Kathie's Soldiers

by Amanda M. Douglas

  CHAPTER IV.

  LITTLE STEPS BY THE WAY.

  BUT Kathie found that the regiment's marching off to Virginia had nottaken all the interest of life. They had left the woods behind, glowingwith rich autumnal coloring, the glorious blue heavens, the ripeningfruits, and the changeful scenes, that opened afresh every day.

  Her afternoons were quite a delight. Uncle Robert always held himself inreadiness, and they had either a ride or a ramble. There were newcollections of ferns to make, and with these she often had anentertaining lesson in botany.

  October was very pleasant indeed. There was no frost to mention untilthe middle of the month, and by that time the flowers were safelyhoused. Hugh Morrison had built a conservatory against the south side ofthe barn, and promised Kathie bouquets all winter.

  Kathie began to look up her old friends as well, and she joined thegirls in several nutting expeditions, at which they had rare fun.

  Withal she had a brief note from Ada, who wondered if she approved thefoolish step Uncle Edward had taken. Papa was positively angry about it!And then the idea of going out as a private, even if it was in a "crack"regiment. However, they really didn't mean to fight, and that was somecomfort. He would be at home by the first of January.

  But General Grant evinced no desire to go into winter quarters, while atthe South and West there was unusual activity.

  "It looks as if there might be considerable fighting before Christmas!"declared Uncle Robert.

  For the few who chose to find them there were duties enough. Brookside,as well as other places, began to feel the effects of the war. Therewere soldiers' widows and orphans, the sick and the wounded who weresent home to make room for newer cases. Then the churches at Brooksidedecided to give a grand Fair and Festival for this benevolent object, tobe held Thanksgiving week.

  Kathie found her hands quite full. Still she found time to dust theparlor every morning and take care of her own room, and often managedto get half an hour for her music practice. To be sure, she did notdawdle over her dressing, neither was there a waterfall wonderfullyconstructed, and adorned with puffs and braids.

  "I mean to keep my little girl simple in her tastes as long as I can,"Mrs. Alston replied to the dressmaker. "Nothing can be prettier than herhair as it is, and I do not feel justified in dressing her expensivelywhen there are so many children suffering with cold and hunger."

  "But young girls feel so sensitive on these matters," was the reply."They all want to look like their companions."

  "I hope there are some sensible mothers left," returned Mrs. Alston witha smile.

  Kathie was very much interested in getting contributions and makingfancy articles, though hers tended rather to the useful. And Aunt Ruth,to her great amusement, made up a dozen stout gingham kitchen apronswith bibs, a stack of kettle-holders, and knitted some dishcloths out ofsoft cotton.

  In the mean while Kathie was delighted with a letter from Mr. Meredith.He was in the gayest spirits and related a host of comical episodes. Hehad been in several skirmishes, but no regular battle, was well andhearty, and brown as a berry already. Just at the last he said, "I havenot forgotten our pleasant ride, and the other fighting we talkedabout."

  Mr. Morrison was doing very well also. Kathie began to think that it wasnot such a terrible thing to go to war, after all.

  As for Rob, his record was pretty fair. He did confess to being a littlehomesick at first. The Latin was "awful tough work," and some of therules "rather hard on a fellow who was new to them." But they had a"jolly set of boys," and he liked it first-rate.

  So Kathie had no need to worry about her soldiers. She said a littleprayer for them night and morning, and thought of them often. But shewas so busy and so happy that she was little inclined to look upon thedark side.

  The Fair was a decided success. It was held at Mason's Hall and openedon Monday evening. Emma Lauriston, and a number of the larger girls,were in attendance upon the tables. The band came up from Connor's Pointand discoursed patriotic music. The hall was large, well lighted, andpresented a very gay appearance.

  But the most amusement was created by a "Dutch kitchen." Several ladieshad transformed a small ante-room into a very attractive place ofresort. There were great brown rafters overhead, from which dependedhams, flitches of bacon, strings of onions, bunches of herbs, and at theedge were stowed away miscellaneous articles. A great eight-day clock,chairs, and an old brass-handled dresser that might have come over inthe Mayflower, while four pretty young girls, in the quaint old costumeof their grand-mothers, waited upon the table with all grace and ease.This was crowned with an immense dish of beans and pork, and a stout,rosy Dutch woman was baking waffles. Altogether this was the place forfun.

  Kathie had been in and out half a dozen times. Her Fortunatus's pursewas full to repletion, and every time she passed the door she saw somechildren standing there with wistful eyes. It was such a delightfulthing to make any one happy.

  Sauntering round, she came to a rather oddly arranged table,--MissWeston's. She was the primmest and queerest of old maids,--a littlebody with weak eyes and flaxen hair, who always looked at you sharplythrough gold-bowed spectacles.

  "O dear!" she exclaimed, "how you young things do go flyin' round! Asfor me, I'm that tired I'm just ready to drop. I've been here ever sencetwo o'clock and never set down a minnit. I fixed all my table myself,and I made nigh onto all the things. Cousin Hitty, she sent me themthere child's aperns; but land! what a sight of folly it is to do allthat braidin' and nonsense! I never had no sech thing when I was little!Been in the Dutch kitchen?"

  "O yes, time and again."

  "I'd like to go, I'm sure. I've been standin' stiddy on my feet sencetwo o'clock. If some one would come along and take my table!"

  "Couldn't I?" asked Kathie.

  "O, you're so flighty! All gals are nowadays. Why, when I was no older'n you I had seven bed-quilts pieced, and had begun to lay by sheets andpillow-slips, and had a dozen pairs of as han'some hum-knit stockings asyou'd find in a day's walk!"

  Miss Weston really did look tired. Kathie was debating whether sheshould not insist, though this was an out-of-the-way corner, and ratherdull.

  "Well, I guess I'll go. You won't be likely to sell anything; nothingmuch sells the first night, and I hain't no nonsense and flummery. Gooduseful articles, but nobody can see their virtue nowadays. It's the wayof the world!"--a little spitefully. "All the prices are marked in plainfiggers, and I won't have a thing undersold. O dear, I am a'most beatout."

  "I'll do my best," said Kathie, sweetly.

  After giving about a dozen more orders Miss Weston moved slowly away,though, truth to tell, she was more anxious to go than she appeared; andwhom should she meet just at the entrance but Mr. Denslow, who paid theten cents' admittance fee. Mr. Denslow, moreover, was a widower, andMiss Weston had not quite given up the hope that the bed-quilts and thestores of linen might some day be called into use.

  Kathie took her place behind the table, and, when the moments began tohang heavy, ventured upon a few improvements. The passers-by just gavethe place a glance, and preferred to go where there were some prettygirls or some fun. Kathie found it exceedingly dull.

  At last Mary Cox spied her out. Charlie Darrell was escorting her round.

  "Why, Miss Weston," he said, softly, "where's your specs? And why isn'tyour hair done up in queer little puffs?"

  "What an ugly table!" exclaimed Mary. "How did you come to take it?"

  "Miss Weston was so tired."

  "She is in the Dutch kitchen, desperately sweet upon Mr. Denslow. It'sso seldom that she gets a beau that you needn't expect her for the nexthour. What a lovely time you will have waiting!"

  Charlie would have been very well satisfied to stay and talk to Kathie,but Mary wanted the amusement of rambling round and laughing with everyone; and though Kathie said, beseechingly, "Don't go!" Mary replied, "O,we must!" and the child was left alone again.

  Down at the end of the hall they were having a merry time. Sh
e saw graveEmma Lauriston laughing, and Aunt Ruth was talking and smiling. Whydidn't some one think of her?

  "How much fur these caliker aperns?" asked a country woman.

  Kathie roused a little at the question, and took her eyes from theentertaining circle.

  "Half a dollar!"

  "Half a dollar!"--in the utmost surprise. "Why, they ain't wuth it!Ain't more 'n two yards of caliker in 'em, and I kin buy jest sich forfifteen cents a yard."

  "But the making," suggested Kathie.

  "O, that was throwed in! Always is in char'table objects. Tell you whatI'll do,--give three shillin's apiece for two of 'em. It's a goodobject."

  Now Kathie knew that the calico could not be bought for less thaneighteen cents a yard, which would give just one cent profit; besides,Miss Weston had charged her particularly not to undersell. "The table isnot mine," she answered; "I am keeping it for a friend."

  Perhaps the woman considered there was a better chance ofbargain-making; at all events she lingered and haggled until Kathie grewnervous, and wished Miss Weston would come.

  "Well, you're dreadful dear,--that's all I've got to say"; and thewoman flounced off angrily. "It's just the way at these fairs andthings; but you can't cheat me out of my eyes, char'ty or not." ThenKathie was left alone again.

  Presently Harry Cox ran over. "We're having such fun, and Charlie sentme for you. There's no one here, so why can't you shut up shop?"

  Kathie longed to very much. She might keep an eye on the table and havea little fun besides; but it would be deserting her post. No truesoldier would do that. "I'm obliged to you, but I think I had betterstay; Miss Weston will soon be here."

  "She's an old humbug!"

  The sights and sounds were so tantalizing! What _was_ Miss Weston doingin the Dutch kitchen all this while?

  At last a bit of good-fortune befell Kathie. Mr. and Mrs. Adams and Mr.Langdon came along. Mr. Langdon had been away from Brookside for severalweeks, and had a host of questions to ask.

  "But what are you doing over here? You look as if you had quarrelledwith your neighbors, and gone off in disdain."

  Kathie explained that it was not her table.

  "Have you sold anything?"

  "Not a penny's worth!"

  "Then I must patronize you a little," declared Mrs. Adams.

  She found a number of useful articles, and some that she could give awayto her poor parishioners. Kathie was quite proud of the four dollars inthe small cash-box.

  At last she was relieved, and gave a great breath of thankfulness.

  "Is that _all_ you've taken in?" asked Miss Weston, rather sharply. "Areyou sure you've been here all the time? But you never can find any onewho will do for you as you do yourself."

  "I did not have but one customer," returned Kathie, in justification;and she felt that Mrs. Adams had made her purchases from a sense ofpersonal friendship.

  "I might better 'a' stayed with my table," was the ungracious answer;and that was all the thanks Kathie received for her kind deed and thediscomfort. But she solaced herself with the consciousness that a greatmany good deeds meet with no reward in this world. Miss Weston mustcertainly have had some pleasure, or she would not have stayed so long.

  Kathie was glad to get back to her mother and Aunt Ruth. The greatsource of amusement over here was the confectionery table with packagesof "gift" candy, each parcel of which contained a present, and some ofthem were exceedingly comical.

  "We have had such fun!" exclaimed Mary. "You don't know what you havemissed!"

  But Charlie glanced up and met Kathie's eyes with a look that seemed tounderstand it all; and Miss Jessie said afterward, "I think you werevery good to keep Miss Weston's table such a long while. I didn't knowbut she meant to spend the whole evening in the kitchen."

  At ten o'clock they began to put everything in order for closing up. Theevening had been a wonderful success, considering that it was the first.Kathie was full of delight and excitement, and declared that she did notfeel a bit sleepy, though it was after eleven when she went to her room.

  The sleepiness came the next morning. Lessons were rather dull work, andshe counted the moments eagerly until school closed. At first she hadhalf a mind to run over to the hall to see how matters were progressing.

  "But then it will be so much gayer this evening," she thought toherself, "and I must study my lessons a little."

  She had sufficient courage to refuse all entreaties, and walked home byherself, trying to recall several subjects on which she had not beenvery perfect to-day. Mrs. Wilder was a little indulgent, for she knewhow much the Fair had engrossed their attention.

  The house was very quiet, so Kathie studied and had a good long musicpractice before mamma and Aunt Ruth returned. But as they were planningat the supper-table Mrs. Alston said, "I would rather not have you goto-night, Kathie."

  "O mamma, why?"--with a touch of entreaty in her voice.

  "You were up late last night, and you will want to be there again onWednesday evening. You certainly need a little rest between."

  "But last evening was like--lost time to me, or pretty nearly. I stayedat Miss Weston's table in that dull corner for more than an hour, whilethe other girls were enjoying themselves."

  "Was it really lost time?" and a half-smile crossed Mrs. Alston's face.

  Kathie bethought herself. "I suppose it ought not to have been, but itwas very dull."

  "Are you sorry that you did it?"

  "Why, no,"--in a tone of faint surprise. "And yet she did not seem verymuch obliged to me. Not that I cared so much for the thanks,"--ratherhastily.

  "I was glad to see you willing to give up that much of your pleasure.Miss Weston is peculiar, but she was very ready to help everybody allthe afternoon, and had her pins, scissors, strings, tacks, and hammeralways ready. She did a great deal of work."

  "But what a pity she cannot be--"

  "Well," said Uncle Robert, filling the long pause.

  "A little more gracious, I believe I was going to say, or not quite so'queer.'"

  "It is unfortunate, when Miss Weston is so good-hearted in the main. Butthen she always talks about the trouble she has taken, the hard work shehas done, and really dims the grace of her kind deeds."

  "I came very near doing it myself," admitted Kathie, quite soberly.

  "I do not believe Kathie desired any extra indulgence to-night becauseshe gave up hers last evening," exclaimed Uncle Robert, with thatnamelessly appreciative light in his eyes.

  "O no, do not think that of me, mamma, only I should like to goto-night. All the girls are to be there."

  "Three nights' dissipation in succession is rather too much for a littlegirl, unless there was an urgent necessity. You will enjoy Wednesdayevening all the better for having had a rest."

  Kathie entreated no further, but it was a great disappointment, the moreso because it had come so unexpectedly. And it seemed to her that shefelt rested and bright enough to keep awake until midnight. She hadstudied all her lessons too.

  However, she kissed her mother cheerfully. Aunt Ruth was tired, and didnot mean to go either.

  "You might put me to bed," exclaimed Freddy, lingering in thesitting-room.

  Kathie somehow could not feel generous all at once. The idea of nursingher disappointment awhile looked rather tempting.

  "Why, I never do it now," she answered.

  "No, you don't,"--considerably aggrieved. "Nor ever tell me stories,either! And it's so lonesome since Rob went to school."

  Kathie had a faint consciousness that _not_ to think of herself would bethe best thing she could do.

  "And you never told me about the Fair, either!"

  "Well, run up to bed, and I will come presently," she said, in herbright, pleasant way.

  Freddy kissed Aunt Ruth and went off in high feather. It was quite likeold times to sit beside him and talk, and Kathie was not a little amusedby his questions, some of which were very wise for a little head, andothers utterly absurd. Then came some very slow, wa
ndering sentences,and Kathie knew then that dusky-robed Sleep was hovering about thewondering brain until it could wonder no more.

  "Good night,"--with a soft kiss.

  Aunt Ruth was lying on the lounge, so she ran down to the drawing-roomand had half an hour's study over some "accidentals," that had tried herpatience sorely in the afternoon. Delightful and all as music was, howmuch hard labor and persistence it required!

  But by and by she could play the troublesome part with her eyes shut,counting the time to every note.

  "Mr. Lawrence cannot find any fault with that!" she commented inwardly.

  So she went back to Aunt Ruth in a very sweet humor, and, drawing anottoman to the side of the lounge, sat down with Aunt Ruth's arm aroundher neck.

  The room looked so lovely in its soft light. The shadowy flowers andbaskets of trailing vines in the great bay-window, the dusky pictures onthe wall, and the crimson tint given by the furniture. It was so sweetand restful that Kathie felt like having a good talk, so she drew a longbreath by way of inspiration.

  "Aunt Ruth," she said, in a little perplexity, "why is it that a personis not always willing to try to do right first of all? One wishes to anddoes not in the same breath."

  "I suppose that is the result of our imperfect natures; but it is goodto have the desire even."

  "Yet when one means to try--is trying--will it never come easy?"

  "Do you not find it easier than you did two years ago?"

  "But I am older, and have more judgment."

  "And a stronger will on the wrong side as well as on the right, besidemany more temptations."

  "You conquer some of them, though."

  "Yet with every new state of life others spring up. Life is a continualwarfare."

  "And you never get perfect!"

  "Never in this life."

  "It is discouraging,--isn't it, Aunt Ruth?"

  "Is it discouraging to eat when you are hungry?"

  "Why, no!"--with a little laugh.

  "It seems to me the conditions of spiritual life are not so very unlikethe conditions of physical life. It is step by step in both. The foodand the grace are sufficient for the day, but they will not lastto-morrow, or for a month to come."

  "Yet the grace was to be sufficient always," Kathie said, with somehesitation.

  "And have you proved it otherwise?" The voice was very sweet, and AuntRuth's tone almost insensibly lured to confidence.

  "But what troubles me is--that little things--" and Kathie's voiceseemed to get tangled up with emotion, "should be such a trialsometimes. Now I can understand how any great sacrifice may call for agreat effort; but after we have been used to doing these little thingsover and over again--"

  "One becomes rather tired of making the effort; and it is just herewhere so many people who mean to be good go astray. They leave the smallmatters to take care of themselves, and aspire to something greater; so,without being really aware of it, they are impatient, selfish,thoughtless for others, and fall into many careless ways. Would onereally grand action make amends for all?"

  "No, it would not," Kathie answered, reflectively.

  "So we have to keep a watch every moment, be fed every day and hour, orwe shall hunger."

  Kathie sighed a little. Why had it not been as easy to be good andpleasant to-night as some other times when mamma did not think a covetedindulgence necessary? Yet her perplexity appeared so trivial that shehardly had the courage to confess it even to this kind listener.

  "You took the right step to-night, Kathie," said Aunt Ruth, presently."I was glad to see you do it. Brooding over any real or fancied burdennever lightens it. And though it seems a rather sharp remedy in themidst of one's pain to think of or help some other person, it works thespeediest cure."

  She saw that. So little a thing as entertaining Freddy had soothed herown disappointment.

  "But I ought not--" and Kathie's voice trembled.

  "Stoicism is not the highest courage, little one. And God doesn't takeaway our natural feelings when he forgives sin. There is a good deal ofsifting and winnowing left for us to do. And I believe God is betterpleased with us when we have seen the danger, and struggled against it,than if it had not touched us at all. The rustle of the leaves seems togive promise of fruit."

  "I think I see," Kathie answered, slowly. "There is some marching aswell as all battle."

  "Yes"; and Aunt Ruth kissed the tremulous scarlet lips.

  Kathie was so soundly asleep that she did not hear mamma and UncleRobert come home. But she was bright and winsome as a bird the nextmorning.