the unseen Duessa.
Twas atthe hospitalwhe she came. A
slight, fairyoung creature, nearly head
shorter than /, yet with Affirm, steady
look in her large, sad eyes that one felt
that here, Notwithstanding her youth
and petiteness, was woman to lean
upon. How picturesque and lovely she
looked when she had donned the
nurses cap, and was ready for duty!
1t was my privilege to take her
through the hospital. This" said,
as we came to *" els to be your
ward, believe. / am glad of it, be.
cause there is one man here who inter.
ests us all so much. No one can tel
why he does not get well. He"
But had no need to say more the
little nurse had darted from my side
She was kneeling by the bedside O
Juliet, and had drawn his pale, wasted
face to her breast. / heard her sol
"John Oh! John, John!" Then