Warren sheaf., 1898-12-01
boxes ready to ship in the early morn

boxes ready to ship in the early morn
ing.
Aunt Bina reached h,tr room again
at twilight, taking with her Hetty
Barton. ..You know I've sent my quilt
to the soldiers" she said, hesitatingly.
Yes, they told me so. l think it
was so generous of you,'' Hetty re-
piled, in an absent-minded way, as she
twisted the plain gold ring on her
finger.
II had planned to give it to you,
Hetty. There's nobody l like so well
as you and John; but now"
Hetty's eyes were full of dumb agony.
Suddenly slipping from the chair to
her knees, she buried her face in Aunt
Bina's lap .'Oh! OH" she sobbed,
you needn't think about that 1t has
been two long weeks since heard from
him. John wouldn't neglect me so,
Aunt Bina, unless and then the girl
could say no more.
Aunt Bina's tears fell upon the brown
braids. There, there! don't give way.
guess John is all right"
''Oh, but he always wrote! He wasn't
careless, like some of the boys. Do you
know his father and mother are almost
sick. They think he-is-"
There, there!" comforted Aunt Bina
II believe John will live to come home;
that's my faith. Why, we've got to be-
ieve it, Hetty! If we didn't how could
we live through jt!''
Even while they wept and talked,
John was lying in one of the Washing
ton hospitals. He had been terribly
wounded, and after many delays was
brought there with one leg amputated
and his right arm disabled. His nurse,
bright little woman from Maine,
tried in every way to arouse him.
81 believe he wants to die" she said
to the surgeon. 81 can hardly persuade
him to eat:.'' -
'Probably he does." replied the
weary-eyed man. "He had magnif-
cent physique, and such fellow feels
that he cannot face life MANNED in this
fashion. I've often had such cases. If
you can only get him past this first
shock" ,..' .s.@..... 4. ..s.
The busy man hurried away without
finishing his sentence, but the nurse
understood: - -. ~ ........
A few nights later a lot . f boxes ar
rived in response to the urgent call for
hospital supplies, and Johns nurse
eagerly claimed some of their precious
contents. II need blankets. in my
ward," she said, land oh, here is a
beautiful quilt! This will cheer my
poor sboys like bouquet of flowers"
The: nurse from Maine was one of the
hest in the hospital, and no one OBJ
Jected when she carried away the quilt
and placed it gently over her f=vorite
patient: .~ 4ss.. =. @.~.-I.. IT,
perhaps it will keep his eyes off the
blank WALL" she said to herself, with a
sigh, &'sss -:
When the first ~ morning light sj,one in
through the long, narrow windows.
the young: soldier opened his eyes, al
most resenting the knowled ge that he
lad slept better than usual. AS. he
looked languidly to see. if his nurse had
given him an extra blanket, he saw
the new quilt, and at the same n2ment
was conscious of faint perfume of
rose leaves, Perceptible even lis that
sickening atmosphere. = 80:
He closed his eyes and saw the bushes
under the, parlor window at nome.
laden with great red roses, as they had
been the morning he left EdeI. He
had started out that morning with a
bud in his buttonhole, and another be-
tween his lips -''decked for the sacri-
fce," he thought. with spasm el bit
terness. .ss...... r..
With his left hand he pulled the quilt
nearer. It was made of many, aaany
small triangles! Mothers dress:'' he
murmured, placing his finger upon a
brown bit, with tiny white spray in
it. "Hetty!" and a wave of color rose
to his pale face, as he caressed tri-
angle of pink.
For the first time since ne was placed
upon that cot, great tears rolled d2wn
his cheeks. The spell Of despair was
broken. Life was sweet after all.
=. Mother and Hetty won't mind II l
am a poor one-legged fellow" he
sobbed. :,
{ All the bitterness and rebellion
melted out of his heart as he lay there
quietly crying; and when his nurse
came in he greeted her with a sn.ile
that transfigured his face. #
This is Aunt Bina's quilt" said lie.
II don't know how it got here, but it is.
Now, nurse. bring on your broth. fsar
I'm going to get we'll III
"It's better than medicine" the a.:
lighted woman declared to the doctor.
"He's given me his address, and I've al
ready written to his mother. E
d. g nd -I,va shown that nI1ilt to all M 2