Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-01-07
1lnmth' q Column.
ElI1e's Soldier.

gray cat stFremont," and her dear rag
dolly named Ida Rel. She had a biz
brother, too; but he was not at home
He was soldier.
The big brothers name was Harry
| He had come home one day in a blu,
coat with bright brass buttons, tina
made him look taller and grander thar
ever, Ellie thought; and, when he went
away again, he had taken her up in his
| arms and kissed her very tenderly, and
Ellie noticed that her mothers sweet
face was very pale, and that her father
had to clear his throat a good deal when
he said, ''Good-by; and God bless you,
my boy"
But little Ellie felt very proud to have
soldier brother; and when long letters
came from him, telling funny stories OF
living in tent, with many hundreds OF
other soldiers all in tents, and of cook
ing his dinner over little fire out of
doors, and of marching to the sound of
music, the little girl thought it must all
be like great, big picnic, and that it
was fine thing to ego to the war;
But there came sad time in the little
cottage when the merry letters did not
come, and father and mother said there
had been a great battle, and that Harry
was "missing." Ellie did not know very
well what that meant; but she knew that
weeks and weeks went by, and still there
was no letter. At last she knew, by the
~ IL :.
say when they thought her busy at play.
and by their sober faces, that they were
afraid her big, strong, beautiful brother
would never come home any more.
But little Ellie never believed that,
and every morning she hoped he would
come home that very day, and looked
many times down the road, thinking per-
haps she should see him; and she never
lay down in her little bed at night with
out adding to her prayer, "And please
bless my soldier, and let him come home
tomorrow"
She slept with her sister in a room
right off the sittingroom, and the door
was always left little way open. One
night after she had been asleep a long
time, she awoke suddenly, thinking she
heard voices. Her father often sat up
long after the others were in bed, and
she thought he must be speaking to some
one. Then she heard another voice that
sent thrill all through her little body.
She could not see anything from the cor
ner where her little bed stood, but she
sat up and listened.
A bright light was shining through
from the sitting-room, and she heard
disturb them tonight. I'll lie right
down here on the floor" Ellie's heart
beat so hard that she could not hear
what her father said in reply; but sud
denly the light went out and all was
still.
Who could it have been? Was it, could
it be, the darling brother? 1t was his
voice, surely, but nobody seemed to be
awake now. Her sister was sound asleep
by her. Could she have dreamed it, af-
ter all?
She was only a little girl, and she
soon grew sleepy while trying to think
if anything so beautiful could be true;
and soon she was really dreaming.
But she woke very early in the morn
ing, before any one else in the house;
and her first thought was of what she
had heard in the night. Was it a dream?
1t was just growing light. She would
get right up and find out.
Out of bed she crept softly, and through
the door into the sitting-room. The
rosy dawn was just coming in at the east
There on the floor lay some
body wrapped in a big blue soldiers
Overcoat. Ellie's little bare feet made
knelt down by the tall figure. The head
rested on soldiers knapsack, and the
close brown curls were the same she re-
membered so well. The face was brown
and very thin, and the eyes closed in
sleep; but it was the dear kind face of
her big brother Harry. But it all SEEM
ed so strange; could it be real? She put
put one little finger and timidly touched
MS forehead.
1t was enough. The eyes flashed wide
open, and the big strong arms clasped
5he little white night-gowned girl in Il
Dig hug. No doubt now whether he is
real or whether. she is awake. Her shouts
Of JOY rouse all the rest of the house
lold, and out they come, without wait
ng for clothes, that small matter, like
else, being forgotten in the
joy that had come. Only the
'ather, who had known it all night, could
get his wits together enough to go about
,he regular morning duties, for long
lime.
AS for little Ellie, the big brother
himself dressed her; aud then she sat
)n his knee and heard his wonderful Sto- |
" of escape from prison and long sick
ness, and how at last he had got back to
MS old regiment and straightway been
given furlough to come home and rest |
md gain strength. And in the happy |
lays that followed in the cottage, little |
gone before.
God often sends us trials and griefs |
Ind permits us TO doubt and fear for a |
lime, so that when the day of our re-
oicing comes it may find our hearts
and our faith strengthened,
md our love for him more real and ear
lest than it could have been before.-S.
8. Times
WILD DOGS OF Wherever dogs |
un wild, as in Australia and in India,
hey show many of the characteristics
# wolves. They have a similar habit of
uniting in packs. The people of Assam
ell wonderful stories of the cunning and
agacity of these wild hounds when in
pursuit of game.
They say that when a pack goes out
0 hunt, an old dog goes in front and
earches for fresh scent of deer. Having
ound this, he starts off alone, and when
lie as ascertaned the whereabouts of the
uarry returns to the pack, which he
hen disposes in circle of mile in di-
meter round it, each member of the
ack has part allotted to him.