this, a couple of gun-barrels were, by order of the commanding officer,
sawed off and inserted in the hearth, one on each side of the
fire-place, in the hope that the air from the room below might help to
carry the smoke into its proper place, the chimney.

The next morning after this had been done, Louisa was washing the
hearth.

"Pray, ma'am," said she, "what are these things put in here for?"

I explained their use.

"Oh, I am so glad it is only that! Uncle Ephraim (Major Twiggs's
servant) said they were to be filled with powder and fired off Christmas
Day, and he was terribly afraid they would blow the house up, and we in
it."

Ephraim, who was a most faithful and valuable servant, often amused
himself with playing upon the credulity of the younger portions of the
colored fraternity.

"Is it true," asked Louisa, one day, "that Pillon and Plante were once
prairie-wolves?"

"Prairie-wolves! what an idea! Why do you ask such a foolish question?"

"Because Uncle Ephraim says they, and all the Frenchmen about here, were
once prairie-wolves, and that, living so near the white people, they
grow, after a time, to be like them, and learn to talk and dress like
them. And then, when they get to be old, they turn back into