of her mouth, and whispered, loudly:

"Sperrits, honey! Sperrits!"

Sally laughed and shook her shining head.

"Oh, no, Mammy," she said, her voice full and bubbling, "no, no! spirits
don't come with strong hands and feet and take a horse away. Bill had a
nap, little Jule got easy, and you dozed, then some person led Hotspur
away."

Mammy looked carefully around, then said, with a twinkle in her eye:

"Ennyway, I'se glad dat boy get away. Dis yere war won't help de Inglish
any. De ole king needn't tink he can put his big foot on de people's
neck, and dey not kick back.

"Let Mars' Perc'val and Mistis Gran'son go back to Inglan' ef dey wants
to. Dey soon come totin' back 'gain. And Mars' Lion, ef he is a young
man, can run de place all it want to be run while dese times is goin'
on."

So he was coming back! her Fairy Prince!--

"I must learn yet more," said Maid Sally.

And so, while the dragon-fly buzzed in the hot summer sun, and the lazy
breeze scarcely stirred the cobwebs strung from bush to bush, while the
flaming poppies were seen through mists of heat, and the cattle stood
knee-deep in the streams, Maid Sally studied, recited, sewed, picked
over fruits, baked, and grew skilled both in pantry and in parlor.

Truly a little woman of the olden time.

Not often did the old-time parson freely praise any one. But Parson
Kendall one day said to Sally:

"I deem it but just, Maid Sally Duquesne, to say that very nobly hast
thou done with thy lessons. Many a fine lady might well be proud could
she stand by thy side, equal with thee in learning."

And Sally could have hugged herself from very happiness.

Then came the cooler days of autumn. The cotton had burst its bolls, the
sugar-cane given up its sweets, the tobacco was stored, the fruits
preserved.

One fine day in November, Sally saw Hotspur go dashing by, her Fairy
Prince holding the rein.

It was like a waft of new, sweet air thus to behold him. Too much a
child of nature was Maid Sally to lose or cast aside the dearest fancy
of her life as she grew older, and the Fairy Prince of poorer days was
the Fairy Prince still in her deep young heart.

He was also her hero now. She had helped him do battle for his country
and hers. He was her relation. What a secret to hug within her breast!

But now, hotter and hotter grew the news from all directions. Lord
Dunmore, gone from Williamsburg, yet made mischief in other parts of
Virginia.

And soon came r