use of a wreath,
anyhow, after it's made? Girl's play, I call it."

And off went Winch, having used up a ball of Frank's strings to no
purpose, and leaving his wreath half finished.

But Frank, never easily discouraged, kept cheerfully at work, leaving his
task only when duty called him.

Thursday came,--THANKSGIVING. A holiday in camp. The regiment had made
ample preparations to celebrate it. Instead of pork and salt junk, the
men were allowed turkeys; and in place of boiled hominy and molasses,
they had plum pudding. And they feasted, and told gay stories, and sang
brave songs, and thought of home, where parents, wives, sisters, and
friends were, they fondly believed, eating turkey and plum pudding at
the same time, and thinking of them. There was no drill that day; and no
practise with any drumsticks but those of the devoted turkeys.

One of the most pleasing incidents of the day occurred in the morning.
This was the presentation of wreaths. Frank had made one for each of the
company tents, and a fine one for Captain Edney, and one equally fine for
Mr. Sinjin, the drum-major, and a noble one for the colonel of the
regiment. He presented them all in person, except the last, which he
requested Captain Edney to present for him. The captain consented, and at
the head of a strong delegation of officers and men, proceeded to Colonel
----'s tent, called him out, and made a neat little speech, and presented
the wreath on the end of his sword.

The colonel seemed greatly pleased.

"I accept this wreath," he said, "as the emblemof a noble thought, which
I am sure must have inspired our favorite young drummer boy in making
it."

Frank blushed like a girl with surprise and pleasure at this unexpected
compliment.

"The wreath," continued the colonel, "is the crown of victory; and we
will hang up ours, my fellow-soldiers, on this memorable Thanksgiving
day, as beautiful and certain symbols of the success of BURNSIDE'S
EXPEDITION."

This short speech was greeted with enthusiastic applause. Frank was
delighted with the result of his little undertaking, feeling himself a
thousand times repaid for all his pains; while John Winch, seeing him in
such high favor with every body, could not help regretting, with many a
jealous pang, that he had not assisted in making the wreaths, and so
become one of the heroes of the occasion.

That evening another incident occurred, not less pleasing to the drummer
boy. With a block of wood