tations. The patriotic societies followed,
genuine and non-genuine, resplendent in "insignia," sashes, and badges.

"There's my wife, she's a G.C.M.C.T.C.," said Reddy proudly, pointing
out a very plain young woman with gold spectacles. "And here come the
Genuine Ancestors of Future Veterans. See that old woman there on the
other side? She made all the fuss. You see when anybody wants to get
into a society and finds they can't get in they go off and start
another. And some people that hadn't any tax collectors or connections
or anything, they just got up the 'Ancestors of Future Veterans,' and
everybody in town wanted to get into that. And old Miss Blunt there,
she wanted to come in too, and she's over seventy, and they said she
couldn't be an ancestor nohow, and she said she could and she would,
and they voted forty-one to forty against her, and the forty went off
and founded the Genuine Ancestors, and they're twice as big as the
others now. Hear 'em applaud?"

The old lady walked along with a martial tread, and was loudly cheered
as she passed.

"Now we'd better get into the church if we want seats," said the young
man, and Cleary followed him, leaving the ancient warrior behind. The
church was very crowded and very hot, and Cleary had to sit on a step
of the platform, but it was an exhibition of patriotism worth
beholding. The band played with great gusto, and the whole audience was
at the highest pitch of excitement. The chairman made an address, and
Josh Thatcher responded in a few words for himself and his three
companions. Then flowers were presented to them, and a little girl
recited the "Charge of the Light Brigade," but the main feature of the
program was the oration of Dr. Taylor, the pastor of the church. He was
famed as an orator not only in his denomination and in the county but
in the National Order of Total Abstinence, of which he was a leading
light. In his address he welcomed the four heroes back to their hearths
and firesides. He thanked them for having conquered so many lands and
spread the blessings of civilization and Christianity to the ends of
the earth.

"We have been told, my friends, by wicked and unpatriotic scoffers,
that these wars have stirred up the passions of our people, that there
are more lynchings and deeds of violence than ever before, and that
negro soldiers returning from the war have shot down citizens from
car-windows. I have even been to