am anxious to have
friends in it, too. Is that the way you do?" asked Aunt Selina.

"That's just it! and before anyone else knows what's going on, dozens of
folks are working on the same idea," replied Mrs. Talmage.

"Mary said something about a story that you wished to contribute, Aunt
Selina--what is it?" asked Uncle Ben.

"An experience I had in the Civil War when I was visiting my old school
chum, Rebecca Crudup. You have never heard any of my tales of that
visit, but I assure you they are exciting."

"And you were there! Why, Aunt Selina, your manuscript would be valuable
to any magazine! I wish you would let me read it before you turn it over
to the Blue Birds," said Uncle Ben eagerly, the business instinct for
new material for his magazine pushing the Blue Birds' magazine into the
background.

"You may see it after it is published in the children's paper," quietly
replied Aunt Selina.

Uncle Ben took the rebuke in the right spirit, and said, "Is your friend
alive to-day?"

"She was until last year, but her daughter is the musician I wish to get
'rooted' in this work for a music page. I haven't her studio address, or
I would have written to her about this."

"Give me her name and the last address you knew of, and I will locate
her as soon as I get back to the city," offered Uncle Ben.

Uncle Ben wrote the name and late address in a book then turned to the
ladies with a suggestion.

"Aunt Selina's story will surely take more than the two pages you spoke
of, so why not make a serial story of her Civil War experience?"

"Splendid! That is just the thing," cried Mrs. Talmage.

"I could make it as long as you wanted it to run, for Rebecca visited me
after the war and told me plenty of her wild adventures after I returned
home from the South. Why, my coachman, Abe, was one of the Crudup
slaves. He says they all stuck close to the family, for they loved them
and wanted to remain, but Mr. Crudup lost most of his wealth in the war
and had no place or means for so many servants," related Miss Selina.

The children had made a thorough inspection of the machinery and type by
this time and had joined the grown-ups.

"What was that you were telling mother, Aunt Selina?" asked Ned, who
overheard the word "war" and was interested.

"Why, we just discovered that Aunt Selina had a very exciting time in
the South during the Civil War and she is going to write it up for your
magazine," explained Uncle Ben.

"Oh, g