Year: 1864




it is proper to say that Mrs Holdon reioiced
to hear of his safe arrival She was so thank


ful that his life was spared. and hoped Mrs


Ample would not forget to thank God for ii
all.


When we we're commanded to "weep
with those who weep and rejoice with those
who rejoice was it only for the sake of 9TH
ers, or also for our own good? Certain it was
that Mrs. Holden was blessed. Late in the
afternoon of one fine day the omnibus rolled
to their door, and who should appear but Mr..
| Holden. His wife had thought she would be
so glad to see him, but one glimpse through
the open door showed how pale and weary was
the husband who had come home to her, and
Mrs. Holden grew faint. Then how provok-
ing it was that half the town must come in to
] say chow Go you do, Lieutenant?" She was
so impatient 10 talk TO him, 10 caress bin, and
there she must sit aud hear each question
"Goin' back soo9 want 10 send Jim pair
O. boots" ''Yes an Miss Jones wants to
send shirts, an I'd like to send a jacket. an
some tobacco"


Mr.. Huldon did not smile, il his wife did,
but kindly answered, mo, l am not gniug
back, am discharged"


What happy busy days they bad, now that
papa" had come home. Mrs. Holden cooked
and washed, and starched, and ironed, in short
did all her work, and somehow when evening
came she was not very tired Goods are so
very high, John, and our boys wear out almost
as fast as l can make their clothes | have
been just as saving as I could be. but it has
cost enough to frighten one" While she
worked and patched, and freited perhaps, Mr..
Holden grew better, and early one fine morn
ing started to the city to get new suit Of
clothes. Ii was so lonesome to have him
away; she counted the hours till he could come
home Very little did he bring. No new
clothes, they were so dear, and be wanted her
TO go and select them, for she could likely do
better than he But he had every little arti-
Gle she had mentioned for herself


But such prices -Four dollars for pair
kid gloves why they ought to last three years
at that rare, and they should too. She broke
her shoe-slring thinking of it, then sat down
and deliberately Tapped and sewed 1t together
muttering something about waste. The next
minute she wondered if her lime was not
worth as much as the shoe string. Half
dozen pairs of stockings stared her in the face,
reminding her that cotton yarn was scarcely
to be had at any price She had new ones,
but they might be more needed next year. On
looking in her husbands pocket for letter he
wanted, out came a lot of card photographs of
himself "Did you get these when you went
to Cincinnati the other day ?" Guess did,"
was the pleasant reply. 1t was the picture of
the dearest face on earth. she felt that, but she
took sharp look at one and really said,
"fudge." IN never get any pictures of my
selfif you are going to spend its!l 9sr yours to
give to Tom, Dick and Harry Eyes, you
will dear, the first time you can get good one
taken" He did not know that she had been
planning a new dress to suit him, aud meant
to get such a nice picture when she could look
happy. If it had been taken then, it would
have showed few sharp, cross looks. But he
was good husband, so she stopped over his
chair back as he sat writing and kissed him,
and went aw<s TO hunt clothes for the refu-
gees.


Now, Mary" said Capt. Ample, that same
week as they were on their way TO the city,
''what shall you buy; nice new dress?' Well,
yes, if he thought best. There was beauti-
full piece Of silk at Hopkins that was only three
dollars yard, and with trimmings fifty dollars
was certainly enough to cover all, and it just
suited her, and she bought it,


She got a new cloak, too and it is doubtful
if any thought of half clad refugees crossed
her mind as she threw it over her plump
shoulders. It was small bundle she had TO
take home, but then she had spent only one
hundred and twenty dollars. Only 1t was
such handsome dress, Mrs Gabble told Mrs
HodoH, and surely it ought TO be, it cost
enough to feed suffering family three months;
bu: such things are not to be considered, are
they? Mrs. HoIdon was rolling bandages
while Mrs Cable talked, and studying if they
could afford 10 put in one OF Mr.. Holdon's
silk handkerchiefs


"Put in what you please. wife, it will be all
the same; believe balf the sanitary supplies
are stolen" Then. seeing her hurt look he
added "I've seen lots of good done by the
Christian Commission, that is another affair.
She had kept dime many time when she
was tempted to buy something, because Il dime
might save mans life


The weeks work was ended, and when she
seated herself in the church Sabbath morning,
with husband and children. she was weary in
mind and body. She did not feel nicely dress
ed, nor pleased with the appearance of the
children. Indeed she wondered if some one
would know she had trimmed her bonnet her
self, if they would notice rhe rip in the little
finger of her glove, or see that the lining of
the youngest boys cap was piece of the COW
er Of her wedding parasol. Looking sidewise
to see new shawl, she saw that the edge Of
Johns shirt bosom was worn through, actually
ragged, and measured in imagination the piece
of linen in the second bureau drawer, aud
thought it lacked two inches of being enough
for two new bosoms and a pair of cuffs for
herself


Now Mrs Holden would have thought it a
great sin If she had really measured that linen
that Sabbath morning, yet here she was plan
ming it all in the house of God Why is il
that when we would place our minds upon
heavenly things, our thoughts run wild among
the most trivial affairs? Many woman has
made new dress and bought a new bonnet
before the first hymn was ended, and all the
time quietly seated in her pew. Mrs. Holden
had forgotten she was in a church, till the
minister began to read How calm and pure
fell the words, Consider the lilies, how they
grow; they toi not, they spin not, and yet
say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was
not arrayed like one of these" "If then, God
clothes the grass, which is to-day in the
field and to-morroW is cast into the oven how