Year: 1863

| More than ever before did she know that she
loved her brother.


cha! Good news George ia safe" The
Judge came home with an evening paper,
and handed it to Nellie. pointing with his
finger to the paragraph she was to read
She read as follows:


"Capt. Preston, after being exposed to a
merciless fire for four consecutive hours,
was one of the last to swim the river. He
had made his way down the Bluff, and was
assisting some of his wounded comrades,
when the enemy came pouring down up m
him. He was surrounded, and would have
been slain, but for the heroic bravery and
devotion of Sergeant of his cympany. The
Sergeant, whose name was Walter Eyermond
seeing the Captain in danger, sprang to his
side, and with his revolver, shot down three
men who were pressing upon him. When
they gained the water, Capt. Preston had
received a wound in the shoulder, which
rendered it impossible for him to swim but
Eyermond did not forsake him. The noble
fellow clung to his Captain like brother.
and succeeded in getting him safely over the
the RIVER We are happy to state that Cap
tain Preston's wound is not dangerous"


ooh! Heaven bless that noble Sergeant %
CALCULATED Nellie, as she finished reading the
account. And her father joined her with
his whole soul


Later in the evening curious thought
worked its way into Nellie Preston's mind
She wished the inan who had saved her
brothers. life SO bravely had been only cor
porall And then she wondered where that
fair faced, br'ght-eyed soldier was whom she
kissed at the depot. 1t would be satisfac
tion to know how he Jared. She hoped he
was safe.


Ere long a letter came from George in
which he gave thrilling account of the bat
tie. He spoke of Sergeant Walter Ever
mond as he would have spoken of brother
He saved my life at the risk of his own,''
he wrote, "and but for him you would have
no son living to write this and Nellie
would have no brother" There was post
script in the letter as follows:


"P. S.-Walter Evermond has just re-
ceived the commission of a Second Lieuten-
ant"


The winter wore away. and George, in his
letters to his sister; frequently spoke of Wal
ter Evermond as a very dear friend. At
length came letter with the following pas
sage:


my dear father and sister, give me Joy.
AN Major, and my commission dates
from the day of Balls Bluff Ny dear friend
Evermond is Captain of my old company ;
and better soldier does not live, and |
know there cannot be truer friend.


Once more the Judge and his daughter
were anxious. The - Regiment was before
Yorktown Then came the bloody field Of
Williamsburg; but George was not caIlrd
into that battle. At length, however, came
tidings of another bloody fray, in which our
regiment was engaged-FAIR OAKS The
list Of killed and wounded Jagged but let
ter from George was received. He was alive
but badly wounded.


"Our Colonel was stricken down. he
wrote, "early in the eng cement. had
been acting as Lieutenant Colonel for some
time, and the Command devnsed upon me-
was following the lead of the gallant How
ard, when a bullet passed through my thigh
Capt Evermond was on the right of the regi
ment and had just time to pass the com
mand over to him when the final charge
came. I was faint and dizzy but I saw
him dash at the head of our noble regiment,
and the shout of victory struck my ear as
was borne from the field. Late at night Capt
Evermond was borne into our quarters
wounded severely by saber cut on the
shoulder. He had a hand to hand conflict
with the enemy over battery and he took
it. and held it,"


Three weeks afterward another letter
came. r..e.


"Dea: Nellie, / am coming home. have
furIough for forty days. Capt. Evermond
is coming with me. Our wounds are doing
WELL"
The train arrived at three o'clock in the
afternoon. Major Preston came from the
car upon crutches, and his father was there
TO receive him. Nellie had not come down.
Big, proud tears poured down the old mans
face as he heard the glad shouts that wet->
coined his noble boy and for time his son
was monopoli zed by the multitude.


"Where is your friend Evermond?" asked
the Judge as they moved toward the car
riage.


so, he will be with US this evening. He
had to stop and see friend on the way, and
will come on the next train. told him our
carriage should be on hand for him."


A joyful moment was it for Nellie Preston
when she threw her arms around the neck OF
her returned brother. o, she knew how
much--how very much she loved him. What