pell of sitting and dreaming, while you lay your
pipe aside for a while, and look up to where a squadron of fleecy
argosies are drifting calmly along to some unknown bourn, bearing,
mayhap, behind their filmy bulwarks the simple prayers of trusting
children.

Dinner-time comes too quickly, but it is over soon, and you seek a new
haunt, and stretch your legs out, and thank the Lord that you are alive.
Above you and around you is the fragrant new life of blooming things,
and the odor of the woods is as rare and sweet as some strange perfume.
As the sun goes down slowly, the shadows lengthen across the river. The
little wood violets nod on their slender stems by your side, and dusk
creeps upon you like a caress. The bird notes grow still, and a gentle
rustling comes from the leaves, and falls upon you like a benediction
from Nature. After supper you lie upon your bunk in the tent, and
drowsily watch the stars wink at you through the open door. Then the
bull-frogs' lullaby begins, and you drift into dreamland listening to
that deep chorus from the river banks.

I passed four days like this,--elysian days to me. Friday we went back
home, and the next day she came.

The household was astir very early that morning, as was natural and
proper that it should be, considering the event which was to happen.
Contrary to my custom, I was up before the sun, and I smiled, in an
amused way, at the extra touches which I almost unconsciously put to my
dress. I actually halted over my necktie, but decided at last upon a
black string, as most becoming to my age and quiet habits. The gray
streaks about my temples seemed to show more plainly than usual, as I
carefully brushed my hair. I put on some clean cuffs, too, though the
ones I had been wearing were not soiled.

At breakfast everybody was happy. Mrs. Grundy beamed from behind the
tea-urn, and put three spoonfuls of sugar into my tea instead of two.
Mr. Grundy succeeded in upsetting his cup of black coffee, and laughed
at it as though it were a joke, and even the mulatto maid who moved
deftly about the table wore a broad grin. One thing was on the mind of
each: Salome was coming home.

The carriage was waiting at the front door when breakfast was over. Two
darkies had been rubbing on it for an hour, and not a speck could be
seen anywhere. There were two horses hitched to it this time, as fitted
the occasion. A span of high-strung blacks, with white feet, and they
gave the negro at t