“Aunt Selina’s story will surely take more than the two pages you spoke of, so why not make a serial story of her Civil War experience?”
“Splendid! That is just the thing,” cried Mrs. Talmage.
“I could make it as long as you wanted it to run, for Rebecca visited me after the war and told me plenty of her wild adventures after I returned home from the South. Why, my coachman, Abe, was one of the Crudup slaves. He says they all stuck close to the family, for they loved them and wanted to remain, but Mr. Crudup lost most of his wealth in the war and had no place or means for so many servants,” related Miss Selina.
The children had made a thorough inspection of the machinery and type by this time and had joined the grown-ups.
“What was that you were telling mother, Aunt Selina?” asked Ned, who overheard the word “war” and was interested.
“Why, we just discovered that Aunt Selina had a very exciting time in the South during the Civil War and she is going to write it up for your magazine,” explained Uncle Ben.
“Oh, goody, goody!” exclaimed a chorus of voices.
“It’s strange that you never told us any of those stories, Aunt Selina,” ventured Mrs. Talmage.
“Oh, it all happened so long ago, dearie, that I never thought anyone would be interested. Besides, it turns to a page of my life that I always wanted to keep closed,” sighed Aunt Selina.
The others, respecting her reticence, changed the subject. Uncle Ben smiled at her and made a comforting remark.