elds of the South
he found his position by her side more and more agreeable and
interesting. She was a girl of remarkable intelligence. He had observed
that she was not afraid of silence. Her tongue was not forever going. In
fact she seemed disinclined to talk unless she had something to say.

He glanced at her from the corners of his dark eyes with a friendly
smile.

"You are serious to-day, Miss Jennie?"

"Yes. I wish I were a man!"

"You'd go to the front, of course?"

"Yes--wouldn't you?"

"For _my_ country--yes--"

He paused a moment and went on carelessly:

"Your older brother, the Judge, will fight for the Union?"

The sensitive lips trembled.

"No--thank God. He has sent my mother word that for her sake and mine
he'll not fight his father and younger brothers in battle. He's going to
do a braver thing than march to the front. He's going to face his
neighbors in New Orleans and stand squarely by his principles."

"It will take a brave man to do that, won't it?"

"The bravest of the brave."

The train was just pulling into a sleepy Southern town, the tracks
running straight down the center of its main street. A company was drawn
up to salute the new President and cheering thousands had poured in from
the surrounding country to do him honor. They cheered themselves hoarse
and were still at it when the train slowly started northward. The
company which greeted their arrival with arms presented were on board
now, chatting, shouting, singing, waving their caps and handkerchiefs to
tear-stained women.

The country through which the Presidential party passed had been
suddenly transformed into a vast military camp, the whole population war
mad.

Every woman from every window of every house in sight of the train waved
a handkerchief. The flutter of those white flags never ceased.

The city of Richmond gave their distinguished visitor a noble reception.
He was quartered temporarily at the Spotswood Hotel, but the City
Council had purchased the handsomest mansion in town at a cost of
$40,000 and offered it to him as their token of admiration of his
genius.

Mr. Davis was deeply touched by this mark of esteem from Virginia, but
sternly refused the gift for himself. He accepted it for the Confederate
Government as the official residence of the President.

Socola found the city a mere comfortable village in comparison with New
York or Boston or Philadelphia, though five times the size of
Montgomery. He