Year: 1868

My husbands voice awoke me from the
dream-ike reverie in which had been for an
hour indulging and | started up suddenly
exclaiming--


why, Harry, home so soon? did not
expect you for an hour yet"


81 hardly hoped to come now, but the
business at camp was arranged sooner than
supposed it could be, and every moment at
home with you seems precious"
There was a sadness in his voice which
seldom heard before, and | said hurriedly---


"What is it, Harry, tell me ?-is there any
why did you speak so2"
The regiment moves tomorrow, Jessie
Oh, Harry so soon as that p Iexcaimed,
bursting into tears.


Captain Wilard's little wife must be
brave woman now, in the hour Of trial You
knew we were to 90 SOON"


Yes, but suppose not for a week yet.
Oh, Harry | can't have it So"


But it is just so. Tomorrow we are
ordered to the field. But come. Jessie, don't
| cry any more. Get your hat and let's 20
down to the river once moro, and-and to TIE
graveyard"


| Mechanically followed my husband down
the graveled walk that wound 80 curiouslybv
beds Of roses and tulips, thinking of the time.
three years before, when Harry first brought
me, his child wife" to this dear little home
nest. That was a joyous day to me; but
now the feeling Of desolaticn that came over
me was terrible. Without word we stood
/ by the river watching its clear waters as they
rushed on-on-not stopping to rest for
moment. Oh, how they Knocked my sorrow
and ! strove to shut out the sound Of their
noisy dashng


a moment more, and we stood with bowed
heads and fearful eye by the grave of Edith,
our only child. How my mother-heart cried
out to hold my baby treasure again to my
breast, to sooth the anguish there. But no.
God had called and my angel had flown TO
the skies.


"Jessie, darling said Harry, as he twined
a tiny wreath around the little monument.
" one thing | wish to say to you. If ever
there is another grave away down South don't
mourn because of it as you have for this.
Gods ways are right and just and the re-
union above is tcorth the anguish of parting
here


"0h, Harry, will try. God help me-


The next morning | stood little apart
from the weeping crowd that had gathered to
see the boys in blue depart, praying very
earnestly for strength to be strong. How
noble he looked to me--my young husband
standing in the midst of his men, with kind
word for one and the pressure of the hand for
another, seeming fully to realize the precious
ness oe the charge committed to his keeping,
even the idols of loving hearts. How clung
to the arm that was for a moment thrown
protectingly around me. Very tender were
the few whispered words of parting.


"Good-by, Jessie, dear little wife. Try to
be very brave"


That was all. Another moment and they
were gone, some of them never to return.


The next day, on entering the parler, my
eye fell on the still unopened letter which
Harry had brought me. How strange of
me to forget it," thought, as | opened the
envelope 1t was from mother, and read
thus -


"JEssn, Ny DEAR GmLi-your cousin, Lena spen
Ger, Is here and wishes to 90 you. She has just lost
her only brser in the army and is nearly frantic with
grief BE very tender Of her She will hem here
"Wednesday the 25th aud will reach your place at six
clock Ali are we'll. "MornEn."


Poor Lena Fatheress, motherless and
brotherless--yes, iciU be very tender of her,
said to myself. And | wept at the thought
Of my noble cousin, Frank---so " handsome,
brave and grand | always thought him.
lying so far from us away down SOUTH


That night she came. | could hardly rec
ognize in that pale-iaced, sad looking girl my
queenly cousin Lena. Her clear, ringing
voice was low and sad, and the tears stood ia
her eyes continually, ready to overflow at the
mere mention Of has name. She wept pite-
ously when | spoke of FranS, but finally told
me how bravely he had enlisted, and left all
for his country; had been twice wounded
but refused to leave his post; and finally in
the last great battle had been sent with with
a detachment of men to recover battery
which had been lost, was repulsed and fell
while his men were retreating-and that his
body had been found by his comrades and
buried in the night


." hoped it was all delusion," she said to
me that night, as | sat by her bedside holding
her hand. / thought it could not be so
but now am convinced that it is all true.
Oh, Jessie pity me, for this has left me very
desolate.n


!. did all in my power to soothe the strick-
en- girl, tried to speak cheerfhlly of things
which were happening around us but she
seemed to forget everything but her own great
sorrow.


Days and weeks glided by autumn came
with all its golden beauty; and still Lena
Spencer grew paler and thinner every day.
Night after night she would sob herself to
sleep in my arms, and during her troubled
dreams would call piteously for Frank to
come to her. AT length winter came to us,
cold and cheerless-dreary as were all things
around Us. We forgot everything about us
only our dear ones away in the Southern land
we remembered-one, living as yet thank
God the other sleeping on the battlefield


One morning in midwinter | persuaded
Lena to 90 ON an errand down town for me,
merely to get her out to breathe the fresh,
bracing air for | feared before spring came
she would go to meet the dear one whose ab-
sence she so continually mourned. So, wrap
plug her well in warm turs, | kissed her gai-
ly, and told her not to return until she could
bring some roses back in her cheeks, Almost
for the first time she smiled at my mirthlul-
ness, and then went quietly out, while |, with
a whispered prayer for her, returned to my
sewing.


la few moments Kate my kitchen girl,
put her head in at the door, saying -
"Sure, Mrs Willard, and there's man
wants to see you-a soger boy, wild a eruteh.
He's awful pretty, though wild just the black
, est eyes Don't yer wish twas the Captn
widout the crutch ?"


ASK him to come in, Katie
In another moment tall, manly form came
through the door, and voice that knew 50
well said in low tone -


Thank God, cousin jessie that see yon
once moro Where Is my sister 9n


II was the long lost Frank, who had been
in our hearts all these long, weary months,


Have you risen from the dead?' was all
| could say.


NO, only risen from a rebel prison


| led him to the parlor sofa, and in few
hurried words he told me how he was found