CHAPTER XI.
IN ANOTHER'S STEAD.
CLOSER pressed the ranks of brave men who were to strike a final blowfor the good cause, nearer, nearer, marching on with a steady, crushingstep. The nation rejoiced over victories, but firesides, from palace tohovel, missed and mourned some dear, familiar face, some cheerful voicethat would never speak again.
Kathie used to watch daily. The campaign was growing more exciting as itapproached the end. Her heart used to beat chokingly as she glanced downthe lists. And this was what she saw one day: "Missing, WilliamMorrison."
"O mamma!" with a quick cry, "did you read this?"
Mrs. Alston looked. "Oh!" she exclaimed, with sudden pain. "Uncle Robertand Mr. Morrison have gone to the nursery to select a few morefruit-trees. They will doubtless hear of it at the village."
"You do not think--he has been--killed!"
Kathie's face was very pale and her sweet voice faltered.
"Hardly," returned Mrs. Alston. "But one can never be quite certain whatbecomes of the missing."
Kathie put on her shawl and hood presently, and walked slowly down thewinding drive. She had not sufficient courage to enter the cottage,though through the window she saw Ethel and Jamie having a game ofromps. The child's cheeks were like roses, and now and then a carelesslaugh floated out to Kathie, who shivered with something more than cold.
Presently the wagon approached slowly. When Uncle Robert caught sight ofhis little niece he sprang out and greeted her warmly.
"I have some good news for you, Kitty," he said, in his bright, breezytone. "Mr. Meredith is really better. They hope to bring him home beforelong. Why--isn't it delightful?" seeing that she made no answer.
"Yes, I am very, very thankful."
"But, Kathie--what has happened, little one?"
"Our other soldier--"
"Mr. Morrison--O child, what tidings of him?"
"There has been another battle, and he is--missing."
"The news might be worse then. There is a little hope, so do not despairat once."
Kathie grasped his arm tighter, and they walked nearly to the house insilence. Then he said, "Of what are you thinking, my darling?"
There were tears in her soft, violet eyes.
"Uncle Robert, what a strange and solemn thing it is to have any one diefor you,--in your stead."
"Yes. I wonder if we do not sometimes forget the One who died eighteenhundred years ago? But this brings it home to you and me in a mannerthat we shall always remember."
"And, looking at that, all our little trials and burdens seem asnothing. I thought it quite hard to be treated so unjustly at school,but what was it compared with giving up one's life?"
"It is something, my darling, when we bear reviling from that highest ofall motives,--His sake. Even the little steps are precious in his sight.We are not all called upon to walk the sorrowful way he trod."
"But poor little Ethel!"
"We promised, you know, to make all the amends in our power to her."
"But it seems to me that nothing could comfort me if you were gone."
He took the cold little face in his hands, as they were standing on thebroad porch now, at the very door.
"Do you love me so well, my child? But we must not forget that those whostay at home are sometimes called from the earthly ranks. God asks of usthat his will and pleasure shall be ours as well."
"Yes, I know "; but her voice was quite faint as he kissed her.
It was dusk, and as he opened the door the cheerful light and warmth ofthe hall were most grateful. Kathie gave a shiver as if she were shakingoff the wintry cold.
"Do not anticipate the worst," he said, pleasantly. "To-morrow's newsmay be different."
She smiled faintly. "I am not a very good soldier, after all," shereturned, with a little faltering in her tones.
"My darling, when our Captain calls us out to fight, he always gives usgrace and strength. But we must never look away from him; that is partof the promise."
She hung up her hood, smoothed her hair, that had been blown about bythe wind, and went in to supper. They all talked a little about Mr.Morrison, but it appeared to Kathie that they were wonderfully hopeful.Indeed, the news from Mr. Meredith was so very encouraging that itseemed to dim the force of the other.
Afterward Mr. Conover went down to the cottage. Freddy brought hissolitaire-board to Kathie.
"I've forgotten how it is done," he said, "and I want you to show me.Let me take them out, and you just tell me when I go wrong."
It really seemed that Fred had a marvellous faculty for going wrong.Kathie felt very much as if she did not care to be bothered. She wasrestless and nervous, and wanted to curl herself up on Aunt Ruth'slounge and think a little.
"Greater love hath no man--" the words kept running through her mind.But the love began in little things, even the love which suffered atlast upon the cross. So she roused herself to patience and interest.
Uncle Robert looked quite grave when he returned. The Morrisons hadheard the tidings, and were very anxious.
"I must write to Mr. Morrison's captain to-morrow," he said. "We mustmake every effort to find him. He may have been wounded and carried offof the field unnoticed."
Kathie prayed fervently for Mr. Morrison's safety. Uncle Robert madeimmediate inquiries, and they waited in half fear, half hope. In themean while events in Virginia had the stirring ring of near victories.All was breathless excitement throughout the land. Sorties, surprises,battles, Sherman coming up from his march to the sea, Sheridan brave anddashing as ever, and Grant going slowly with his men, like someponderous machine that was to crush at last.
And then the telegraph flashed the news far and wide: "Lee hassurrendered!" "Richmond has been taken!"
It seemed so odd to Kathie to be going on in her quiet, uneventfulfashion. School lessons, music practices, home duties,--nothing grandor heroic. Mrs. Wilder's lecture to the girls had been productive of alittle good, beside breaking the foolish cabal; for in it she hadtouched upon dress and parties, and tried to set before them the urgencyof paying some attention to their studies. So there were fewer bows, aplainer arrangement of hair, and less talk of fashion.
"I think it was mean to crowd Kathie Alston out," declared Sue Coleman."Mamma says the Alstons are people one might be proud of anywhere; andthey are extremely well connected. She met them one evening at Mrs.Adams's, and that elegant Mr. Langdon thinks Mr. Conover about perfect.Mamma is so sorry that we did not have her in the tableaux. Every onenoticed it. That was your fault, Belle!"
"Of course you are all quite at liberty to choose your own friends,"Belle answered, loftily; "I'm sure you agreed to it. You did not wantMary Carson and all that rabble."
"Mary and Kathie are not friends in our acceptation of the term. She ispolite to Mary, and I am not sure but that a ladylike courtesy is moreeffectual in keeping people at a distance than absolute rudeness. Ibelieve Kathie and Emma Lauriston are the only two girls in the schoolwho have not indulged in rudeness in some form or other."
"If she is not hand and glove with Mary Carson, she has another friendwho is no better, whom she visits and sends pictures to, and I don'tknow what all. It's a second or third cousin of our cook. Of coursethese Strongs are rich; so it is not the breeding as much as the money.But, as I said, you can all do as you like. It seems to me that half ofthe town has gone crazy on the subject of Kathie Alston."
Emma was a little troubled with these talks about Sarah Strong. She hada certain delicacy which held her aloof from any such associations."Kathie," she said at length, "I wish you would tell me how you came totake a fancy to those people who were at--the Fair, I believe."
Kathie colored a little. "I don't know as you would understand it," sheanswered, slowly.
"I am beginning to comprehend some things," her eyes drooping a little,and glancing past Kathie.
"I noticed them at the Fair--because--something was said to hurt theirfeelings--"
"O, I know! Lottie Thorne c
ame over to our table and made fun of thewoman. But--do you not think--such people always take advantage of alittle notice?--and then it leads to mortifying embarrassments."
"Maybe that is just one of the things God puts in the daily warfare tomake us good soldiers. It is like being a private in the army. Sometimespeople sneer at the hard, rough work the soldiers have to do, and yet itoften helps the officers to gain the victory."
"And the officers have the credit. That looks rather unjust, doesn'tit?"
"It would seem hard if God did not remember it all."
"But how did you come to visit the Strongs?"
Kathie told the whole story. "I cannot explain these things to you justas Uncle Robert does," she went on, with a rather perplexed smile."Always when I am in any doubt or trouble I go to him. He thinks whenpeople are anxious for mental or social improvement a helping hand doesthem so much good. Persons in their own station cannot give it, as ageneral thing. And the Saviour said, 'Inasmuch as ye have done it untothe least of these--'"
"Yes, I see. But it is harder to do your good in that way, Kathie."
"Digging in the trenches"; and Kathie smiled.
"Ah, you have gone out as a private in the ranks; and I am afraid, afterall, that very few of us like to be privates," Emma returned. "But itcertainly did show a good deal of delicate feeling and remembrance whenSarah Strong sent you the lichen."
"I thought so. And our visit was very pleasant."
"Only, if she had not spoken to you that day in the street, it wouldhave saved you a good deal of pain and trouble," returned Emma.
"Maybe it was just what I needed. Life is so pleasant and lovely to methat I might forget who gives it all if every once in a while somethingdid not bring me back to Him. And it is so good, when othersmisunderstand and blame, to know that God sees all, and never makes amistake in his judgment."
Emma was silent. It was the keeping near to Him that rendered Kathiemeek, patient, and full of love. And it seemed to Emma as if she strayedcontinually.
Was it because Kathie always had some good work in hand?
But amid all the rejoicing, and the certainty that Mr. Meredith wouldrecover, the other shadow seemed to be growing deeper. Three weeks, andnot a word of Mr. Morrison yet. His captain remembered the man, andcould only account for the disappearance by supposing that he had beenburied among the rebel dead. Twice since the battle they had exchangedprisoners, and he had not been returned among the well or wounded; andnow every one was flocking to the Union lines.
"Mr. Darrell went to Washington to-day," Uncle Robert announced toKathie. "He is to bring Jessie and Mr. Meredith home."
"Here,--to Brookside?"
"Yes," with a smile. "He needs the quiet and the country air, and Ifancy there are two or three people here whom he is longing to see."
Kathie's heart beat with a great bound.
By and by she found herself rambling slowly toward the cottage. Hugh wasbusy with some spring preparations, pruning trees and vines. He noddedto her, but did not seem inclined to stop and talk, and Jamie caughthold of her dress, begging her to come in.
Grandmother took off her spectacles and wiped them; she often did thisnow, for her eyes grew dim many times a day.
"So you have had good news," she said, after the first greeting. "I amglad there is a little joy saved out of the great wreck. Such a handsomeyoung man as Mr. Meredith was too; but there's many a bonny lad sleepingunder the sod, who was fair enough to his mother."
Kathie slipped her hand within the one so wrinkled and trembling.
"It is such a sorrow to us all," she said, in her soft, comforting tone."I keep thinking of it day and night. It was so noble in him to go--tosuffer--"
"It is the one thing, Miss Kathie, that gives me a little resignation. Ishall always feel thankful that he went in your dear uncle's stead, notfor the money merely. And if it has saved him--if it has kept you alltogether; but this is too sad a talk for you, dear child."
The tears were dropping from Kathie's long bronze lashes.
"Dear grandmother, there has not been a morning nor night but that Ihave remembered him and his generous deed. I know his life was asprecious to you as Uncle Robert's was to us, and now poor little Ethelis an orphan--for my sake. How strange that the whole world keeps doingfor one another, and that, after all, no one really stands alone in it!"
"We are nearer than we think for--rich and poor, when one takes God'sword aright. We can't any of us do without the other unless there comesa sense of loss and something that is not quite right. You and yours seefurther into it than most folk. I'm glad to have the precious comfort ofknowing that William went safely, and that in the other country he hasmet his dear wife. I shall soon go to them, and I know well that littleEthel will never lack for friends. William felt it with greatcertainty."
Another duty was laid upon Kathie. This orphan was to be more to herthan any chance friend. What could she do of her own self? Only to showher now how truly she appreciated the sacrifice and loss, and to put afew simple pleasures in her life, to give her tenderness and affectionthat might make some slight amends.
She thought of something else that evening.
"Uncle Robert," she said, "do you believe there is any hope that Mr.Morrison may still be alive?"
"It is very slight now," he answered. "And yet I can hardly bereconciled to the loss amid this general rejoicing. It seems so muchharder to have him dead now that the war is over and many of thesoldiers will soon return home."
"I feel so sorry that he had to die out there alone. If some one couldhave given him only a cup of cold water--"
"Perhaps they did."
"But if it had been you!" Kathie clung closely to him as if there mightbe danger yet.
"It was not, my darling. God seems to hold me in the hollow of his hand,and while he takes such care of me I feel more than ever the need ofdoing his work. And now little Ethel has been added to us."
"Uncle Robert, I think I ought to take a special share in it, since Godhas left me the delight of your love."
"As Ethel grows older, there will be many things that you can do."
"But I have thought of this one now. The interest on Ethel's littlefortune amounts to almost one hundred dollars."
"A little more than that. I put it in bonds."
"And if it could be saved for her,--since she will want but very little.She will have her home with her aunt, and need only her clothes. I'dlike to buy those for her as a kind of thank-offering."
"But, my darling, in a few years more you will be a young lady, andthere will come parties, journeys, and pleasures of different kinds,where it may be necessary for you to be dressed in something besides thesimple garments of childhood. Perhaps you will want more moneyyourself!"
"I never have to give up anything needful, but I was thinking that Ishould like now and then to make a real sacrifice, relinquish somearticle that I wanted very much, and use it for her instead. It wouldhelp me to remember what her father had done for me."
Uncle Robert stooped and kissed her, touched to the heart by her simpleact of self-denial.
"It shall be as you wish," he replied, tenderly. "And, my dear child, Iam glad to see you willing to take your share in the great work thereis to be done in the world."
"It is so little, after all, and so many blessings come to me."
Ah, was it not true that God restored fourfold? After many days thebread we have cast upon the waters comes floating back to us. Well forus then if we are not shamed by niggardly crumbs and crusts flung outimpatiently to some wayside beggar while we ourselves feasted. For God'swork and love go together, and there is always something for the willinghand.