Indian summer was close at hand. Too quickly the days fled for the little family at the far

Though a faithful laborer, he was destitute of the energy and ambition which might ere this have placed him in charge of a farm of his own. In New England few arrive at his age without achi

d not be so much to do as before. Jacob, therefore, "hired out" for

learner, and now felt impelled by a double motive to prepare himself as well as possible to assume his new responsibilities. His first motive was, of course, to make up his father's lo

in an old regiment, already in Virginia, some members of which had gone from Rossville. A number

an armchair, holding Charlie in his lap-the privileged place of the youngest. Alice, with the air of a young woman, sat demurely by her father's side on a cricket, while Maggie stoo

and father-how constantly they would miss him at the family meal and in the evening circle. Then there was the dreadful un

g away. He would have stayed at home, and I could still go to school. It would have made

ence rebuked him for harb

o," he said to himself. "It will be a hard

ost of the chubby-faced boy who sat with great, round eyes pe

me with you, pap

re out there, my little boy?

bel with my gun," said

ggie, with an air of superior knowledge

tly, evidently believing that a wooden gun di

re at you," said Frank, amused. "

ngency had not presented itself to his mind until now. Suddenly his face

wouldn't be acting like a brave soldier, Char

ay and be shooted," sa

hize entirely with him in his objection to being shooted, though they might not be quite

fights an

o fight an

g," said Mrs. Frost, with a shu

nt thoughts," said her husband. "Who is g

o you, father

ill I," s

chimed i

eady engaged, you will hardly want to hear fr

an anything else. You must also send me papers regularly. I shall ha

Weekly regularly, shall

ng them myself, I can pass them round to others. There are many privations that I must make up

n officer," said Mrs. Frost. "Y

to serve my country in any capacity in which I can be of use. Thank Heaven, I am pretty strong and healt

start to-morrow, fat

lock, and you know it is a five-mile ride to

?" asked Mrs. Frost. "I wa

for a long time to come,

what I mea

r you. And now it seems to me it is time for these little folks

the thought that it might be many a long day before he saw their

no one of them felt like saying much then. Thoughts of the approaching separation swallowed up all others. The thought kept recurring tha

h I have realized from crops sold this season. This you will draw upon as you have need, for grocery bills, to pay

t drew from his pocketbook a roll

temonnaie and deposi

benefit-at least, no considerable part of it-he felt a sense of importance and even wealth in being the custodian of

," continued his father, "has been saved up t

it come d

t of July of

prepared to meet

is secured by the farm, and therefore a safe investment. By the way, I had nearly forgotten to say that there will

ch will

ix months' interest at six per

re free from encumb

many years are past. But in farming one can't expect to

n the corner he

, Henry," said Mrs. Frost. "You will need a goo

rally in their minds. At last all was still. Sleep-God's beneficent messenger-wrapped the