ready, and I'm hungry as every soldier in
the Southern army always is."

They had a warm greeting from their hospitable hosts, followed by an
abundant breakfast. Then at Mrs. Lanham's earnest solicitation they
turned over their dress uniforms to her to be repaired and pressed.
Then they went out into the streets again, and spent the whole day
rambling about, enjoying everything with the keen and intense delight
that can come only to the young, and after long abstinence. Richmond was
not depressed. Far from it. There had been a wonderful transformation
since those dark days when the army of McClellan was near enough to see
the spires of its churches. The flood of battle had rolled far away
since then, and it had never come back. It could never come back.
It was true that the Army of Northern Virginia had failed at Gettysburg,
but it was returning to the South unassailed, and was ready to repeat its
former splendid achievements.

Harry went to the post office, and found there, to his great surprise
and delight, a letter from his father, written three or four days after
Vicksburg.

My dear son: [he wrote]

The news has just come to us that the Army of Northern Virginia, while
performing prodigies of valor, has failed to carry all the Northern
positions at Gettysburg. Only complete success could warrant a further
advance. I assume therefore that General Lee is retreating and I assume
also that you, Harry, my beloved son, are alive, that you came unharmed
out of that terrible battle. It does not seem possible to me that it
could be otherwise. I cannot conceive of you fallen. It may be that
it's because you are my son. The sons of others may fall, but not mine,
just as we know that all others are doomed to die, but get into the habit
of thinking ourselves immortal. So, I address this letter to you in the
full belief that it will reach you somewhere, and that you will read it.

You know, of course, of our great loss at Vicksburg. It is disastrous
but not irreparable. We still have a powerful army in the West, hardy,
indomitable, one with which the enemy will have to reckon. As for myself
I have been spared in many battles and I am well. It seems the sport of
chance that you and I, while fighting on the same side, should have been
separated in this war, you in the East and I in the West. But it has
been done by One who knows best, and after all I am glad that you have
been in such close contact with two