Year: 1863

o" o'"i"S, N"tie, was al
swered lightly. "I'll call around this
evening to see how the stockings are
coming on"


When Katie Maxwell left home an
hour before her step was light and her
conntenance glowing with the hearts
enthusiasm. But she walked slowly
now, with her eyes cast down, and a
veil of unquiet thought shadowed her
countenance. This interview with one
whom her heart was deeply interested
had ruff1ed the surface of her smoothly
gilded thoughts. The cause of her
country and the needs of those who
were suffering their lives in It's defense,
were things so full of sober reality in
her regard, that the light words of
George Mason lad Jared her feelings,
and not only Jared them, but awaken
ed doubts and qnestionings.


Katie Maxwell sat down alone in her
own room, with hands crossed Oh her
lap and eyes fixed in thought, She
had tossed the small bundle of yarn
upon the bed, and laid aside her bonnet
aud cloak. Now she was looking GER
tain new questions which had come up
right in her face Was there in the
heart of George Mason true loyalty
to his country That was one of the
questions. 1t had never presented it.
self in distinct form until now. He
was in good health, strong, and of man
ly presence. No imperative cause held
him at home. During the summer he
had visited Niagara, taken trip down
the st. Lawrence, enjoyed the White
Mountains, and, III general way, man
aged TO take good share of the pleas
ures to himself. The state of the
times never troubled him. 1t would
all come out right in the end, he did
not hesitate to affirm; but not hand
did he lift in defense of his country,
not sacrifice did he make for her safe
~. And yet he criticised sharply off
cial acts and army movements, sneered
at Generals, and condemned as weak
or venial patriotic men in high places
who were giving not only their noblest
efforts but their very lives to the cause.
All this; yet his hands were held back
from the work.


Occasionally these things had pre-
seDted themselves on the mind of Katie
Maxwell but she had put them aside as
unwelcome. Now they were before her
in stern relief.


He is not against his country. He
is not traitor! He is sound in princi-
ple." Such were the thuug
given to the accusing thoughts that
shaped themselves in the mind.


+" If for his country, why, in this time
of peril, does he sit with folded hands?"
was replied.


"Was he afraid to look danger in
the face to endure suffering? If he
loved his country he would, self-forget-
ting, spring to its defense, as hundreds
of thousands of true hearted men are
doing %


Moved by this strong utterance Katie
arose and stood with her light form
drawn to its full erectness, her hands
clenched and her eyes flashing.


"And, rot enough that he holds off,
like coward or an ease loving imbe-
cile he must assail with covert sneers
the act of those who would minister to
the wants of men whose brave acts
shame him! Loyal to bis country! Is
that loyalty? Do such things help or
harm? Do friends hurt or hinder By
their fruits we eshall know them. Where
are his fruits?


Kate stood for a while quivering
under strong excitement. Then, sit
ting down, she crouched as one whose
thoughts were pressing back on the
mind like heavy burdens. There was
dull sense of pain at her heart.
George Mason had been dear to her.
But the shadow of a cloud had fallen
upon the beauty of her idol. 1t bad
been gathering like a thin, almost view
less vapor for some time past, and now,
compacting itself almost in an instant,
it was dark enough to hide the sun
light.


Gradually the brave, true hearted
girl-for she was brave and true
hearted-rose into the serener atmos-
phere from which she had fallen. The
pain left the heart, though the pressure
as of weight lay still on her bosom.
The smile that played upon her lip as
she joined the family circle, not long
afterward, was more feetiDg that usu-