orway came the self-complacent cackling
of hens, celebrating their latest additions to their nests, and the
exultant call of a cock to his feathered harem to come, admire and
partake of some especially fat worm, which he had just unearthed.
Farther away speckled Guinea chickens were clamoring their satisfaction
at the improvement in the weather. Still farther, gentle tinklings
hinted of peacefully-browsing sheep.

Inside the house, bunches of sweet-smelling medicinal herbs, hanging
agains the walls to dry, made the air heavy with their odors. Aunt Debby
was at work near the bright zone of sun-rays, spinning yarn with a "big
wheel." She held in one hand a long slender roll of carded wool, and in
the other a short stick, with which she turned the wheel. Setting it to
whirling with a long sweep of the stick against a spoke, she would walk
backward while the roll was twisted out into a long, thin thread, and
then walk forward as they yarn was wound upon the spindle. When she
walked backward, the spindle hummed sharply; when she came forward it
droned. There was a stately rhythm in both, to which her footsteps and
graceful sway of body kept time, and all blended harmoniously with the
camp-meeting melody she was softly singing:

"Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee;
Naked, poor, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shalt be.
Perish every fond ambition--
All I've sought, or hoped, or known;
Yet how rich is my condition--
God and Heaven still my own."

A world of memories of a joyous past, unflecked by a single one of the
miseries of the present, crowded in upon Harry on the wings of this
well-remembered tune. It was a favorite hymn at the Methodist church in
Sardis, and the last time he had heard it was when he had accompanied
Rachel to the church to attend services conducted by a noted evangelist.

Ah, Rachel!--what of her?

He had not thought of her since a swift recollection of her words at
the parting scene on the piazza had come to spur up his faltering
resolution, as the regiment advanced up the side of Wildcat. Now one
bitter thought of how useless all that he had gone through with the
day before was to rehabilitate himself in her good opinion was speedily
chased from his mind by the still bitterer one of the contempt she must
feel for him, did she but know of his present abject prostration.

After all, might not the occurrence