Do you know that the mercury is about ten degrees below zero." "What a man you have grown! Why, you must be two inches taller than you were, when you went away, and how sunburned and weather-beaten you are, too! Oh, Dicky, this terrible, terrible war! Not a word from you in months has got through to me!" "Nor a word from you to me, mother, but I have not suffered so much so far.

I was at Bull Run, where we lost, and I was at Mill Spring, where we won, but I was unhurt." "Perhaps you have come back to stay," she said hopefully.
"No, mother, not to stay.

I took a chance in coming by here to see you, but I couldn't go on without a few minutes.

Inside now, mother, your hands are growing cold." They went in at the door, and closed it behind them.

But there was another faithful soul on guard that night.