"
"I have expected this," sighed Mrs. Stevens, and tears gathered in her
eyes.
"Mother, would you have me stay?"
It was hard for a mother to say it; but she had to do so. She was
patriotic, and she answered:
"No."
"Then I will go."
"When?"
"They are beating up for volunteers at town, and I am going there to
enlist in a day or two. First I must help father drain the flat and
clear off a few timber patches."
It soon became rumored all over the neighborhood that Fernando was going
to enlist. Many friends came to see him, bid him good-by and wish him
God-speed. The day before he went away, he was chopping wood, when he
saw a large man riding a large bay mare followed by a large colt, cross
the old bridge a few hundred paces below and ascend the hill toward the
house. The visitor was Mr. Winners. He had grown older and stouter, and
the mare was older and heavier, and this was her fourth colt since he
had come over to talk with his neighbor about sending his son to college
with Fernando. The kind, good face of the old farmer expressed sadness,
and his eye, always dull, seemed melancholy.
He rode slowly up the hill to where Fernando was chopping wood. Fernando
saw him coming and laid down his axe, for it was quite evident that Mr.
Winners wanted to speak with him. The old man, drawing rein close by
Fernando, said:
"Mornin', Fernando, how's all?"
"We are all well, Mr.
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