a cobbler in his stall?

The boys cry the "N'-York Heddle," instead of "Herald"; I remember that
years ago in Philadelphia; we must be getting near the farther end of the
dumb-bell suburb. A bridge has been swept away by a rise of the waters,
so we must approach Philadelphia by the river. Her physiognomy is not
distinguished; nez camus, as a Frenchman would say; no illustrious
steeple, no imposing tower; the water-edge of the town looking
bedraggled, like the flounce of a vulgar rich woman's dress that trails
on the sidewalk. The New Ironsides lies at one of the wharves,
elephantine in bulk and color, her sides narrowing as they rise, like the
walls of a hock-glass.

I went straight to the house in Walnut Street where the Captain would be
heard of, if anywhere in this region. His lieutenant-colonel was there,
gravely wounded; his college-friend and comrade in arms, a son of the
house, was there, injured in a similar way; another soldier, brother of
the last, was there, prostrate with fever. A fourth bed was waiting
ready for the Captain, but not one word had been heard of him, though
inquiries had been made in the towns from and through which the father
had brought his two sons and the lieutenant-colonel. And so my search is,
like a "Ledger" story, to be continued.

I rejoined my companions in time to take the noon-train for Baltimore.
Our company was gaining in number as it moved onwards. We had found upon
the train from New York a lovely, lonely lady, the wife of one of our
most spirited Massachusetts officers, the brave Colonel of the __th
Regiment, going to seek her wounded husband at Middletown, a place lying
directly in our track. She was the light of our party while we were
together on our pilgrimage, a fair, gracious woman, gentle, but
courageous,

---"ful plesant and amiable of port,
---estatelich of manere,
And to ben holden digne of reverence."

On the road from Philadelphia, I found in the same car with our party Dr.
William Hunt of Philadelphia, who had most kindly and faithfully attended
the Captain, then the Lieutenant, after a wound received at Ball's Bluff,
which came very near being mortal. He was going upon an errand of mercy
to the wounded, and found he had in his memorandum-book the name of our
lady's husband, the Colonel, who had been commended to his particular
attention.

Not long after leaving Philadelphia, we passed a solitary sentry keeping
guard