“She doesn’t seem as much disturbed about it as you do, Mrs. Mason,” said Frank, rather impatiently; for he felt that Mrs. Mason had no right to interfere in his father’s arrangements.

“Well, well, we’ll see!” said Mrs. Roxana, shaking her head significantly.  “If you’ll look in your Bible, you’ll read about ‘the haughty spirit that goes before a fall.’  I’m sure I wish you well enough.  I hope that things’ll turn out better’n they’re like to.  Tell your mother I’ll come over before long and talk with her about it.”

Frank inwardly hoped that Mrs. Roxana wouldn’t put herself to any trouble to call, but politeness taught him to be silent.

Leaving Mrs. Mason’s gate, he kept on his way to school, but had hardly gone half a dozen rods before he met an old lady, whose benevolent face indicated a very different disposition from that of the lady he had just parted with.

“Good morning, Mrs. Chester,” said Frank cordially, recognizing one of his mother’s oldest friends.

“Good morning, my dear boy,” was the reply.  “I hear your father is going to the war.”

“Yes,” said Frank, a little nervously, not knowing but Mrs. Chester would view the matter in the same way as Mrs. Mason, though he felt sure she would express herself less disagreeably.

“And I hear that you are going to try to make his place good at home.”

“I don’t expect to make his place good, Mrs. Chester,” said Frank modestly, “but I shall do as well as I can.”

“I have no doubt of it, my dear boy,” said the old lady kindly.  “You can do a great deal, too.  You can help your mother by looking out for your brothers and sisters, as well as supplying your father’s place on the farm.”

“I am glad you think I can make myself useful,” said Frank, feeling relieved.  “Mrs. Mason has just been telling me that I am not fit for the charge, and that discouraged me a little.”

“It’s a great responsibility, no doubt, to come on one so young,” said the old lady, “but it’s of God’s appointment.  He will strengthen your hands, if you will only ask Him.  If you humbly seek His guidance and assistance, you need not fear to fail.”

“Yes,” said Frank soberly, “that’s what I mean to do.”

“Then you will feel that you are in the path of duty.  You’ll be serving your country just as much as if you went yourself.”

“That’s just the way I feel, Mrs. Chester,” exclaimed Frank eagerly.  “I want to do something for my country.”

“You remind me of my oldest brother,” said the old lady thoughtfully.  “He was left pretty much as you are.  It was about the middle of the Revolutionary war, and the army needed recruits.  My father hesitated, for he had a small family depending on him for support.  I was only two years old at the time, and there were three of us.  Finally my brother James, who was just about your age, told my father that he would do all he could to support the family, and father concluded to go.