Year: 1862

let speech bctray our thoughts. As | moved
about anong friends and acq1aintances, word
dropped here and sentence there revealed
the secret of my self approval and l doubt
not that nearly all of them understood what
was going on in my mind-how | considered
my contribution to the war fund, taking means
into account, as the largest made by any man
in the town.


For me, five hundred dollars was a large
sum to give away. Tens, twentieS, and an oc-
casional fifty, under the pressure of public calls
for church or charitable needs, had passed ont
through the carefully loosened purSe-strings,
that drew back again with increasing tightness
on the diminished gold but giving after this
liberal and exhausting style was altogether Q
new experience. | felt something poorer on
account thereof, and began to mediate econo-
mics. When paid a thousand dollars for g
pair of horses no impression like thiS was per
ceived not even when one Of them got injur
ed by fall, and | parted with him for one
hundred aud fifty dollars. Here was q dead
loss OF three hundred and fifty dollars but 10
face of it nothing so like Il sense of poverty
touched ne as in face of my contribution to
the hospital and sanitary fund ! did not feel
poorer for the three hundred dollars expended
in preparing aud stocking my fsh-pond, though
the money paid therefor was sunk invest
ment, every dollar nor for the six or seven
hundred paid for summer houses, garden stat
nary, and fancy work about ny grounds and
dwelling All this, being for my own gratii-
cation, could afford. The expense was cal
culated, aud taken as thing Of course. Bat
this FIVE hundred dollar gift to our country in
her time Of pressing need, freely as it was be-
slowed, left with me a sense Of exhaustion, as
though weakened by an effort greater than my
strength.


No wonder, such being the case. that /
talked rather more than was seemly Of what
had done We have in orr town an excellent
but plain spoken man, who, his life being one
of the strictest integrity does not stand in fear
Of anybody's opinion. Ee is net q rough or
obtrusive man, but as have said, plain spok-
eO, free from guile and fattery. You can
hardly converse with him for ten minutes with
out knowing yourself little better than when
you began the conversation. His name Is
Preston


1--WE have done our part said to him, as
we stood together ia the street one day. We
bad been speaking Of the war, ard the neces-
sity of supporting the Government to the full
extent Of lis needs. | referred, in saying " our
part" to the various contributions in men and
u,uney which the people in our particular
locality had made, and especially to the late
subscription which footed Up three thousand
dollars Three Thousand dollars cf which |
had given sixth part ! could lot fail in
this remembrance.


Eyes, and nobly." he answered with q glow
OF enthusiasm rot often seen blooming on his
quiet face. "Our people have done pobiy, not
keeping back their most precious things"


Three thousand dollars is q liberal sum, :
I said


Yes His voice dropped little


And Of this sum two men ga7e L third
part" Il pressed for utterauce, and was
weak enough to let it forth.


Mv Preston Gid uot answer, Ana 7cu were
one OF them" No; bus said he in voice that
still fell lower and lower, until it expressed q
sentiment of reverence, There is one in cur
midst who has given more than these TWO men
hundred fold. But the name is rot down
on any subscription paper"


More precious than silver or gold Yes,
there are things more precious than silver Or
gold and | understood Mr. Preston to refer
to human life and human love. Shame touch
cd me, and | stood silent aud rebuked.


Come" be said walk with me into the
next street. only little way. 1t is we'll for
US to comprehend these questions OF sacrifice
and patriotism in all their bearings The dan
ger with Us all is that we magnify our own
burdens and oar own loyalty, and in doing SO
fail to award the honor that is due to others


| did not answer, but in silence went with
Mr.. Preston into the next street. L was one
n which the poor dwelt. Small houses, few
neat, and with tasteful shrubbeTy about the
doors, but most CT them miserably neglected
and forlorn, stood on each side for distance
of three or four squares. Ny visits to this part
of the town were Of rare occurrence. 1t was
not pleasant to gaze upon, and so avoided
All looked poor and mean now as my eyes
ranged along the street, and questioned with
myself as to whittier / was going, and to what
end


"The widow who cast in all her living gave
more than those who, CT their abundance,
poured gold and silver into the treasury" My
companion broke the silence with these words
as we paused at the door of small one story
aud half cottage around which every th ng was
clean and in order, but plain and poor. His
knock was net loud, bnt low and respectful
| did not answer his remark, but stood beside
him in vague expectency. a child of ten
years opened the door, and looked Up into Our
faces cur;ousy. saw that she recognized Mr.
Preston, but no smile lit up her young face"


How is your mother today p was asked.


" \ lot very well Won't you walk in Z"


" No, thank you, my dear. / only stopped
to inquire about your mother. Is she able to
sit np?"


"Yes, Sir She sat up most all day yes
terday, and sewed part of the time. And
she's up again to day. Won't you come in !?
Maybe she'd like to see you"


Not this morning. III call round again
Say that Mr.. Preston called. I'm glad she's
better Good,by y