The idea of atonement was very strong in Elfie, and under its influence, she devoted herself to the service of the sick and wounded soldiers in the hospitals with a zeal equal to that of Erminie.
“I know,” she said, “that only our Saviour can atone to God for our sins. But sometimes we may atone to man. I will do all I can for the suffering soldiers until the war is over. And then if I really do come into the widow’s share of poor Albert’s fortune, I will not appropriate one dollar’s worth of it to myself. I will give it all to the orphans of the war, to the orphans of both sides, for the children are not accountable for the actions of their fathers, and far be from us the presumption of arrogating to ourselves the divine prerogative of visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children,” she would add.
And Erminie always approved her plans, and encouraged her to hope for their successful operation.
So the winter and the spring months had passed, and the early summer found the youthful widow serene and cheerful in the discharge of her duties.
There was very little to vary the monotony of this domestic life.
Major Fielding had not been home since the notable occasion upon which his daughter had given him such a surprise.
Justin was with his regiment at C.
Captain Ethel was in command of the gunboat Fire-King, on the Potomac.
And Britomarte was in parts unknown.
Yet letters from every one of these came very often.