Year: 1862

He spoke in cheerful voice, or tried
to, and did not mean that his words sho'd
wound her.


But she sat down with very white
face.


Going TO the war-going to the war y
she muttered, in way which proved that
the shock had been, for the moment, al
most too much for her.


"Of course | am, sis. You wouldn't
want your brother to stay at home and
be coward, would you, when his coun-
try wanted him? Come now, don't take
it in this way, DON'T" and he came toward
his sister and laid his hand tenderly on
her hair.


She threw up her arms, with a quick
gesture of despair and terror. 1t is all
because Of what said this morning-it
was that made you enlist; and now you
are going away from me, and shall nov-
er see you againr' A great storm of
sobs shook to and fro the figure of Mar
garet Lowe.


"Its nothing was the eager response
of the young man, and he was at the
moment perfectly unconscious that he was
not speaking the truth. "Don't get such
notion as that into your foolish head,
little sister. I've had the thing on my
mind for sometime. 1t is my duty to
do something for my country in her day
of peril. Come, now, look up, and be a
soldiers sister, and give me Gods
speed"


She did look up, with her fair young
face drenched in tears. 40 Theo-
dore, you are all the brother | have got
in the world-our father and mother are
dead, and supposing you should die off
there, on some dreadful battlefield. No,
no, l can't let you go. l can't" and she
clung to him, sobbipg and shivering.


Theodore loves heart sunk within
him, as he witnessed the distress of his
sister, for he loved her better than any
thing in the whole world.


"Dou't cry so darling; be good girl.
One of these days intend to come back
an officer, and you'll be proud Of me then
little sister. Dry up your tears, and be
strong and brave, and don't look upon
the dark side of things"


And so he tried 10 cheer and comfort
her, and succeeded partly at the last, but
her faint smile showed that just beyond it
lay waves of bitter tears-tears which she
would shed softly on lonely nights, lying
on her pillow.


Theodore Lowe remained with his sis
ter until late in the evening, and then he
hurried off to complete his last prepara-
tions; but when he returned after mid
night she was watching for him, and her
long drawn 90, Theodore" touched
much that more words could not.


They hardly snatched an hours sleep
that night, and what they said 10 each
other o, reader, listen to your heart, and
know.


Early next morning, there was brief,
agonizing parting, such partings as during
the last year have transpired throughout
the land, in which was almost the bitter
ness of death.


Margaret Lowe yearns, and hopes and
prays for her brother, gone to the battle,
as wives and mothers, and sisters do in
many thousand homes, but smetmes the
memory of those bitter, angry words
which she spoke to her brother on the last
morning that they passed together, come
back TO stihe her, singing like serpent,
cutting like n sword, and that prayer
which holds in it the only mortal healing
is breathed anew amid tears of repentance
and humiliation, "God forgive mew


Dear reader God will answer, if you
have too thus prayed, remembering your
beloved who have "enlisted enlisted l'-
Watchman and Reflector.