could not bear it any longer--then I crawled down and stood on the floor
again. So I changed from the floor to the water cooler and back again,
for change of position, all through the night in that hot, crowded car,
and I was very tired when we got to Richmond.

We arrived at seven o'clock and the train--Richmond and Danville
Railroad--was to start for Danville at eight. I got out and walked about
to limber up a little for the rest of the trip. I had a discussion with
myself which I found it rather hard to decide. I had only half a dollar
in my pocket. The furlough furnished the transportation on the train,
and the question was this--with this I could get a little something to
eat, or I could get a clean shave. On the one hand I was very hungry. I
had not eaten anything since early morning of the day before, and since
then had walked nineteen miles and spent that weary night on the train
without a wink of sleep. Moreover, there was no chance of anything to
eat until we got to Danville that night--another day of fasting--strong
reasons for spending that half dollar in _food_. On the other hand, I
was going to a wedding party where I would meet a lot of girls, and
above all, was to "wait" with the prettiest girl in the State of
Virginia. In those days, the wedding customs were somewhat different
from those now in vogue. Instead of a "best man" to act as "bottle
holder" to the groom, and a "best girl" to stand by the bride and pull
off her glove, and fix her veil, and see that her train hangs right,
when she starts back down the aisle with her victim--the custom was to
have a number of couples of "waiters" chosen by the bride and groom from
among their special friends, who would march up in procession, ahead of
the bride and groom, who followed them arm in arm to the chancel.

The "first waiters" did the office of "best" man and girl, as it is now.
I have been at a wedding where fourteen couples of waiters marched in
the procession.

Well, I was going into such company, and had to escort up the aisle that
beautiful cousin, that I was telling you about--naturally I wanted to
look my best, and the more I thought about that girl, the more I wanted
to, so I at last decided to spend that only fifty cents for a clean
shave--and got it. My heart and my conscience approved of this decision,
but I suffered many pangs in other quarters, owing to that long fasting
day. However, virtue is its own reward, and that night when I got hom