fire, and shortness of food and raiment, that she feared she had
betrayed a stranger's wonder and admiration every time the train
stopped, and the idlers of the station platform lingered about her
window and silently paid their ungraceful but complimentary tribute of
simulated casual glances.

For, with all this jest, it was very plain there was but little joy. It
was not gladness; it was bravery. It was the humor of an invincible
spirit--the gayety of defiance. She could easily see the grim
earnestness beneath the jocund temper, and beneath the unrepining smile
the privation and the apprehension. What joy there was, was a martial
joy. The people were confident of victory at last,--a victorious end,
whatever might lie between, and of even what lay between they would
confess no fear. Richmond was safe, Memphis safer, New Orleans safest.
Yea, notwithstanding Porter and Farragut were pelting away at Forts
Jackson and St. Philip. Indeed, if the rumor be true, if Farragut's
ships had passed those forts, leaving Porter behind, then the Yankee
sea-serpent was cut in two, and there was an end of him in that
direction. Ha! ha!

"Is to-day the twenty-sixth?" asked Mary, at last, of one of the ladies
in real ribbons, leaning over toward her.

"Yes, ma'am."

It was the younger one who replied. As she did so she came over and sat
by Mary.

"I judge, from what I heard your little girl asking you, that you are
going beyond Jackson."

"I'm going to New Orleans."

"Do you live there?" The lady's interest seemed genuine and kind.

"Yes. I am going to join my husband there."

Mary saw by the reflection in the lady's face that a sudden gladness
must have overspread her own.

"He'll be mighty glad, I'm sure," said the pleasant stranger, patting
Alice's cheek, and looking, with a pretty fellow-feeling, first into the
child's face and then into Mary's.

"Yes, he will," said Mary, looking down upon the curling locks at her
elbow with a mother's happiness.

"Is he in the army?" asked the lady.

Mary's face fell.

"His health is bad," she replied.

"I know some nice people down in New Orleans," said the lady again.

"We haven't many acquaintances," rejoined Mary, with a timidity that was
almost trepidation. Her eyes dropped, and she began softly to smooth
Alice's collar and hair.

"I didn't know," said the lady, "but you might know some of them. For
instance, there's Dr. Sevier."

Mary gave a start and smiled.

"Why,