house. Her husband was away in the service of the
Confederate Army, and she was left alone with two or three little
children.

One night two young officers came and knocked on the door,
demanding admittance, which she refused. They grew angry and made
some terrible threats. Grandmamma had an army musket in the house.
She told them if they didn't desist she would fire through the
door at them. After some further parley they left. But they
returned the next morning and told her she was the spunkiest
little woman they ever saw.

One day grandmamma received some fresh sausage from the country.
Presently in entered a man wearing the blue. He took those sausage
and stuffed his pockets full. On the table was a large sugar-bowl,
filled. He picked it up and carried it away, dipping the raw
sausage in the sugar and eating it.

Finally, grandmamma obtained guards to protect the house. One cold
night one of the guards was dozing in front of the fire when in
stalked a huge Indian. Planting himself in front of the fire, he
began to act and talk in a shocking way. The guard promptly
ejected him.

Such were a few of the many experiences of my grandmother during
the "times that tried men's souls."

Correspondents wanted.

HARRY R. WHITCOMB.
UMATILLA, FLA.

On the La Viga Canal.

I will tell you about our big canal, La Viga. At the park called
the "Zocalo" one takes the tram. After going through a good many
dirty streets the tram lands you at the "Embarcadero," a clean
spot, where you get into flat-boats that look like barges. The
first town you come to is called Jamaica. Here there are lots of
canoes filled with vegetables, which are very cheap indeed. Along
the route you usually meet women in canoes selling tamales. These
are made of corn boiled, crushed, some "chile" added, and then the
whole put into cornhusks. They are good eating. The next town you
come to is Santa Anita, where you get off, if you wish, eat some
tamales, and drink some pulque. Leaving Santa Anita, you reach, a
little way out, what used to be floating gardens--now delightful
places for picnics.

R. L. MILLER, JUN.
CITY OF MEXICO.

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