"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. We
didn't have a farm, for father was a carpenter. My brother worked
for neighboring farmers, receiving his pay in corn and
vegetables, and picked up what odd jobs he could. Then mother was
able to do something; so we managed after a fashion. There were
times when we were brought pretty close to the wall, but God
carried us through. And by and by father came safely home, and I
don't think he ever regretted having left us. After awhile the
good news of peace came, and he felt that he had been abundantly
repaid for all the sacrifices he had made in the good cause."

Frank listened to this narrative with great interest. It yielded
him no little encouragement to know that another boy, placed in
similar circumstances, had succeeded, and he just felt that he
would have very much less to contend against than the brother of
whom Mrs. Chester spoke

"Thank you for telling me about your brother Mrs. Chester," he
said. "It makes me feel more as if things would turn out well.
Won't you come over soon and see us? Mother is always glad to see