Year: 1862

tefnaI prlOe winch WIS hpVScbnci ca
cusable. They were 6ne couple.
for any ones seeing. the widow and her
son. Mrs. Dare's forty years had not
met her as enemies. The dark bril-
lance of her ewes was undimmed.-
Scarcely a thread Of silver fecked the
raven blackness of her hair. Her com
plexion Kept bright still its clear, DARK
tints. and even her figure had not lost
its old stately grace. The naughty
French blood in her veins was not
chilled either. She was as fit to be the
mother Of hero as she bad been to be
Colonel Dare's wife-Colonel Dare,
whose back no foeman ever saw.


Her son was after her own heart
He had her dark eyes and hair, her
sparkling expression. and Huguenot
hauteur; all intensified in him, however,
BY the long g-during, persistent nature OF
his father, which he had inherited along
with a certain resolute contour, which
was the only external sign Of his pa
ternity. For all the rest be was. out
wardly, a Devereux. No need to ask
from which side his courage came
neither Dare nor Devereux had ever
reckoned q coward among their chill
dren.


Thev had been discussing, these two,
an engrossing question. 1t was just
after that dreadful day at Bull Run,
when the country needed so bitterly all
her children, and every loyal heart
was throbbing TO one anguish Of o.
deavor. Regiments were being filed
up rapidly, and young Dare, just home.
in the spring Of '6l. from his three
years of foreign travel, was only wait
ing his mothers consent to enlist. He
looked at ber new with persuasive eyes
at should not be you, mamma, the
daughter Of heroic race, the widow of
man who got his deathblow in the
front Of the fray, who would hold back
your son when the land of his fathers
had need of him."


81 do not, DevereuI. I am willing
you should use the interest Of your
family to procure you 8 suitable COM
mission"


al may not be worthy Of one. I
have not yet proved my fitness to
rule"


"Your fitnessI It in your blood"
swell then, seriously, / do not want
a commission, because feel sure that
/ can do more good bv going as a pri-
vate. sAll cannot be officers, and more
men than you think are holding back
because they can not. They say-'It
is the lower orders who serve in the
ranks; we will not fight unless our
comrades can be gentlemen Every
one is waiting for some other. Do you
think there are not men in Boston who
will follow the flag the more readily if
they march in company with my fathers
SOM"


"Your father would not have done
did not do-whst you wish to do"


because he was needed otherwise" !"
He knelt down beside her. just then,
that handsome, gallant fellow, whom
all women found so fascinating, He
rested his head on her knee--it was an
old, boyish trick he had--and looked
with those great, persuading. dark
eyes Of his up into her face. His voice
was full Of appeal--his tones grew
solemn in their earnestness.


"Mother, l must go. can only go
as private, for my conviction that thai
is my duty is unalterable. II it is g
sacrifice, it is one that must be made
Will not you make it with me9 II YOU
kept me back should hardly be willing
to accept life on such terms. 1t would
only he a long misery, with the ghost o
this unfulflled duty stalking beside me
forever. Be brave, mother, brave and
kind. If should fall in battle. anC
lie beside some Southern stream will
my hfe-blood ebbing away, let me no
have to think, when your voice ant
your smile come back to haunt me
that vent away without your bless
ing"


The heart, the quick. impulsive
voman's heart, through which th
eager French blood throbbed, wa
soitened. Tears fell from the prou
ewes, and glisteDed a moment in tn
short curls of the head upon her silke
lap. Then she put her hands on thos
thick curls with caressing touch, an
said to him:


"You have conquered. I will nj
keep you back from the duty your eye
see SO clearly. You may be right
At any rate, if you go. You shall 6
with nv blessing. and remember thi
one at home prays for you every hour.


Tears, not hers, wet the hand HI
son drew TO his mouth. Stronge
hearts in the fray are tenderest oftel
times at the hearth-stone.


That was one struggle and one VII
tory. The soldier had yet another col
iict to dare-a harder one possibly
in the boudoir Of Clara Gage.


He went there that night after his e'
listment had been registered. She vi
his betrothed wife, and he loved her
brave man can love true woman :
Itmay be that he feared her It'll
also. il he did, forgive him, for the
was nothing else out OF heaven thst
did fear. In her case it was only b
cause she was so precious to him th
no calamity, save loss of honor, cou
have been reckoned by the same me
sure 40 loss of her. Somehow
sbrank from telling her his plan, 81
meeting the look he fancied her ey