had a deep insight into human nature.
She knew the feelings of her guests at this supreme moment, and how
cheaply they could be bought off at their present state of soldiering.
She was also aware that courage, fortitude, firmness, and the higher
qualities of the soul depend so much upon a contented stomach, that she
gave every one of her guests some nice gravy from the pan.

It was a treat to see them eat. The Boardman was terrific, so was Jack.
Harry seemed to have a little more on his mind than the others, but this
did not interfere with his appetite; it simply affected his manner of
appeasing it. He seemed to be in love, for his manner was somewhat
reserved. At length the Sergeant came in, looking so cheerful and
radiant that one could hardly see him and not wish to be a soldier. Then
his cheery "Well, lads; good morning, lads," was so home-like that you
almost fancied soldiering consisted in sitting by a blazing kitchen fire
on a frosty morning and eating fried bacon. What a spirit his presence
infused into the company! He detected at a glance the down-heartedness
of Harry, and began a story about his own enlistment years ago, when the
chances for a young man of education were nothing to what they are now.
The story seemed exactly to fit the circumstances of the case and cheered
Harry up wonderfully. Breakfast was nearly finished when the Sergeant,
after filling his pipe, said:

"Comrades, what do you say; shall I wait till you've quite finished?"

"No, no, Sergeant; no, no," said all.

Oh! the fragrance of that pipe! And the multiplied fragrance of all the
pipes! Then came smiling Miss Prettyface to see if their ribbons were
all right; and the longing look of all the recruits was quite an
affecting sight; and the genial motherly good-natured best wishes of Mrs.
Oldtimes were very welcome. All these things were pleasant, and proved
Mrs. Oldtimes' philosophy to be correct--if you want to develop the
higher virtues in a man, feed him.

Then came the word of command in the tone of an invitation to a pleasure
party: "Now, lads, what do you say?" And off went Harry, upright as if
he had been drilled; off went Bill, trying to shake off the deal boards
in which he had been sandwiched for a year and a half; off went Bob as
though he had found an agreeable occupation at last; off went Devilmecare
as though the war was only just the other side of the road; off went Jack
as though it mattered nothing to him whe