ty by the Federal
army. A sergeant, accompanied by a couple of muskets, stepped into the
road, with a modest air examined the paroles, and said, quietly, 'Pass
on.'

[Illustration: LEE'S HOUSE AT RICHMOND.]

"This strictly military part of the operation being over, the social
commenced. As the two 'survivors' passed on they were followed by
numerous remarks, such as, 'Hello, Johnny! I say--going home?' 'Ain't
you glad?' They made no reply, these wayfarers, but they _thought_ some
very emphatic remarks.

"From this point 'on to Richmond' was the grand thought. Steady work it
was. The road, strangely enough, considering the proximity of two
armies, was quite lonesome, and not an incident of interest occurred
during the day. Darkness found the two comrades still pushing on.

"Some time after dark a light was seen a short distance ahead, and there
was a 'sound of revelry.' On approaching, the light was seen to proceed
from a large fire, built on the floor of an old and dilapidated
outhouse, and surrounded by a ragged, hungry, singing, and jolly crowd
of paroled prisoners of the Army of Northern Virginia, who had gotten
possession of a quantity of cornmeal and were waiting for the ash-cakes
then in the ashes. Being liberal, they offered the new-comers some of
their bread. Being hungry, they accepted and ate their first meal that
day. Finding the party noisy and riotous, the comrades pushed on in the
darkness after a short rest and spent the night on the road.

"Thursday morning they entered the village of Buckingham Court-House,
and traded a small pocket-mirror for a substantial breakfast. There was
quite a crowd of soldiers gathered around a cellar-door, trying to
persuade an ex-Confederate A. A. A. Commissary of Subsistence that he
might as well, in view of the fact that the army had surrendered, let
them have some of the stores; and, after considerable persuasion and
some threats, he decided to forego the hope of keeping them for himself
and told the men to help themselves. They did so.

"As the two tramps were about to leave the village and were hurrying
along the high-road which led through it, they saw a solitary horseman
approaching from the rear. It was easy to recognize at once General Lee.
He rode slowly, calmly along. As he passed an old tavern on the roadside
some ladies and children waved their handkerchiefs, smiled, and wept.
The general raised his eyes to the porch on which they stood, and,
slowly raisi