I offered him my last apple with a word of interest. The keen blue
eyes met mine gratefully, and the apple began to vanish in vigorous
bites as we talked; for no one thought of ceremony at such a time.

"Where are you from?"

"Woolidge, ma'am."

"Are you glad to go?"

"Wal, there's two sides to that question. I calk'late to do my duty,
and do it hearty: but it _is_ rough on a feller leavin' his folks, for
good, maybe."

There was a sudden huskiness in the man's voice that was not
apple-skins, though he tried to make believe that it was. I knew a
word about home would comfort him, so I went on with my questions.

"It is very hard. Do you leave a family?"

"My old mother, a sick brother,--and Lucindy."

The last word was uttered in a tone of intense regret, and his brown
cheek reddened as he added hastily, to hide some embarrassment.--

"You see, Jim went last year, and got pretty well used up; so I felt
as if I'd ought to take my turn now. Mother was a regular old hero
about it and I dropped everything, and come off. Lucindy didn't think
it was my duty; and that made it awful hard, I tell you."

"Wives are less patriotic than mothers," I began; but he would not
hear Lucindy blamed, and said quickly,--

"She ain't my wife yet, but we calk'lated to be married in a month
or so; and it was wus for her than for me, women lot so on not being
disappointed. I _couldn't_ shirk, and here I be. When I git to work, I
shall be all right: the first wrench is the tryin' part."

Here he straightened his broad shoulders, and turned his face toward
the flags fluttering far in front, as if no backward look should
betray the longing of his heart for mother, home, and wife. I liked
that little glimpse of character; and when Tom returned with empty
hands, reporting that every stall was exhausted, I told him to find
out what the man would like best, then run across the street and get
it.

"I know without asking. Give us your purse, and I'll make him as happy
as a king," said the boy, laughing, as he looked up admiringly at
our tall friend, who looked down on him with an elder-brotherly air
pleasant to see. While Tom was gone, I found out Joe's name and
business, promised to write and tell his mother how finely the
regiment went off, and was just expressing a hope that we might meet
again, for I too was going to the war as nurse, when the order to
"Fall in!" came rolling down the ranks, and the talk was over. Fearing
Tom woul