n an
instant, in spite of my dirty appearance, she sprang from the coach right
into my arms; my brothers struggled to take her from me, but she tightened
her little arms about my neck and clung to me as if I was her only
protector. I started and ran with her, my brothers in full chase, down the
road, over the stone walls, across the field, around the stumps with my
prize, the brothers keeping up the chase till we were all completely tired
out, and father compelled us to stop and bring the child to the house.
Afterward we took our turns at caressing and admiring her; finally we
apologized for our behavior and dirty faces, listened to father's and
mother's congratulations, concluded father's choice for a wife was a good
one, and that our little step-sister was just exactly as we wanted her to
be, and the prospect of a bright, new and happy home seemed to be already
realized.

A home is all right
With father and brother,
But darker than night
Without sister and mother.

* * * * *

The war grew more and more serious. Newspapers were eagerly sought; and
every word about the struggle was read over and over again. A new call for
troops was made, another and still another, and I was all the time
fretting and chafing in the corn or potato field, because I was so young
and small. I could not work; the fire of patriotism was burning me up. My
eldest brother had arrived at the age and required size to fit him for the
service; he enlisted and went to the front. This added new fuel to the
flame already within me, and one day I threw down the hoe and declared
that I would go to the war! I would join my brother at all hazards. My
folks laughed at me and tried to dissuade me from so unwise a step, but my
mind was made up, and I was bound to enlist. Enlist I did, when I was only
fourteen years of age and extremely small for my years, but I thought I
would answer for a drummer boy if nothing else. I found that up hill work,
however, but I was bound to "get there," and--I did.

It was easy enough to enlist, but to get mustered into the service was a
different thing. I tried for eight long weeks. I enlisted in my own town,
but was rejected. I enlisted in an adjoining town--rejected, and so on
for weeks and weeks. But I did not give up. I owned at the time a little
old gray horse and a two-wheeled jumper or "gig," which I had bought with
my savings from the sale of "hoop poles," which are small