"Oh, I guess they have plenty of such soldiers!"
Mrs. Wheeler looked up at him. "I don't see how we can stay out of it much longer, do you? I suppose our army wouldn't be a drop in the bucket, even if we could get it over. They tell us we can be more useful in our agriculture and manufactories than we could by going into the war. I only hope it isn't campaign talk. I do distrust the Democrats."
Claude laughed. "Why, Mother, I guess there's no party politics in this."
She shook her head. "I've never yet found a public question in which there wasn't party politics. Well, we can only do our duty as it comes to us, and have faith. This field finishes your fall work?"
"Yes. I'll have time to do some things about the place, now. I'm going to make a good ice-house and put up my own ice this winter."
"Were you thinking of going up to Lincoln, for a little?"
"I guess not."
Mrs. Wheeler sighed. His tone meant that he had turned his back on old pleasures and old friends.
"Have you and Enid taken tickets for the lecture course in
Frankfort?"
"I think so, Mother," he answered a little impatiently. "I told her she could attend to it when she was in town some day."