Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-12-09
Iwrttep fort the Sorthw-st
The Story Of a Knapsack.
BY PHEBE FIELD.

with book in his hand which he was
reading so intentIy that he did not no.
tice my entrance.
"Uncle, will you tell me where this
came from, please?"
Uncle looked up-"O, it is you is it,
Dolly! What ancient relic have you
unearthed now?"
| held it up, only an old knapsack
quite the worse for wear, "Only this,
Uncle" said, and came forward and
leaned on his chair, for, timid as was,
! was not afraid of this good old uncle
who was all the friend had in the
world, all the friend, for | could not
call his cold-hearted wife, or proud and
naughty daughter, friends, though they
treated me well enough, too, in their
way, only always making me feel my
dependent position, and some way car
rying the idea that was sort of object
of charity.
"My husbands poor dead sisters
child" my aunt would say, when
obliged to introduce me to strangers,
which was not often, for seldom ap
peared with the family when there was
company; never, unless my uncle missed
me and asked why was not there, and
that was seldom, for my uncle was a
busy man, full of business cares, and
paying but little attention to social life,
or the individual wants of the family.
He seemed fully satisfied that my
aunt and cousin were capable of taking
care of themselves in all social and do
mestic matters, as indeed they were,
and | have no doubt that he thought
me perfectly happy and contented. And
it would look as though l ought to be;
with comfortable home and plenty OF
food and clothing, and that too, without
being obliged to work-fOr so knew il
appeared to him-why should not q Girl
be happy?
But, o, was far from being happy.
Without the love of father or mother,
sister or brother, with 10 one to contide
in or to go to for sympathy-for though
loved my uncle, he was not one to
invite shrinking girls confidence. Be.
sides I felt that he could not understand
my lone, companionless existance, and
| 1, Ii, r..
saw but little company, and the
greater part of my days were spent in
the sewing room, or sometimes when
had leisure l would roam in the beauti
full grove, or when the weather forbade
that, would spend hours in the garrel
where I was allowed to rulhmage az
much as I desired, and which was 6
favOrite resort of mine.
When mother died and uncle Warner
generously offered me home, Iacceptet
thankfully. In truth | had no othel
place to go, for we were very poor, my
mother and /, and after she was gone
1 had no heart or courage left with
which to fight the battle of life. wa
not willing to be supported and dC
nothing in return, and though at frs
my uncle's wife would not hear of my
doing any work, and professed to b.
highly amused with my yankee no
tions," it was not long before I ha'
plenty to do. 1t soon become a com
mon thing for my aunt to say, "Per
haps Dorthea can do that, you know
she has so much time, and is alway
wishing for something to do"' And
was said so often that my hands wer
kept pretty busy from morning unit
night. But I was glad of it, for felt a
though really and honestly earned al
that l had, and though no one seeme'
aware of the fact, it was o satisfaction
to me.
But this is wandering from my sub
jet, the old knapsack. That day tn
weather had been stormy, and whel
my task for the day, which happene,
to be fixing over an evening dress fo
cousin Eloise, was finished, stole ava
to the garret for quiet hour.
had found box of old letters few
days before, which greatly interests
J me and determined to go and finisl
reading them.
They had been written during tn
war, and were addressed to nv aunt
my uncle's youngest sister, who ha
lived with him before his marriage
which took place shortly before she dice
They were written by friends and schoc
mates, all but one package tied with
faded blue ribbon, and these were low
letters from lover then far away in tt
war. The last one, dated at hospita
wls only feeble scrawl, bidding h,
farewell till they should meet agail
in land where all was peace!
And my tears fell softly, as l read tn
little record of happy love, doomed to
tragic an ending, and I felt glad
think that they were so soon agai
united where nothing could come b
tween them.
AS laid the letters carefully bacl
saw something in the box that I hs
not noticed before, and on drawing
out it proved to be O soldiers kDapsac