ithout
the strife. There were great discussions on the merits and appearance of
the soldiery. The event opened up, to the girls unbounded possibilities
of adoring and being adored, and to the young men an embarrassment of
dashing acquaintances which quite superseded falling in love. Thirteen
of these lads incontinently stated within the space of a quarter of an
hour that there was nothing in the world like going for a soldier. The
young women stated little, but perhaps thought the more; though, in
justice, they glanced round towards the encampment from the corners of
their blue and brown eyes in the most demure and modest manner that could
be desired.

In the evening the village was lively with soldiers' wives; a tree full
of starlings would not have rivalled the chatter that was going on. These
ladies were very brilliantly dressed, with more regard for colour than
for material. Purple, red, and blue bonnets were numerous, with bunches
of cocks' feathers; and one had on an Arcadian hat of green sarcenet,
turned up in front to show her cap underneath. It had once belonged to
an officer's lady, and was not so much stained, except where the
occasional storms of rain, incidental to a military life, had caused the
green to run and stagnate in curious watermarks like peninsulas and
islands. Some of the prettiest of these butterfly wives had been
fortunate enough to get lodgings in the cottages, and were thus spared
the necessity of living in huts and tents on the down. Those who had not
been so fortunate were not rendered more amiable by the success of their
sisters-in-arms, and called them names which brought forth retorts and
rejoinders; till the end of these alternative remarks seemed dependent
upon the close of the day.

One of these new arrivals, who had a rosy nose and a slight thickness of
voice, which, as Anne said, she couldn't help, poor thing, seemed to have
seen so much of the world, and to have been in so many campaigns, that
Anne would have liked to take her into their own house, so as to acquire
some of that practical knowledge of the history of England which the lady
possessed, and which could not be got from books. But the narrowness of
Mrs. Garland's rooms absolutely forbade this, and the houseless treasury
of experience was obliged to look for quarters elsewhere.

That night Anne retired early to bed. The events of the day, cheerful as
they were in themselves, had been unusual enough to give he