tly upon the
vine-shaded gallery, Mr. Grey rode into the yard upon a strong-looking
white mule. The greeting of the soldiers was courteous and pleasant.
The contrast between them was striking indeed.

The one clad elegantly and fashionably, his shirt-front blazing with
diamond studs, his hair and beard luxuriant and carefully kept. The
pleasant eyes untroubled and smiling. The other in the plain garb of
one who must earn his bread, coarse but scrupulously neat. The face
bronzed from exposure, the hair damp with the sweat of toil, and yet,
when the brown, hardened hand of the Virginia gentleman met the white
clasp of the rich man of the North, Mr. Grey lost nothing by
comparison. Colonel ---- having laughingly inquired after Maum Winnie,
the whole party repaired to her cabin. The old woman received her
guests with stately politeness, holding her turbaned head high, as she
_majestically_ stalked before them to show, at their request, her
chickens, ducks, and pigs. She omitted nothing that was due to her
visitors, but there was a strained politeness, and a rolling of her
eyes toward them, which made Mrs. Grey uneasy and quite prepared her
for what followed. While Colonel ---- was in the act of saying
something which he thought would quite win the old creature's heart,
she looked up at him over her glasses, saying,--

"Yer ain't seen nuffin er dat ar fedder-bed yet, is yer? Kase ole Miss
she dun giv' me dat ar bed too long to talk about, an' ebery one ob
dem fedders was ris rite on dis yere place. 'Fore de Lawd, if ole Miss
know I dun loss dat ar bed she gwine ter rise rite outen de grabe."

Colonel ----, remembering the scene of the disaster to Winnie's
feather-bed, felt inclined to laugh heartily, but wishing to mollify
the old creature preserved his gravity while he offered her quite a
handsome sum "to buy some more feathers." A look from Mr. Grey put a
stop to the old woman's talk. Soon the visitors took their leave,
having given and received most pleasant impressions. Their visit
recalled so vividly their time of trial and adventure that the Greys
sat talking far into night.

The next morning Mr. Grey walked over to the cabin to administer a
rebuke to Maum Winnie. As he drew near the gate the quavering voice of
the old woman was heard singing jerkily, and with a pause between
every few words,--

"Al_do_ yer _sees_ me _gwine_ 'long _so_,
I has my troubles _heah_ below."

At last, discovering Mr. Grey, she ro