nourishing food.

It was a morning in the early autumn that Sibyl, sitting at work by an
open window, became suddenly conscious of an unusual presence near
her, and, looking up, beheld a man gazing fixedly upon her. A party of
Federals had that very morning visited the house upon a pretended
search for concealed weapons, and the girl, with nerves still
vibrating with terror, uttered a little shriek, and, starting up, was
about to close the window, when the figure leaped over the low sill, a
pair of strong arms encircled her, kisses fell upon her lips, and, ere
the shriek of terror could find voice, she recognized, under the rough
countryman's hat, the laughing eyes of her brother Sedley.

Such meetings can be better imagined than described; seconds had
become minutes ere Sibyl or her mother could begin to realize their
joy, which, in its first intensity, was almost pain. Then came the
breathless questionings as to the well-being of the other dear ones,
then the deep sigh of thankfulness from the long-burdened hearts.

At the sound of a strange voice. Mammy, peeping in at the open door,
had fallen prostrate with joy, and, while hugging her boy to her
faithful bosom, had called upon her Maker to testify that upon this
very morning the scissors had stuck up twice.

"An' I knowed when dey done dat, dat somebody was a-comin'."

Then Dinah, the cook, came in, courtesying and laughing and loyal as
though no emancipating army had set foot in Dixie.

When the joyful tidings had reached the children, Rita's thin legs
might have been seen flying through the high grass. The more practical
Joe toiled behind, bending under the burden of (their treasure trove)
a big pumpkin, a basket of persimmons, and a few stalks of sorghum,
for, like the Scriptural colts of the wild ass, they passed their time
in searching after every green thing.

In the magnetism of the bright presence of the young soldier, all the
sad forebodings seemed to vanish into thin air. While listening to his
brave words of hope, they forgot that the sunny hours of this most
happy day were hastening by. Already the shadows lay long upon the
grass, and there remained yet so much to be said and so little time
wherein to say it! By set of sun Sedley must be on his way to rejoin
his command. His brief and daring visit had been achieved by his
assuming a disguise before venturing inside the enemy's lines.

"How did you ever manage it?" asked the mother. "I tremble whe