uch younger. His face was bronzed by
exposure to a southern sun; he wore a heavy beard and mustache, and
he had the unmistakable aspect of an English gentleman, while the
marked military air which was about him showed that he was without
doubt a British officer. He was dressed, however, as a civilian. His
hat showed that he was in mourning; and a general sadness of demeanor
which he manifested was well in keeping with that sombre emblem.

"Well, Windham," said the former, after a long silence, "I never
thought that there was a place on this green earth that could take
hold of me like that Italian city. I don't believe that there is a
city any where that comes up to Naples. Even New York is not its
equal. I wouldn't leave it now--no, _Sir!_--ten team of horses
couldn't drag me away, only my family are waiting for me at
Marseilles, you see--and I must join them. However, I'll go back
again as soon as I can; and if I don't stay in that there country
till I've exhausted it--squeezed it, and pressed out of it all the
useful and entertaining information that it can give--why, then, my
name's not Obed Chute."

The one called Windham gave a short laugh.

"You'll have a little difficulty in Lombardy, I think," said he.

"Why?"

"The war."

"The war? My friend, are you not aware that the war need not be any
obstacle to a free American?"

"Perhaps not; but you know that armies in the field are not very much
inclined to be respecters of persons, and the freest of free
Americans might find himself in an Austrian or a French prison as a
spy."

"Even so; but he would soon get out, and have an interesting
reminiscence. That is one of the things that he would have to be
prepared for. At any rate, I have made up my mind to go to Lombardy,
and I'll take my family with me. I should dearly like to get a
Concord coach to do it in, but if I can't I'll get the nearest
approach to it I can find, and calmly trot on in the rear of the
army. Perhaps I'll have a chance to take part in some engagement. I
should like to do so, for the honor of the flag if nothing else."

"You remind me of your celebrated countryman, who was, as he said,
'blue moulded for want of a fight.'"

"That man, Sir, was a true representative American, and a type of our
ordinary, everyday, active, vivacious Western citizen--the class of
men that fell the forests, people the prairies, fight the fever,
reclaim the swamps, tunnel the mountains, send railroads over th