the boys rigged himself out in a white
sheet and came up to Joel, tapping him on the shoulder. 'Who are you?'
said Joel. 'I am the devil,' answered the deep voice. 'Come right over
and give me your hand; we're kinfolks. I married your sister.'

"I suppose you remember Lucy's mother, Major? Her name was Sahra Turner;
she was a good woman but powerful curious. She had married off all of
her girls but Mary Ellen, and Tip Jennings was paying court to her. It
seems that Sahra had kept close track of the courtship and the headway
of all her girls, and one night when Tip was in the parlor with Mary
Ellen, Sahra had a small kitchen table set by the parlor door and was
standing on it, looking over the transom to see how Tip was coming on.
Tip had gotten down on his knees and was making his declaration to Mary
Ellen. They were somewhat out of Sahra's range of vision. The crucial
moment had come, and Sahra leaned over to see the climax, but she leaned
too far, and one of the table-legs broke. Well, they got her up with two
ribs broke and laid up in bed for a long spell. Tip never came back, and
Mary Ellen married some fellow, who took her out to Kansas."

They sat long at the table, the Major rising again into the spirit of
old days, Shawn laughing at the quaint jokes and stories. Lallite's
sweet laughter rang out, bringing the glow into the Major's eyes. She
had heard the stories so often, but they never grew dull with the years,
and they seemed to mellow as beautifully as did the sunset of the
Major's life.

Shawn listened again as he sat by the blazing fire to tales of the
war--of charges, victories and defeats. Above the piano hung the Major's
sword, presented to him by his soldiers after the battle of Stone River.

"Major," said Doctor Hissong, "I want to hear some music before we
retire."

"What do you say, Lally?" said the Major.

Lallite went to the piano and gently touched the yellow keys. Major
LeCroix drew forth his beloved clarionet. As he took the instrument from
its case, he said, "I'm getting rusty nowadays, but Lally keeps me from
getting entirely out of tune. We'll try 'Sounds From Home'."

Lallite played the introduction and the Major joined in, the clarionet
breathing forth a deep rich melody. The Major seemed to throw his very
soul into the music, and Lallite followed him with a tender
accompaniment. The blaze from the fireplace flickered and threw changing
shadows over the old room. The Major and his da