The Littlest Rebel

truggle back in all the intensity of its horrors-to stand both as a monument to those who bled and

ely fitting scuttle in the ceiling. The larger room was furnished meagerly with a rough deal table, several common chairs, and a double-doored cupboard against the wall. In the deep, wide fire-place glowed a heap of raked-up embers, on which, suspended from an iron crane, a kettle simmered, sadly, as if in grief for her long-lost brother pots and pans. The plas

tide; where the crows cawed hoarsely in their busy, reeling flight, and the buzzards swung high above the marshes. Yet even in this waste o

from right to left, as a hunted rabbit might, then darted across the road and plunged into the briery underbrush. Noiselessly he made his w

hispered cauti

t the windowsill, his eyes fast closed with a nameless dre

d the adjoining room. He flung its door open sharply, almost angrily; yet

his heart, to the murmur of the muddy James, and the fall of a flake of plaster loosened by the dull reverberation o

hile for unwonted sounds and watching the bend of the carriage road. His thirst appeased, he hunted vainly through the table drawer for balls and powder for the

in walls rose the murmur of a childi

arger for the whiteness of her face. On her head she wore an old calico bonnet several sizes too large and the gingham dress which scarcely reached to her bare, brown knees would n

y and wonderfully made. To the intimate view of the unimaginative, Susan Jemima was formed from the limb of a cedar tree, t

then laughed at the hopelessness of its break

hild, your chin don't

pposite. She emptied the blackberries into a mutilated plate, brought from the cupboard a handf

de of doubt, then smiled a faint apology: "It isn't very much of a breakfas', darlin', but we'll make believe it's waffles an' chicken an'-an' hot rolls an' batter-bread an'-an

ut from the partly open door behind her, with big dark eyes, wh

it's ready now, and we'll say grace; s

rs, were placed on the table's edge; but Miss Susan Jemima sat bolt upright, though

fee an'-an' all our blessin's; but please, sir, sen' us someth

A pain was in his throat-and in his heart-a pain that gripped him, till two g

hispered hoars

dering; then, as the name was called again, she sl

dy! Is it

placed a finger on his lip

, when she had reached a point commanding the danger zone, he as

ning, then ran to him, and s

t, Daddy! It's

her to his breast, his

d as she snuggled in his arms, her berry-stained fingers clasped tightl

after while, when-Why, Daddy!" He had staggered as he set her down, sinking into a chair and clos

Southerner b

nly a little scratch-from a Yank-that tried to get me. But he di

wondering awe, speaking

id he sho

, with his hand o

returning with the dripping gourd, the man went on: "I tried to get here yesterday; but I couldn't. They chased me when I came before-and now they'

en I went to bed, I could hear 'em-oh! ever so loud: Boom! Boom! Boom-

n that strange, fierce passion of a man who has lost his mate, and his grie

d your daddy, for not one shell touched him-no, not one!" He kissed her aga

eful, cooling draught of water,

Gen'ra

herner was on his feet, with a stiffened bac

God bless

prayer for her father's immunity from harm; yet the man who spoke s

him! But he's tired,

ughter asked, "will you t

dear.

this way, I'll come over to his tent and rub his head, like I do yours-if he'll let me-till he goes to sleep." She clasped her

bit his lip and

would! And think! He

d, flushed with happiness. "W

in his: "'She's a brave little soldier, to stay

y, did he

ok!" From his boot leg he took a folded paper and spread it o

e paper long and earnestly; then, presently looked up, w

Gen'ral writes a aw

t to tell his general and friend of this crushing critici

rty promptness. "But come, I'll r

OF THE ARMY

rough all Confederate lines and g

LEE, G

t, then Virgie looked up, wit

? Oh, Daddy, I love him so muc

d; while her father stroked her hair and answer

y-and, oh, so tired! But, when they think of him, they draw up their belts another hole, and say, 'For General Lee!' And

outherner, only half-conscious of the tot who watched him, wondering. So she came to him quickly, taking

Daddy-man. We'll-w

: "Virgie, I had hoped to get you through to Richmond-to-day. But I can't. The Yankees have cut us off. They are up the river and down the river-and all around us, I've

reference to the wise old rabbit and feeling for the pocke

as if in pain, then reached for he

her quaint, wise face, "And I was so glad I had it, darling, for you are thinner than you were." He paused t

herself and cl

ppily, once more reaching for the pocket.

t away, roughly, fiercely, in the pain of un

child's alarm, her eyes on the widening stain of red above h

flat, dull tone of utter hopelessne

isappointment, which she vainly st

a chair-back, hiding his eyes with one trem

s I told you-when the Yanks got sight of me." He smiled down at her bravely, striving to add a dash of comedy to his

er dropped back into his former tone, his

, and wanting to get to you before-well, before it was breakfast time. I had your bundle in my pocket; but when I fell-why, Virgie, don't you see?-I-I couldn't go back and find it." He pause

arting from tree to tree where the woods were thin; crouching behind some fallen log to catch his laboring breath, then rising again to creep along his way. He did not tell of the racking pain in his weary legs, nor the protest of his pounding heart-the strain-the agony-the puffs of smoke that floated above the pines, and the ping of bulle

ad away to avoid a dreaded look in Virgie's big, reproac

to you. I come to my little girl with empty

a hell of suffering, now broke; but only when a helper of the helpless failed. He laid his outflung arms ac

daughter of the South, who, like a hundred thousand

th its berry-stained fingers, was run through his tangled hair, softly

taste so awful good when you have 'em all the time; but I don't mind." She paused to kiss him, then tried once

in the manner of a sheep dog scenting danger from af

You hea

lot of 'em! O

hud of many hoofs and the clinking jingle of sabers agains

ath came fast, as she sank her voice to a faint,

orrison's cavalry! They won't hurt you; but I'll have

at sight of a blue-clothed watcher sharply outlined on the crest of a distant

"Lock it!" She turned the rusty key, and waite

vy bars into their slots; then the man came fo

t you remember how your dear, dear mother-and I,

he protested, wondering. "'De

to save me! Don't you understand?-and it's right! When those men come, they mustn't find me. Say I was here, but I've gone. If they ask which way, tell them I went down past the sprin

g to the scuttle in the ceiling; but halfway up he p

ral Lee want me t

And, if ever you see him, ask him, and he'll tell you so hi

en lifted from her mind, and she cocked her head at

ddy-man. I'll