Seventeen and Twice Seventeen; A Story of New England (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1884. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIII. PANSY. January 20, 1862. We have settled down here, as everywhere else people have done, to take the war as a part of our daily life. It is the greater part too. Our home duties must go on as usual, only we who are left have to take up the burdens dropped by those who have gone. Our way of living is entirely changed. There are no more social tea-drinkings or pleasure-parties of any description. Our work for the soldiers has taken their place. We meet at the church every week to sew for them. The children come and scrape lint and roll bandages. The girls make ' comfort-bags, ' and the boys fill them. Whenever any emergency arises and there is a call for supplies we ring the church bell, and soon the needed articles come pouring in. Those who have lost their loved ones in this cruel, bloody warfare seem most active in the work. The widow whom we thought so sure to follow her lost son comes every week in her dress of pitiful, faded black, and sews steadily on the hospital garments, upon which I sometimes see a teardrop glisten. Yesterday mother started for Brooklyn to see Mattie, who had been urging her for some time to come. I joined my entreaties to Mattie's. "But how can you possibly get along, Helen, with the home work and your Soldiers' Aid duties?" "Get up a little earlier and sit up a little later," I replied. "I don't see when you would sleep, then, for you are up now as soon as' it is light, and you sit up till a deplorably late hour." "I can certainly manage, mother dear. Just think how we are all doing what would have seemed impossible before the war. A little more or a little less will not be noticed.' Mother demurred, but I insisted, and yesterday she started, father going with her as far as Springfield. The house seems empty withou...