orhood families in these matters. I should be most happy
if you could find it possible for me to meet your father and his
neighbors, for in truth I am interested in these matters, merely as a
student. And I have heard much of the kindness of this country toward
strangers."

It was not our way in Virginia to allow persons of any breeding to put
up at public taverns. We took them to our homes. I have seen a hundred
horses around my father's barns during the Quarterly Meetings of the
Society of Friends. Perhaps we did not scrutinize all our guests
over-closely, but that was the way of the place. I had no hesitation in
saying to Mr. Orme that we should be glad to entertain him at Cowles'
Farms. He was just beginning to thank me for this when we were suddenly
interrupted.

We were sitting some paces from the room where landlord Sanderson kept
his bar, so that we heard only occasionally the sound of loud talk which
came through the windows. But now came footsteps and confused words in
voices, one of which I seemed to know. There staggered through the door
a friend of mine, Harry Singleton, a young planter of our neighborhood,
who had not taken my father's advice, but continued to divide his favor
between farming, hunting and drinking. He stood there leaning against
the wall, his face more flushed than one likes to see a friend's face
before midday.

"Hullo, ol' fel," he croaked at me. "Hurrah for C'fedrate States of
America!"

"Very well," I said to him, "suppose we do hurrah for the Confederate
States of America. But let us wait until there is such a thing."

He glowered at me. "Also," he said, solemnly, "Hurrah for Miss Grace
Sheraton, the pretties' girl in whole C'federate States America!"

"Harry," I cried, "stop! You're drunk, man. Come on, I'll take you
home."

He waved at me an uncertain hand. "Go 'way, slight man!" he muttered.
"Grace Sheraton pretties' girl in whole C'federate States America."

According to our creed it was not permissible for a gentleman, drunk or
sober, to mention a lady's name in a place like that. I rose and put my
hand across Harry's mouth, unwilling that a stranger should hear a
girl's name mentioned in the place. No doubt I should have done quite as
much for any girl of our country whose name came up in that way. But to
my surprise Harry Singleton was just sufficiently intoxicated to resent
the act of his best friend. With no word of warning he drew back his
hand and struck me in the