a-a-s," drawled out the man, pulling his slouch felt still further
over his eyes. "This meadow is the best part of my hull farm."

"Great country, this," broke in the Quarter-Master. "Why a kill-deer
couldn't fly over it without carrying a knapsack. You don't think that
camping upon this meadow will injure it any, do you?"

"Right smart it will, I reckon," rejoined the man, his eyes kindling
somewhat, "right smart, it will. $1500 at least."

"What! What did the land cost you?"

"Wall, I paid at the rate of $15 the acre for 118 acres, and the
buildings and 12 acres on it are in this meadow, and the best bit of it,
too."

"Then you want to make us pay nearly what the whole farm cost you for
using the meadow a single night?"

"Wall, I reckon as how the rails will all be gone, and the sod all cut
up, and----"

"Well, I reckon," interrupted the Quarter-Master, "that you ought to
prove your loyalty before you talk about claiming damages from Uncle
Sam."

"Oh! I'm on nary side, on nary side;" and he looked half suspiciously
about the crowd, now somewhat increased. "I'm too old; besides, my left
knee is crippled up bad," limping as he said so, to sustain his
assertion.

"Where are your children?"

"My two boys and son-in-law are off with the South, but I'm not
'countable for them."

"Well, sir, you'll have to prove your loyalty before you get a receipt
from me for any amount."

"Prove my loyalty?" he muttered, at the same time looking blank. "What
sort of swearin' have you for that?"

"Don't swear him at all, at all," broke in the little Irish Corporal.
"Swearing is no substitute for swinging. Faith! he's up to that
business. It's mate and drink to him. Make him whistle Yankee Doodle or
sing Hail Columbia. Be jabers, it is not in his looks to do it without
choking."

Terence's suggestion met with a general laugh of approval. The old
fellow, finding himself in a crowd slow to appreciate his claim for
damages when his loyalty was at a discount, made off towards his house,
a dingy, two-story frame near by, reminded by the Colonel as he left
that he would be expected to keep closely within doors while the troops
were in that vicinity.

This sovereign of the soil was a fair specimen of the landed gentry of
Virginia. "On nary side," as he expressed it, when the Federal troops
were in his neighborhood, and yet malignant and dastardly enough to
maltreat any sick or wounded Union soldier that chance might throw into