The parents, watching Lisle as lie bent 
tenderly and proudly over his bride, felt that 
they could trust the happiness of their child 
freely to his keeping, confidently believing 
that as far as lay in his power he would 
shield her from every trial and hardship. 
All w ho saw Nellie’s soft dark eyes, with 
the deep love-light tilling them, might know 
how willingly she would place her little 
hand in that of her husband, and cheerfully 
go whither soever he should lead her; for 
the love in her young heart was a devotion 
never found save in the heart of the most 
trusting, earnest woman. Hers was a nature 
to risk all, and brave every danger, for one 
she loved. 
The next morning there was a sail parting 
in the old farm-house; for Lisle and Nel¬ 
lie started for their new and distant home, 
with the tender, yet sad, feeling in both their 
hearts, that henceforth they must, he all the 
world to each other, separated as they would 
be by hundreds <>1 miles from every relative 
and friend With eager eyes the parents 
watched them out of sight , and listened until 
the last faint sound oi wheels had ceased, 
then they turned hack into the house, went 
side by side up the wide old staircase into 
the room that, had been hers, and where five 
short years ago little Katie had died; and 
as the old sad memories crowded back to 
them, they sat down by the window, where 
Nellie bad sat that morning, and wept long 
and bitterly for the loss of their children and 
the desolation that would henceforth he felt 
in their home. 
At last the father raised his head, and 
reaching forth his baud gently, smoothed 
hack the silvered hair from his wife’s brow, 
with a soft, caressing touch, and, after re¬ 
garding her thoughtfully a few moments, 
bent down and kissed her wrinkled cheek 
tenderly as in the days of their youth, say¬ 
ing in a soft, subdued font’ —“ Don’t, mother, 
don’t, grieve so. (’unit*, listen to the promise 
I will make you. If we find ourselves lonely 
and unhappy without our Nellie, we will 
follow and share her western home. John 
is already a prosperous man, and we will 
settle Henry here in the old homestead, and 
he at liberty to go and come as we please.” 
The promise thus given was indeed .1 source 
of comfort to the lonely mother, through the 
following weeks and months. They missed 
their daughter sadly; missed the sound ol 
her light footsteps and the music of her sweet, 
voice, gone to cheer and bless the home of 
unot her. 
Alter a long and tedious journey Lisle 
and Nellie at last became settled in their 
new home,which was only seven miles from 
the nearest railway station, and a thriving 
little town, already increasing so rapidly that 
it gave promise of becoming in time a place 
of importance. 
Nellie kept her head and hands so busy 
making, planning mid arranging things in 
their new home that, as she laughingly as¬ 
sured Lisle, she “ found no time to get 
homesick,'’ And if she did, it was carefully 
concealed from him; for a cheerful voice 
and sweet smile was the welcome he ever 
received at their humble door. So, while lie 
worked industriously from morning till night, 
widening rapidly the clearing between the 
house and forest, just as many improvements 
were going on under the skillful hands of the 
industrious young wife. The conveniences 
for housekeeping were limited, of course, yet 
everything was arranged with the most per¬ 
fect order and nicety; and the little room 
that answered for parlor, sitting-room and 
dining-room, was indeed a model of taste 
and iieal ness. Many articles, both orna 
mental and useful, wen 1 scattered about, 
while in one corner a prim bookcase, well 
filled, told of the pleasant evenings passed 
by iho young couple, reading aloud, each, 
tor the time, forgetting tho-extreme isolation 
ot their woodland home. Pretty white cur 
tains were gracefully looped hack from the 
low windows, while outside, trailing vines 
and creepers had already climbed over the 
doorway up to the low, sloping roof. Beds 
of llowers, of every hue and color, thrived 
and grew so rapidly in ihe rich, loamy soil, 
thill the little garden was almost a, wonder 
to Nellie herself 
Their nearest neighbor, Peleg Price, 
lived more than two miles from them, lie 
and his wife, Nancy, were simple, kind- 
hearted people, and they often rode over to 
sec how the .young settlers prospered, and 
many a valuable hint did good Nancy Price 
give to Nellie concerning household mat¬ 
ters, which the young wife never failed to 
profit by. 
So the weeks and months glided away, 
and winter had come and gone, and trouble 
and suffering found its way into the little 
home that hitherto had known nothing hut 
sunlight and happiness. For when the 
spring rains commenced tailing Lisle was 
stricken down with a terrible fever. And 
Nellie, alone, with no one to aid or give 
her a word of encouragement, watched and 
worked over her sick husband with the 
energy of despair; and when the sun went 
down on the second day, she saw that all 
her efforts had been unavailing, for Lisle 
was growing rapidly worse. Ilis eyes were 
burning with a wild, fever light, and already 
he was muttering incoherently, and calling 
piteously for Nellie to come back to him. 
“ Lisle ! Lisle ! here I am. Oh ! don’t 
you know me ? ” But he only moaned and 
turned away from her 
“ Heaven help me!” burst, from her white, 
agonized lips “ Oh, what shall I do?" 
The weakness that overcame the terrified 
wife was hut momentary, and then Ihe old 
strength of character and resolute firmness 
came hack to her. She knew that help must 
he had immediately, or-she put the ter¬ 
rible thought away from her, and, although 
her face was very white, and her voice 
trembled, yet she was calm and decided as 
she bent, over her husband and said, gently • 
“ Lisle, if you will promise to lit; very still, 
and not try to leave your bed, I will go and 
find Nellie and firing her back to you. 
Will you promise ?” 
“Yes, yes,” he cried, impatiently; “only 
bring her back.” 
She hurried out of the house, closed the 
door softly, and hastened to the stable, re-ap¬ 
pearing almost instantly with black Prince, 
and, flinging a blanket over his hack, she 
mounted and rode rapidly towards Peleg 
Price’s clearing. 
Black clouds were gathering thickly over 
the horizon, and an almost, incessant rum¬ 
bling told of an approaching thunder slonn; 
hut the brave girl heeded neither thunder nor 
lightning, even the terror of wild beasts 
was forgotten, and she plunged fearlessly 
into the'thick dark forest, where the black¬ 
ness ot night had already settled. Knowing 
Unit Prince would not fail to keep the path, 
she rode on as rapidly as I he darkness and 
rough road would allow, and soon arrived 
at Price’s house, when she briefly told them 
of Lisle’s illness, begging Peleg to make all 
haste to town after a physician, and asking 
also for Nancy to come and remain with her 
until Ins return. 
“Sartain, surtain,” said Peleg; “but,” he 
added, seeing her turn her horse’s head, 
“surely, Mis’ Norman, you won't think of 
goin' hack ’til we go? I won't he more’n 
three minutes hitehin’ old Snk <• to (he wagin.” 
She made no reply, hut started off at a 
brisk pace,and,ere Pei. eg could express his 
astonishment, she was hack in the woods, 
with the rain coming down in torrents, while 
the horse, nearly mi manage.i hie from fright, 
reared and plunged at every Hash, threaten¬ 
ing each time lo dismount his fearless rider. 
Nellie grasped the bridle still more firmly 
with her small hands, and dashed on, with 
only t he one absorbing thought, of reaching 
home and saving her husband. Suddenly 
the horse stopped still and seemed to lie 
listening. Then he tossed up his head and 
gave a quick, sharp neigh. Evidently he had 
heard or seen something which she had not. 
A moment alter, another flash of lightning 
revealed some object a little way from the 
path, at, sight of which Prince turned and 
went directly towards it, in spite of all Nel¬ 
lie’s efforts to restrain him. Then he 
stopped again, and dropping his head to¬ 
wards the ground lie gave a long, low whin¬ 
ny. A nother flash revealed a form at their 
feet that brought a sharp, wild shriek of 
agony from Nellie; for she recognized 
her husband, lying white and still on the 
drenched ground, beneath the fierce, pitiless 
storm. She sprang from the horse’s hack 
crying wildly, “Lisle! Lisle! Oh, lie is 
dead ! he is dead !” hut as she raised his head 
a faint moan came from the white lips, tell¬ 
ing her he still lived. How wildly she 
chafed his cold hands and brow, how fer¬ 
vently she prayed to God in that, hour of 
keenest agony | Eagerly she listened for the 
sound of wheels, fearing that the storm 
might, drown her cries for help, and the 
friends she awaited might pass them. 
Gradually another terrible fear took pos¬ 
session of her, and when at last the storm 
and winds had lulled, and she heard the 
cracking of twigs and branches in the 
path, she crouched Etill lower, and clasping 
Lisle tightly in her arms, prepared to shield 
him to the last, if necessary from the attack 
of wild beasts. The horrid thought that the 
sounds she had heard might he a pack of 
wolves on their path brought a faint, sick¬ 
ening sensation that left her weak and 
trembling. When a moment after she dis¬ 
tinctly heard the sound of wheels coming 
rapidly over the rough road, she raised her 
voice, calling wildly for them to hurry on 
it was a pitiful sight , indeed, that met the 
astonished and terrified gaze of Peleg and 
Nancy, when, by the aid oi' their lantern, 
they saw lying before them the senseless 
form of Lisle Norman, and kneeling by 
him his young wife, wit h a face scarcely less 
white llum his own. Near by was the noble 
animal who had found the sick man, with 
his head drooped low, and his great intelli¬ 
gent eyes fastened on the group before him, 
waiting patiently, fearing no longer the thun¬ 
der and lightning, for he was near his master. 
They removed the seat from the little 
wagon, and lifting Lisle gently from the 
ground, they placed him in it, with his head 
resting on Nellie’s lap; and with black 
Prince following slowly behind, the sad party 
moved slowly towards home, where they 
soon arrived. After getting Ihe sick man in 
bed, Peleg made all baste to set out for the 
town to procure medical assistance. Prince’s 
mate was brought from the stable and 
quickly saddled, lor no time could be spared 
to the slow, moping gait of old Sake. 
Nellie had changed her drenched cloth¬ 
ing and sat down near the bedside, with a 
white, stony despair that had never before 
rested on her bright young face. An oc¬ 
casional shiver ran through her frame, and 
a strange feeling of giddiness, symptoms of 
which Lisle had complained in the first of 
his illness; but she thought nothing of it 
now, so great was her anxiety and distress. 
It was evident that her husband had, in the 
height of delirium, arisen immediately after 
her departure, and, after dressing, had gone 
out into the fearful storm wills the idea of 
finding her, and had wandered until, from 
exhaustion, he fell where they found him. 
Soon after, Mrs. Price coming in from 
the kitchen, found Nellie fallen forward on 
the bed in a fainting lit, from which she re¬ 
covered slowly. And for the next two weeks 
the good people, Peleg and Nancy, had 
both their hands and their hearts full; for 
during all that, time Nellie and her hus¬ 
band lay at the point of death, helpless as 
children, dependent entirely upon strangers, 
whose kindness and care might save them 
both, hut whose neglect would as surely de¬ 
stroy them. Ho each owed the life Dial was 
spared to the kind old neighbors, who watch¬ 
ed over and cared for them night and day. 
Return once more to the old homestead of 
the Brents. IIenry, the youngest son, is 
married, and his pretty wife is flitting gaily 
about the house, while the old people seem 
to be nuiking preparations for a long jour¬ 
ney. All arc talking merrily of the surprise 
of Lisle and Nellie when they shall walk 
into their woodland home, unexpectedly, of 
course. In the midst of it Henry came in, 
bringing a letter to his father ; and when they 
saw the postmark and strange handwriting, 
fear blanched their faces while they hastily 
read the following: 
Oakville, April 25th, 18—. 
Mr. Bat :nt Squire: I now take iny pen in 
hand la mighty poor one tool to Inform' you that 
Mr. Norman and your darter Nkli.il has both 
on’em hm! an atlaclcol lyplne fever a pretty 
hard one too; hot wi- tlunk they're clean out, 
o'danger now. Bein' they'reulgheat iinl.inis, mr 
and Nancy tin-- jest stuck hy the poor young 
things so fur, and we don’t mean to dewart'em 
till they're able tmdiit1 for themselves. I should 
a writ a lore, Imt when N ellie emne to, she 
vvould'nt ifive her consent tor tern a'searem you 
een’ii most to doth. So they don't no I'm rllin 
now. lfnnt you worry about'em, for theyrhapt 
want for nothin unless me anil Nancy gVtM.uk 
ourselves; for they rnlv hey ill to seem like our 
own ehlldern only we never had none. 
Respectably, yourn to command, 
Picliog Prick. 
P.S.— Re sure and call ou me and Nancy if you 
ever come to the westard. 
P.P.S. E.vcuze all mistakes, for I never had 
much of a call for letter ritin, P. P. 
The anxious parents started immediately, 
and traveled day and night, until they 
reached their journey’s end. They left the 
cars and found a conveyance, and the driver 
being acquainted with all the nearest, settlers, 
they experienced no difficulty in reaching 
Lisle’s farm. 
Pei.eg Price, who went home every day 
to milk liis cows, and feed and cure for all his 
animals, was returning one day just at sunset, 
when the noise of a wagon attracted his 
attention, and after looking in the direction 
of tlie sound a few moments, he called his 
wife from the house saying, “ Ye see that 
wagon with them folks In it, don’t, ye 
Nancy ? Now what’ll ye bet it aim Nellie’s 
pa and ma, coinin' from the, custard.” 
“ Nonsense \ Peleg, don’t he an old goose;’ 
d’ye s’pose they’d come clean out here with¬ 
out sen din’ word first?” 
But Peleg was right, and Nancy wrong, 
once ; for the wagon came slowly along and 
stopped before the house, and Lisle, seeing 
it, with astonishment and pleased surprise 
on his countenance, came slowly out to the 
little gate, looking like the very ghost of his 
former self, There were hand-shakings and 
tears and smiles, and broken sentences, and 
then they went very quietly into the house, 
fearful of disturbing Nellie, lest the sudden 
shock would he too much for her weakened 
frame. They had hardly reached the door, 
however, when they heard a low, trembling 
voice calling, “ Father ! Mother! Oh I know- 
yon have come for 1 beard your dear voices.” 
The sudden meeting did not kill, but it 
cured her; for from that time forth Nellie 
rapidly convalesced, and ere long the little 
home was filled with beaming, happy faces, 
while the parents listened tearfully as Lisle 
told them of her daring ride in the thunder, 
storm and darkness, and how, in trying to 
save his life, she had nearly lost her own. 
For the drenching she received, together with 
the terrible flight., undoubtedly hastened her 
illness. But Nellie always firmly believed 
that black Prince had saved liis master’s life, 
when he found him more than half a mile 
from home in the deep, dark woods, whither 
liis fever fancies had led him. So the noble 
animal was ever afterwards loved and cared 
for, as if lie were human. 
The kindness of the Prices was never 
forgotten, and many a substantial present 
found its way to their humble home. And 
when at last Pet.eo and Nancy botli got 
to shaking at once with “ fever’n’ ager,” as 
Peleg termed it, they could truthfully say 
that their kindness to the young settlors had 
been repaid, even fourfold. 
The old people remained with their daugh¬ 
ter. Year after year more acres were cleared 
and improved, until the last blackened stump 
had disappeared, and the broad, rich fields 
were all under careful cultivation. A hand¬ 
some dwelling had been erected near where 
the little house had stood, surrounded by 
gardens'and grounds well filled with young 
fruit and shade trees, and choice, beautiful 
flowers and shrubs. And at last the “ Nor 
man farm ” had come to he the handsomest 
place in all the country, far and near. And 
Lisle, respected and beloved hy all, gave 
promise of winning a name of which his 
wife and children might well he proud all 
their lives. 
Thus we leave them, happy and prosper¬ 
ous as mortals could be, the grand-parents 
thinking, (as grand-parents do, the world 
over,) that no little folks were ever half as 
pretty or good as Nellie’s golden-haired 
children, Katie and little Lisle. 
- 
FAITH WHITE’S VOLUNTEER: 
A STORY OF FACT. 
BY MARY A. K. WAGER. 
For earnest, thorough, substantial and 
fearless women, there are none quite like 
those horn and reared in the State of Maine. 
To hear them talk with face, tongue, hands 
and whole body, is like drawing In a long 
breath of their pure, strong, vital mountain 
air, that, makes one feel glad ho is alive and 
grown strong anew for the work before him. 
To hear a woman talk with definiteness, 
terseness, and an idea and sentiment, under¬ 
lying all, anti real heart fulness pervading all, 
is the most delicious feast of music in the 
world. It is a very common thing to hear a 
woman talk, and yet a very « //common 
tiling. Perhaps it would he nearer the truth 
to say it is quite an uncommon thing to hear 
a woman say anything. But we must not 
stop to argue this point, else we shall not get 
about telling of Faith White, and how near 
she came to being a heroine. 
Faith is a Maim: girl, and one made up 
of the pith and marrow of womanly ingre¬ 
dients. Hlu: is a little, slender hotly, and 
no one would ever dream of calling her hand¬ 
some. But il they saw her going about in 
her home ways, in her light, dancing man¬ 
ner, anti heard and saw her talk, they might 
call her really charming. But they would 
not think that she had had any romance 
woven into her life, and perhaps she never 
would have had, had it not been lor the war. 
Faith’s fattier was a farmer, and his farm 
ran down to the shore of the ocean. Her 
only brother, Hiram, had early imbibed sea¬ 
ways, and was at the time of our story, cap¬ 
tain of a sailing craft that plied between 
Bangor and the neighboring Atlantic towns. 
He was now away on one of his voyages, 
and in the meantime had been drafted for 
the army, lie was expected home every 
day, and the time for his appearance before 
t he Provost Marshal was nearly come, and if 
he did not arrive within two days he would 
be arrested tor a deserter. 
Faith and her father were in great trouble. 
Out of forty eight eligible men in the town, 
forty-two were drafted, and one of them 
Hiram. They were patriotic and loyal, but 
Hiram seemed to be just one of those who 
could not he spared lor the .aim of rebel bul¬ 
lets. He had large, blue eyes, that seemed 
by far too glorious to he filmed over by 
death on a battle-field, or in a hospital. 
Their trouble and grief intensified every 
moment, until it was decided that he must 
not go, at any hazard, and it finally resulted 
in Faith’s resolution to go herself, in per¬ 
son, to the Provost Marsha) and obtain a 
substitute, if it were possible. She did not 
stop to think or question the propriety of so 
doing. Customs and etiquette laded out into 
utter insignificance in those days that swept 
dirges over every loyal heartstring. 
There w ere a great crowd of men gat hered 
about the office, some drunk, some swearing, 
and altoget her enough to repulse any woman 
of ordinary sensibilities. But Faith walked 
straight on, the men parted at her left and 
right, until fluidly she reached the officer’s 
desk. He was a low-brecl, impudent fellow, 
Who stared at her in a loose way, and said,— 
“ You want to see me?” 
“ Yes, if you are the Provost Marshal.” 
“ You come to enlist?” he asked quickly, 
with a suggestive leer that made her feel like 
shooting him. 
“ No,” she answered. 
“ Got a husband in the army ?” 
“ No." 
“ Got a lover, ch ?” 
“ No." 
“ Well, then, what do you want?” 
“ I will tell you if yon will cease your 
questions, long enough. My brother has 
been drafted. We can nut let him go, and 1 
came to see if you have not men here who, 
having no home ties to keep them back, will 
go in his place.” 
“ Why don’t you go in his place ?” lie still 
queried. An ordinary villain would have 
respected her straightforwardness aud ear¬ 
nestness. But this fellow must continue to 
show his lack of sense or honor, and Faith 
was growing desperate every moment. 
“ Oh, sir, I wish I could go! but I would 
shoot some of those rebels at home first. 
Moreover, if T were a Provost Marshal I 
would never keep a woman waiting with in¬ 
sulting questions. Have you here a man who 
will go in my brother’s stead ?” 
“ Yes, 1 reckon so. There are some fel¬ 
lows over there,” pointing to a drunken, ca¬ 
rousing clique in a part of the room, “and 
yonder is that, captain, perhaps you might 
get him.” lie beckoned to the captain who 
had been standing alone, and who had not 
taken liis eyes off Faith since she entered. 
He had also heard most of her conversation 
with the marshal. The captain stepped for¬ 
ward, bowing gallantly to Faith, he said: 
“ Is it a lover you wish to save from the 
army?” 
“ No, sir. it is my brother. Can you, will 
you, take his place? My father says money 
is of no account, if it will release him. Per¬ 
haps you have no home friends to keep you ?” 
In looking at, him she saw that he was 
very handsome, and his manner and hearing 
were those of a gentleman. 
“No; 1 have neither father nor mother, 
nor near friends to care for me. 1 have 
served two years, and hardly t hought to enlist 
again. But 1 will go on one condition.” 
“ Oh, well,” she said, “ anything—any con¬ 
dition. You shall have anything you a- k 
Name it.” 
“ It is this ; whatever he the fortunes of 
war, whether I lose eye, or leg, or arm, or 
all, if I return a man or a wreck, sane or an 
idiot, blind, maimed,halt, helpless, however it 
maybe, that you shall promise to be my wife.” 
“ Your wife!'' Faith looked aghast. 
“ Yes, even so much. A woman who will 
fight so for a brother, would she not do even 
more for her husband? Such a woman is 
worth risking one’s life to gain.” The Cap¬ 
tain’s face was splendid in its glow of enthu¬ 
siasm, while Faith’s was very pale. She 
sat n little time with no word and then said : 
“1 will promise this; whatever he the 
fortunes of war, if you are wounded or 
rendered helpless in any way, my father’s 
property w ill be pledged for your support, 
aud in his family you will he received as a 
brother. This is the best 1 can do.” 
He knew she was a woman whose decision 
could not he amended, and so he said he 
would go on those conditions, and would 
come to her home in a day or two and have 
the papers made out. Bo Faith gave him 
the address. He kept Ids word, but when 
he came, Hiram had in the meantime re¬ 
turned and sent one of his crew in liis stead. 
He remained an hour or more talking with 
Faith, and then went away. In her trouble 
of getting a substitute, and in her subsequent 
delight of one having been obtained, she had 
forgotten to ask the Captain his name, hav¬ 
ing addressed him simply by his military title. 
After a few days, she received a note say¬ 
ing the “Captain ” had re-enlisted, hut with 
no signature. She knew well enough, how¬ 
ever, from whom it came. Again, from 
Virginia, there came another letter, in the 
same handwriting, and with no signature 
save that of “ (.’aptaiu.” 
After t his she received none. But after¬ 
ward there was a dreadful battle, and in tl.e 
published details of the conflict were ac¬ 
counts of the gallantry and bravery of a 
captain, who, with the most admirable hero¬ 
ism and unselfishness, saved the flag,—and 
that the flag had been torn into pieces and 
distributed among the regiments of that 
brigade, as trophies of splendid and unrivaled 
achievement. 
At length t he war ended, and a few of the 
many who volunteered, came hack, some 
wholly unharmed. Among the latter was 
the captain who saved the flag, the same' 
who had seen Faith and loved her heroism. 
lie went to see her,and she, sitting at her 
reading by the window, started up to see her 
captain coming up the walk. He had eagles 
oil liis shoulders, and tied in a button-hole of 
liis coat a strip of the national colors. She 
rose and welcomed him most heartily, and 
after the first Hush of meeting was over .-lie 
asked him to tell her liis mime. 
“ My name can he of no use to you, 1 
think,” he replied. “I will give it to you 
upon condition that you will accept it with 
the owner of it.” 
Again Faith’s face paled, while her heart 
heat sadly enough. .She had devoted her¬ 
self to a work that was new and almost un¬ 
tried, in a woman’s way, and she could 
not marry any. one; and so she frankly 
confessed the whole matter to him. He ac¬ 
cepted her decision as a fatality, and, rising 
to go, took the piece of flag from liis coat, 
tore il in two, gave one piece to Faith, say¬ 
ing “ It was 1 who saved the flag at Cold liar* 
bor ,” took her hand a moment, and then 
went away, and that was the last of it. 
Faith looked over the accounts of that 
battle and thereby learned his name. She 
keeps liis letters auil the piece of flag as her 
choicest treasures, and when I told her she 
ought to have married him a look came on 
her face that made me think she would do 
so yet. ' 
