strange ladies in humble position, and his only reward was our poor thanks
and the approval of his own generous heart. It must have had its comic
side, too, to see a major of the regular Confederate service, who had done
battle on the field where glory was to be won, groping in the dismal dark
of the night and running the risk of being severely hurt, possibly of
being killed, by dogs, practicing war with one hand, and dispensing a
noble if not an ostentatious charity with the other.

We had been promised the room opening into the office as soon as it was
vacated, and at the first streak of coming dawn the Major stationed
himself near the door, listening for the slightest sound; and when from
the carefully guarded chamber the faintest rustle came he would jocularly
exclaim: "Ladies, prospects are brightening!" and so he helped us to
while away the weary hours until we secured the promised room and bed,
where we rested until noon.

When we arose from this refreshing rest we found that the session of court
had brought this throng, and we were soon surrounded with visitors, who
kept us constantly conversing and almost incessantly weaving baskets for
their amusement. These people not only bought large stores of my work, but
their talk sent crowds of people from far and near, all of whom made
purchases of some kind. Such was the interest of every member of the bar
and every attendant upon court that the four days I spent there completely
exhausted me, physically and mentally.

Finding there were no other important towns beyond Evergreen, I returned
to Montgomery and repaired to Savannah, Georgia, where I was treated with
the most genial generosity, and should have been repaid for a trip to that
place in a visit to its cemetery, whose reputation has been spread
throughout the length and breadth of our land, and whose strange, sad