sins at once "put on their best dresses" and "put their lips in order
for conquest," and then awaited the evening with what patience they
could summon. At last the general and his staff and soldiers arrived,
when at once the yard and house were in confusion, and glittered with
military equipments. A Dr. Gould who was at that time staying with the
Wisters, being a friend of General Smallwood's, presented him and his
officers ceremoniously to the family of which they were to be a part,
and there is no doubt that from soldier to General all looked with
covert or open admiration on pretty, saucy Sally, who despite her fear
of the military, showed great courage, not to say pleasure, in their
near presence!

At once she looked them over, man by man, with a critical eye, and
passed judgment on them in her diary, relating, that to her surprise,
they seem "very peaceable sort of men," and adds, "they eat like other
folks, talk like them, and behave themselves with elegance, so I will
not be afraid of them, no I won't," and winds up her letter with,
"Adieu. I am going to my chamber to dream, I suppose of bayonets and
swords, sashes, guns and epaulets."

On the following day, she writes to Debby, "I dare say thee is impatient
to know my sentiments of the officers, so while Somnus embraces them and
the house is still, take their characters according to their rank," and
then gives a vivid pen picture of each one of the officers, her
trenchant description showing her to be no respecter of persons. Major
William Truman Stoddard, a nephew of the General, and not much older
than Sally herself, she at first describes as appearing "cross and
reserved," but her opinion of the young officer materially changes. On
the second day of their acquaintance she writes, "Well, here comes the
glory, the Major, so bashful, so famous; I at first thought him cross
and proud, but I was mistaken. He cannot be extolled for graces of
person, but for those of the mind he may be justly celebrated." On the
third day, "the Major is very reserv'd, nothing but 'Good morning' or
'your servant,' madam," and she adds that she has heard that he is worth
a fortune of thirty thousand pounds, but is so bashful that he can
hardly look at the ladies, after which information she roguishly
remarks in an aside, "Excuse me, good sir, I really thought you were not
clever; if 'tis bashfulness only, we will drive that away!"

At the end of several days, Sally seems to be much