"God bless their brave hearts!" she exclaimed; "How I do pity them!"
The "poor soldier" was wakened up and shown to bed. Before retiring, I took off my belt and revolver, and, handing it to the man, I said: "Now, mister, I would like to ask another favor of you. Can't you take this revolver and keep watch for us to-night, while we sleep, so that we can both get one good night's sleep? Can't you afford to do that much for us? We have got away from the Yankees, and we don't want to be captured again."
"Yes, I'll stand guard for you. How did you keep the Yankees from taking your revolver?"
"I had it rolled up in my coat, and I carried my coat under my arm; they did not suspect that I had one."
"Well, that was lucky, wasn't it?"
"Yes, it was lucky for me, but my partner lost his."
I then retired to bed. Before I had gone to sleep, the man visited my room, and said: "If the Yankees come, you must unhook the window-blind, shove it open, and jump out, and run down into a gully behind the stable and hide, and when the Yankees are all done gone, I'll come down and tell you." For some time before closing my eyes in sleep, I could hear the man pacing back and forth across the floor, like a sentry pacing his beat. The night passed away and we enjoyed a most refreshing sleep, under the "guarding influence" of our secesh friend. We arose early in the morning to renew our journey, and found our guard still on duty. We were about to leave, when the man said, "You'll stop with us to breakfast, won't you?" "No, I thank you; we should be glad to, but we must go, for I am afraid that the Yankees will be after us by-and-by, and we do not want to get captured again. We are under very great obligations to you for our excellent supper and the refreshing sleep that we have had. You have been a soldier, and you know, by experience, how very grateful a soldier feels for such kindness." We then shook hands with him and his wife, bade them a good-by, and went on.
When we had traveled about six miles, we came to a large, fine, white house, with every thing about it that indicated wealth and refinement. Our walk had created an appetite for breakfast, and we concluded to give the people of the house a call. I noticed, as we entered, that breakfast was about ready. Addressing myself to the lady of the house, said I, "Can we get some breakfast here this morning? We are in rather a tight place. We were captured by the Yankees in the fight on the Hatchee, and we have run away from them; they have robbed us of all our money, and we have got nothing to pay you with."
"Why, certainly you can have some breakfast. How you poor soldiers do have to suffer! Sit down and rest yourselves."
We sat down, and but a few minutes elapsed before breakfast was ready, when we were invited to sit up with the family. The Sergeant was seated next to the lady, and I next to him. I had finished my breakfast, and was about shoving back, when the lady of the house said: "Don't be in a hurry, my dear soldiers; eat all you want; we have got plenty. You don't know when you will get any thing to eat again."