ria's active mind turned to things
nearer Si's heart, and she said:

"O, Si's got sich a nice letter from his officer-boss, his Corporal, or
Colonel, or General, or whatever they call him--Mister--"

"My Captain--Capt. McGillicuddy, Maria," said Si, reddening at Maria's
indifference to and ignorance of military titles.

"Yes, Mr. McMillifuddy. Did you ever hear of such a ridiculous name?"

"McGillicuddy--Capt. McGillicuddy, Maria. Why can't you get his name
right?"

"Well, if I had sich a name as that I wouldn't expect people to git it
right. There's no sense in havin' a Dutch name that makes your tongue
crack like a whip. Well, this Mr. McFillemgoody is Si's boss, and he
writes a nice letter, and says Si done so well at Chickamaugy that some
other boss--a Colonel or Corporal--"

"The Colonel, Maria. The Colonel commands the whole regiment. Won't you
never know the difference? A Colonel's much higher than a Corporal. You
girls never will learn nothin'."

"Well, I never kin tell t'other from which," replied Maria, petulantly.
"And I don't have to. I don't care a hill o' beans whether a Corporal
bosses or a Colonel, or t'other way. Anyhow, Si's no longer a Corporal.
He's a Sargint."

"O, Si," said Annabel, her big blue eyes filling with grief; "I'm so
sorry."

"Why, Annabel," said Si, considerably abashed; "what's the matter? Don't
you understand. I'm promoted. Sergeant's higher than a Corporal."

"Is it really?" said Annabel, whose tears were beginning to come. "It
don't sound like it. Sargint don't sound near so big as Corporal. I
always thought that Corporal was the very purtiest title in the whole
army. None o' the rest o' them big names sounded half so nice. Whenever
I saw Corporal in the papers I always thought of you."

"Well, you must learn to like Sergeant just as well," said Si, fondly
squeezing her hand. "Maria, let her read the letter."

"Well, Mr. Gillmacfuddy does seem like a real nice, sociable sort of a
man, in spite of his name," she commented, as she finished. "And I like
him, because he seems to be such a good friend o' yours. I s'pose him
and you board together, and eat at the same table when you are in the
army, don't you?"

"O, no, we don't," said Si patiently, for her ignorance seemed
beautifully feminine, where Maria's was provoking. "You see, dear, he's
my Captain--commands about a hundred sich as me, and wears a sword
and shoulder-straps and other fine clothes, and orders me and t