Year: 1862

l had actually subscribed i've hun
dred dollars! Not in all the history of
my sivings was there a parallel to this.
Five hundred dollars L looked at the
filled up check, after cutting it free
from its blank companions, with fond,
reluctant eyes, ere passing it to other
hands; yet [ was not the grudging Civ
er this little hesitation implied. My
heart was in the cause of national honor
and national safety: and in sacrificing
something for my country, l was but
discharging patriotic duty. This was
my contribution to fund our citizens
were raising for hospital and sanitary
needs. Ifdoubie the sum had been re-
quired Of me, double would have been
given.


so much for my country!" I said
in thought, with feeling Of self approx
al. felt that was better and truer
man for the act. eff every one would
do as we'll according to their circum-
stances There came slight chill to
my enthusiasm, consequent on the
thought that was doing so much more,
according to my ability than other
people. had see the subscription pa
per. 1t bore the record of no larger
contribution than mine. Two citizens
only had put down their names for five
hundred dollars. "To have given equal
ly," 1 said to myself, "Alr. Harland
should have made his contribution a
thousand dollars, instead of five hum
dred; and Grant should at leastha come
up to my figures, d ollar for dollar; he is
quite as well off as | am Then as for
Tompkins, can see how he had cour
age to write down fifty, in the face of a
half dozen poorer men who each give
their hundred. But we have a test Of
patriotism in this, and know where to
place men. Love of colntry is fine
thing to talk about, but when sacrifice
is asked, how rarely do we find wo-d
and deed in harmony"


1t is the most natural thing in the
world to let speech bet-ay our thoughts
AS I moved about friends and ac-
quaintances, word dropped here and a
sentence there, revealed the secret of my
self approval, aud doubt not that near
| ly all of them understood what was 60
ing on in my mind-how l 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. Ten, twenties,
and an occasional fifty, under the pres
sure of public calls for church or chari-
table needs, had passed out through the
carelcssly -loosened purse strings, that
drew back again with increasing tight
ness or the diminished gold; but givin g
after this liberal and exhausting style
was altogether a new experience. [ felt
something poorer on account thereof,
and began to mediate economics
When 1 paid thousand dollars for a
pair of horses no impression like this
was perceived; not even when one OF
them got injured by fall, and [ parted
with him for one hundred and fifty dol
lars. Here was dead loss of three
hundred and fifty dollars; but in face of
it nothing so like a sense of poverty
touched me as in the face of my con
tribution to the hospital and sanitary
fund. I did not feel poorer for three
hundred dollars expended in preparing
and stocking my fish pond, though the
money paid therefor was sunk invest
ment, every dollar; nor for the six OF
seven hundred paid for the summer
houses, garden statuary, and fancy work