BESSIE AND RAYMOND.

CHAPTER I.

"I did not know she could be so brave."

MOTHER, I am going to enlist under our dear old flag. I am ashamed to stay here at home, when my country needs the services of her sons, as she does at this hour."

"Are you sure, Frederic, that the Government needs you? Many thousands of soldiers have gone forth, already; perhaps it will not be necessary for more to go.'

I hope it will not be; still, there is little foundation upon which to build such a hope. Mother, this is a gigantic Rebellion; it will require a great force to crush it; I want to do something towards it myself. I must go forth to battle, and I desire your help in reconciling my wife to the parting. I believe you will not try to hold me back yourself, much as you love me."

"You judge rightly, my son; much as I dread the horrors of war that must surround you, I dare not withhold my consent to your taking up arms in defence of our Government. I will do all in my power to make it easy for you to go. Julia, I trust, will not oppose you, in doing what you feel to be your duty. She can come and stay with me while you are away, and

I will assist her, in taking care of her children. Have you told her your intentions in regard to enlisting?"

"I have not yet told her my decision; I have merely told her I felt inclined to join the army. I dont know what she will say, when she knows that I have determined to go. I hate to tell her myself; I wish, mother, that you would do the disagreeable job for me." "I will, my son."

"Will you do so to-day, mother?"

"Yes, Frederic, I will go to Julia, immediately." And Mrs. Sedgwick went, on the wings of love and sympathy, to the home of her son. When she entered his dwelling, and beheld his wife seated in her cheerful sitting-room, with busy fingers and a happy countenance, working for the comfort of her husband, while two sweet children were at play near her, a pang shot through the heart of the kind mother, as she thought of her errand, There was, too, something like restraint in her manner, as she reciprocated the affectionate greeting of Julia, and Julia saw at once that something troubled her mother, and kindly asked her if anything had occurred to cause her uneasiness.

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"No, Julia," she replied, I cannot say that the occurrence of any recent event has caused me pain, but the anticipation of future trial has cast a shade of sadness over my heart. I did n't intend, however, to sadden you with my sorrow, I must not be so selfish."

Mrs. Sedgwick had taken a seat, and lifted the youngest of Julia's children into her lap, while she was uttering the words above quoted.

Little Alice, the pet of the whole family, peeped into the face of her grandmother, with a loving look, saying, as she did so, "I wont let grandma feel sorry.'

"I know you would n't, my little darling, and grandma mustn't do, say, or look anything, to pain your infant heart."

"Mother," asked her daughter-in-law, "has Frederic been saying anything to you, to give you pain?" "Why ask me such a question, Julia?"

"Because I did n't know but he had told you, as he hás me, that he felt almost certain he ought to enlist under the stars and stripes."

The tone in which Julia uttered these words was cheerful, and Mrs. Sedgwick experienced a feeling of relief, as she listened to them.

"Do you feel, daughter, that you could submit cheerfully to the trial of parting with Frederic, if he should take up arms, and go forth to fight for his country?"

"I have not yet been tried, so I don't know how I should feel. I know what my duty would be in such a case, and I will pray for strength, to bear whatever of ill this war may bring upon me. I will try, if Frederic feels, either now or at some future time, that he must go, to help him all I can to do his duty."

"You are a dear, good girl," said her mother-inlaw; "my heart misgave me, when I first came in, and saw you so happy in your little family. I almost repented of the promise I had made Frederic, to tell you, what he shrunk from telling you himself, that he is going to the war; but now I feel that you will not be shocked, or go into hysterics, at learning the fact."

Julia looked earnestly into her mother's face while she was speaking, then remarked thoughtfully, “He has, then, decided to go. I thought it was more than possible that he would go, and I have been preparing

myself for the trial. I have thought of you, too, dear mother, in regard to the liabilities of your son's going forth to battle, and have dreaded the trial as much for you as for myself."

"We will sympathize with each other, Julia, in this mutual trial that is near us now."

Here these two friends were interrupted by the entrance of a young lady, who was ushered into the room by a servant; her name was Bessie Jenkins, and she had for some years been an intimate acquaintance of Julia's. Miss Jenkins greeted the two ladies politely, then having taken a seat, she abruptly introduced a subject that seemed to engross all her thoughts.

"I am so nervous I could not stay at home," said she, addressing Julia, "or I should n't have called on you to-day."

"Indeed," replied Julia, smiling as she spoke, "what has occurred to affect you thus? You are not wont to complain of your nerves."

"I know I am not, but at present Raymond seems determined to trouble me all he can."

"Raymond trouble you, Bessie? What about, I wonder. I thought it was just the reverse of that; that you tried to vex him."

"I

Bessie laughed at this remark of her friend. don't think you ought to say that, Mrs. Sedgwick," answered she, "and yet I suppose you feel that you have reason to think I am a teasing girl." Here she paused, for memory was busy at this moment displaying many little acts of coquetry of which she had been guilty. After a moment's silence, she said in a disdainful tone, "Mrs. Sedgwick, Raymond has resolved to go to the war; is n't it ridiculous?"