“No joke this time, as you'll find to your sorrow, perhaps.”
“How many days' rations are we to carry along?”
“Can't say. We're going out to interview General Lee. His victory at Manassas the other day has given him the idea that he can bring the whole State of Maryland into his army. He's traveling in that direction. He has a poster out inviting the Marylanders to enlist, but by all we hear, it won't bring many valuable accessions to his ranks.”
“Why not?”
“For two reasons. If they want to enlist, they'll do so, without his starting recruiting offices. Most of the able-bodied men who wanted to go to war did so long since. Then again, most of the Marylanders are fond of the old flag. The State has never left the Union. General Lee is a fine military man, but he surely don't understand the people he's trying to interest. Hallo! what's a woman doing here? She's coming this way.”
A woman, dressed in cheap, but neat and tidy-looking clothing, and holding the hands of two sad-eyed, poorly attired children, was making her way toward them. A soldier stepped up to her, and with a pleasant smile asked her if she was looking for any one.
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The woman looked earnestly into his face, as she said—“You'uns all look kind. Can you show me whar to find Peter Hall?”