Year: 1865

less condition permitted him to claim
brothers relation to her but beyond
this was totally in the dark. If


had not known that she was firml,
principled against firtations, | shoulc
have thought lite sober advice ne
cessary but l trusted her good sense
to avoid any danger of that sort. And
so a month passed on, and it was near
ing the early days of Autumn that a
long projected picnic took place at
the bay. Our young people returned
early in the evening, and, after Fred
went up to the postoffice, Ray and
Constance established themselves in
the parlor, and l went up to my room.
! had been sitting in NY rocker long
time, looking at the fading light and
thickening glooms, when Contie came
in and sat down on the floor, leaning
her head on the ottoman beside me.
thought she was only tired from the
pleasures of the day, and so I stroked
her hair silently; but before long she
raised her face to mine and said, with
q ilttit sOD III ilST NOlCe


Now, auntic, / have a long story
to tell you, you must not scold me, for
although | have been wicked and
wrong, l shall suffer enough without
that" " .r rs


And then she told me that the day
before Ray came to US, she had been
at the village, and walking down the
street met him with Will Gardner.
Will afterwards told her that as she
passed he inquired her name, and said
she was SO bewitching he had half a
mind to enter into a flirtation-it
would help pass away the time.


:" / ought to have been wiser, but
when Will told me of his bold re-
marks, l thought if he meant to
break my heart, that two could play
at that game and / played my part
well, it seems, for tonight he asked
me to be his wife. heard him calm
ly, and then, aunty, laughed as
said: Really, Mr.. Huntington, this
little Irritation has gone quite far
enough, and as your object has been
accomplished you must excuse me
from the honor intended When
looked up I was frightened at his pale
face, and when he asked an explana.
ton his voice was full of anguish
That unfortunate remark had been for.
gotten as soon as uttered, and it was
misrepresented to me for he only
said If / ever flirted, that face
would tempt me- He loved me truly,
and it is no light thing to refuse ailec-
tion-to crush the hope that | had cru
ely allowed to grow. But | had to
do it. 1t seems as if shall never be
happy again. | shall always see that
white face and the sorrowful look in
his eyes"


1t was a sad affair, and what could
| do but comfort my little niccei Af-
ter all, it was just what any spirited
girl Of seventeen might have done
but it was many days before the cloud
was lifted from our darling's face, and
the old light sparkled in her eyes. |,
was a lesson she never forgot; i!
made her more kind and gentle than
ever, / think.


The next spring saw the opening OF
the great civil war Fred enlisted,
and for two years he was in that long
unfortunate Army of the Potomac.
Then there was a re-enlistment, and
a renewal of anxious suspense for the
dwellers at home. We could not be
idle in such stirring times, and Con
stance was patriotic host in herself
There were frequent and well filled
letters to be written to our surgeon
boxes to be sent for his comfort, {" Sol
diers' Aids and "Mites" to be atten
ded /; and in these things her hearty
help was always given. One day she
brought home soldiers wrapper, fol-
which she was to furnish the lining,
using for the purpose dress skirt that
had been laid aside for some time.


IL had this the summer Ray Hunt
was here, didn't ?"s she said thought
fully. {" wore it the last evening he
was here. Well, wish sometimes
could see away into the future anC
know just where these things are go
ing. Perhaps | should see hospita
filled of dying soldiers, fresh from the
crimsoned battle field the surgeons
binding up mortal wounds; nurses
giving nourishment to the weakened
heroes or chaplains breathing
prayers above those who will sooi
claim their heavenly banner


Fred was taken prisoner in tn,
summer Of ga and for weary month";
we we're in suspense-hardly daring
to expect tidings from him-hoping
fearing, despairing. At last we heart
that he had been exchanged, and jus
before Christmas he came home for ;
few days, bringing with him Lieut.
Howard, brother-in-arms and fel
low prisoner. 1t was like having


second Thanksgiving, with these wal
worn veterans at our board, and on
hearts were full of gratefulness.


These years of quiet usefulness ha
not been lost on Constance. She ha
grown into noble woman, strong I
suffer with the weak, ready to he'll
the needy, firmly standing for tn
truth wherever found. Again sa,
that she was drawing another hear
to hers by strong and enduring bonds
and this time she was not wholly in
different. New Years eve we wer
all in the parlor, as usual. Fred sa
by his father, explaining some new
gun that had been invented the Lieu
tenant and Contie were on the othe
side of the room l midway betwee


the two parties, so that | could easil


hear the conversation of either pair


and as wasn't particularly intereste


in projectiles, it was only natural tina


should listen to the younger coupl,
Lieut.. Howard was looking over a


album, and pausing at picture h
said: