Little Homespun

ding to the Bennett custom, they all agreed that “Little Homespun,” one of the names that Courage had suggested, seemed to fit the cosy, unpretentious little home

d the very first morning after her arrival. Of course Courage had to explain how it was she had come way down there to Virginia with the little Bennett children in 049charge. Indeed, almost before she knew it, and in answer to Grandma Ellis’s gentle inquiries, she had told her all there was to tell—about Miss

is mother died when he was six months old, and his father, my oldest son, was drowned when the Utopia went down, off the coast of Spain five years ago. We are doing our best, Harry and I, to make up to Brevet for his great loss; but it is sad that the little fellow should only know the love of an old grandmama like

l hands from Ellismere came down to Homespun for the day, and so what with constant coming and going from one house to the other, in just two we

d not) “and I done wish de Colonel could be persuaded to drive out from Washington, case ‘tween us we knows mos’ dere is of intere

Colonel Anders

ry same

, she loved to have everything just about as nearly right as she could. Sister Julia had encouraged the little streak, knowing the peculiar pleasure that the reasonable indulgence of a refined taste brings into life, “but, dear,” she had often said to Courage, “there is one thing to look out for, and that is that the more you gratify your own taste the more you must give to the people who have no taste at all, or very little of anything that makes life enjoyable,” all of which good advice C

, after everybody had had a. little chat with everybody else, and l

come back to de shade of dat ol’ ches’nut yonder for de story. You can’t make a story bery interestin’ w

Grandma Ellis and Mammy, for whom comfortable rocking-chairs were at once placed

sighed Colonel Anderson, as they walked through the large empty ro

hurried from the house for the walk that was to follow. The four little Bennetts kept close to each other all the way, Mary, the eldes

p,” said Allan at last, half under his breath, with a perceptibl

I can tell you that,” Teddy

shook his head hopelessly, as though standing th

art. “I’ll speak to be buried right by both of you, too, just as though I was one of your family,” an

of the valour of the man whose grave it marked and often of the brave deed 054dared that cost the hero his life. And so some idea was gained

from Joe’s cabin for the grown-ups, and the children were

onel Anderson thoughtfully, “t

at de beginnin’. Tell ‘em as how der was a time when Arlington was a great unbroken forest, an’ how way back early i

the little house before he built this beautiful big one, was her grandson. He was a fortunate young fellow, as the world counts being fortunate, for he had more money than he knew what to do with. As soon as this fine house was completed, George Custis was married and brought his bride to his new home, where for the next fifty years they lived the most happy and contented life imaginable. They had one daughter, a very beautiful young lady, as I myself clearly remember, for my birthday and her wedding-day fell together, and that was why I was allow

e in his eyes, for if there was one story more often told than any other

inuation in his absorbing interest in the subject. “It wa

schief as well as Brevet’s, for Joe’s age, as every one knew, was a mere matter of

replied Joe, bristling up a little, “but de Colonel

riends then?” as

assembled in the drawing-room, the 057room on the left of the front door there as you go in, but the clergyman had not arrived. Then it was that Mr. Custis, beginning to grow n

e anywhere in sight,’ and, children, what do you suppose Joe did? Well, he just stood

d regretfully, for the children were look

waited to see him start, taking for granted, of course, that he would obey at once, and then what did I do but spring down the steps and run on Joe’s errand for him, only too thankful if I could do anything to prove my gratitud

ere, but he came in at the back door and slipped upstairs as quickly as he could, followed by Joe and myself. You see he had driven right into the heart of a heavy thunder shower, just outside of Washington, and was drenched to the skin. There was nothing for it but that he must make a change of clothing as quickly as he could, so Joe, who knew where Mr. Custis kept hi

uckled Joe. 059"But why didn’t they

d it covered him all up,” for Brevet, able to anticipate much

gnificent array of old family portraits; among them two or three of George and Martha Washington. Then there was a marvelous old sideboard that held many beautiful things that had belonged to Washington. I remember in

ildren,” interrupted Grandma Ellis,

0"I’m afraid we don’t know who General Lee was,” said Mary Bennett, blushing a little, and then she added quickly, “you see

chool,” Teddy further explained, “and

sonally to the rescue of such dense ignorance, “was the greatest general

ried and dere wasn’t a slave of us on de place who wouldn’t hab let Lieutenant Lee walk right ober us if he’d wanted to. So den

up to Mammy’s knees, near whom he happened to be

lways treated ver’ han’some. I wasn’t so fortunate, Honey—I belonged down to a plantation in Georgia, where de Missus was kind, but where our Master treated us des

d say in reply, but his little

when Mr. Custis and a whole houseful of guests would start off at sunrise, coming home at night with their game-bags full to a banquet in the house and an evening of unbounded fun and merri062ment. The Colonel told about the house itself, for from the time he became a young man until the day when, about to take command of a Washington regiment, he came to say goodbye to Lieutenant Lee, he had been a constant visitor there. He told of the luxury and comfort of the delightful home, now so bare and desolate; of the pretty sew

eemed to be casting about in their minds for what would best be told next. She had listened as intently as any of the children to the whole narrative, and was every whit as much

avidity with which they afterward settled down to sandwiches and sponge cake showed