nce, a lot of
us--I am an H. P., 'high private,' now--were quartered in several
wooden tenements, and in the inner room of one lay the _corpus_ of
a young Secesh officer, awaiting burial. The news soon spread to a
village not far off. Down came tearing a sentimental and not
bad-looking specimen of a Virginny dame.

'Let me kiss him for his mother!' she cried, as I interrupted her
progress. '_Do_ let me kiss him for his mother!'

'Kiss whom?'

'The dear little lieutenant, the one who lies dead within. P'int
him out to me, sir, if you please. I never saw him, but--oh!'

I led her through a room in which Lieutenant ----, of Philadelphia,
lay stretched out on an up-turned trough, fast asleep. Supposing
him to be the 'article' sought for, she rushed up, and exclaiming,
'Let me kiss him for his mother,' approached her lips to his
forehead. What was her amazement when the 'corpse,' ardently
clasping its arms around her, returned the salute vigorously, and
exclaimed:

'Never mind the old lady, Miss, go it on your own account. I
haven't the slightest objection!'

Sentiment is a fine thing, Mr. Editor, but it should be handled as
one handles the spiked guns which the rebels leave behind, loaded
with percussion-caps--very carefully.

Yours amazingly,

WARDEN.

* * * * *

Readers who are desirous of seeing Ravenshoe fully played out will
please glance at the following:

RAVENSHOE--ITS SEQUEL.

PREFACE

There are those who assert that the doctrine of Compensation is utterly
ignored in Ravenshoe. They instance the rewarding Welter, a coarse,
brutal scoundrel and sensual beast, with wealth and title, and such
honor as the author can confer, as an insult to every rational reader;
nor can they think Charles Ravenshoe, or Horton, who endeavored right
manfully to support himself, repaid for this exertion, and for bearing
up stoutly against his troubles, by being compelled 'to pass a dull,
settled, dreaming, melancholy old age' as an invalid.

It may naturally be thought that a residence of years in Australia, the
mother of Botany Bay, where not exactly the best of American society
could be found, has had its effect in embittering even an Englishman
against Americans, and of embroiling him with his own countrymen;
therefore the reader must smile at this principle of rewa