own town of
Norfolk--Capt. Charles Grandy, of the Norfolk Light Artillery Blues. The
Major invited the Captain to dine with him on a certain day. He did not
expect anything very much, but there was a seductive sound in the word
"dining" and he accepted. Grandy told the story of his experience on
that festive occasion. He walked two miles to Major Ludlow's quarters,
and was met with friendly cordiality by his old fellow-townsman, and
ushered into his hut where a bright fire was burning. After a time spent
in conversation, the Major began to prepare for dinner. He reached up on
a shelf, and took down a cake of bread, cut it into two pieces, and put
them in a frying pan on the fire to heat. Then he reached up on the
shelf and got down a piece of bacon--not very large--cut it into two
pieces, and put them in another pan on the fire to fry. Down in the
ashes by the fire was a tin cup covered over--its contents not visible.
The dining table was an old door, taken from some barn and set up on
skids.

When the bread and meat were ready, the Major put it on the table and
with a courtly wave of his hand said, "D-d-draw up, Charley." They
seated themselves. The Major gave a piece of bread and a piece of bacon
to his guest, and took the other piece, of each, for himself. After he
had eaten a while--the Major got up, went to the fireplace and took up
the tin cup. He poured off the water, and, behold, one egg came to view.
This egg, the Major put on a plate and, coming to the table, handed it
to Grandy--"Ch-Ch-Charley, take an egg," as if there were a dish full.
Charley, having been brought up to think it not good manners to take the
last thing on the dish, declined to take the only egg in sight--said he
didn't care specially for eggs! though he said he would have given a
heap for that egg, as he hadn't tasted one since he had been in the
army. "But," urged the Major, "Ch-Ch-Charley, I insist that you take an
egg. You must take one--there is going to be plenty--do take it." Under
this encouragement, Grandy took the egg--while he was greatly enjoying
it, suddenly there was a flutter in the corner of the hut. An old hen
flew up from behind a box in the corner, lit on the side of the box and
began to cackle loudly. The Major turned to Grandy and said, "I-I
t-t-told you there was going to be a plenty. I invited you to dinner
today because this was the day for the hen to lay." He went over and got
the fresh egg from behind the box, cooked