isted with decorous alacrity by the conductor, and followed by the
station-agent with Alice in his arms, and by the telegraph-operator
with a home-made satchel or two of luggage and luncheon. It was
disgusting,--to two thin, tough-necked women, who climbed aboard,
unassisted, at the other end of the same coach.

"You kin just bet she's a widder, and them fellers knows it," said one
to the other, taking a seat and spitting expertly through the window.

"If she aint," responded the other, putting a peeled snuff-stick into
her cheek, "then her husband's got the brass buttons, and they knows
that. Look at 'er a-smi-i-ilin'!"

"What you reckon makes her look so wore out?" asked the first. And the
other replied promptly, with unbounded loathing, "Dayncin'," and sent
her emphasis out of the window in liquid form without disturbing her
intervening companion.

During the delay caused by the rain Mary had found time to refit her
borrowed costume. Her dress was a stout, close-fitting homespun of mixed
cotton and wool, woven in a neat plaid of walnut-brown, oak-red, and the
pale olive dye of the hickory. Her hat was a simple round thing of woven
pine straw, with a slightly drooping brim, its native brown gloss
undisturbed, and the low crown wrapped about with a wreath of wild
grasses plaited together with a bit of yellow cord. Alice wore a
much-washed pink calico frock and a hood of the same stuff.

"Some officer's wife," said two very sweet and lady-like persons, of
unequal age and equal good taste in dress, as their eyes took an
inventory of her apparel. They wore bonnets that were quite handsome,
and had real false flowers and silk ribbons on them.

"Yes, she's been to camp somewhere to see him."

"Beautiful child she's got," said one, as Alice began softly to smite
her mother's shoulder for private attention, and to whisper gravely as
Mary bent down.

Two or three soldiers took their feet off the seats, and one of them, at
the amiably murmured request of the conductor, put his shoes on.

"The car in front is your car," said the conductor to another man, in
especially dirty gray uniform.

"You kin hev it," said the soldier, throwing his palm open with an air
of happy extravagance, and a group of gray-headed "citizens," just
behind, exploded a loud country laugh.

"D' I onderstaynd you to lafe at me, saw?" drawled the soldier, turning
back with a pretence of heavy gloom on his uncombed brow.

"Laughin' at yo' friend