esumed her knitting. The invalid
frowned, and asked impatiently--

"Can't you buy as many of those coarse things as you want, without toiling
night and day?"

"In the first place, I do not toil; knitting is purely mechanical, very
easy, and I like it. In the second place, I cannot buy them, and our men
need them when they are standing on guard. It is cold work holding a musket
in the open air, such weather as this."

He looked annoyed, and dived deeper among his cushions.

"Don't you feel as well as usual this evening, Uncle Eric?"

"Oh! I am well enough--but I hate the everlasting motion of those steel
needles."

She rolled up the glove, put it in her basket, and rose.

"Shall I read to you? Or, how would you like a game of chess?"

"I do not expect you to humour my whims. Above all things, my child, I
dread the thought of becoming troublesome to you."

"You can never be that, Uncle Eric; and I shall always be glad if you will
tell me how I can make your time pass more pleasantly. I know this house
must seem gloomy enough at best. Let us try a game of chess; we have not
played since you came from Europe."

She brought the board, and they sat down to the most quiet and absorbing of
all games. Both played well, and when Eric was finally vanquished, he was
surprised to find, from the hands of the clock, that the game had lasted
nearly two hours. As she carefully replaced the ivory combatants in their
box, Irene said--

"Uncle, you know that I have long desired and intended to go to Richmond,
but various circumstances combined to keep me at home. I felt that I had
duties here which must first be discharged; now the time has come when I
can accomplish my long-cherished plan. Dr. Arnold has taken charge of the
hospital in Richmond which was established with the money we sent from
W---- for the relief of our regiments. Mrs. Campbell is about to be
installed as matron, and I have to-day decided to join them. In his letter
received this afternoon he orders me not to come, but I know that he will
give me a ward when he finds me at his elbow. I am aware that you have
always opposed this project, but I hope, sir, that you will waive your
objections, and go on with me next week."

"It is a strange and unreasonable freak, which, I must say, I do not
approve of. There are plenty of nurses to be hired, who have more
experience, and are every way far more suitable for such positions."

"Uncle, the men in our armies are n