about her all night, and about red stockings; was n't that queer? Thomas said he had on a pair and the men laughed at him about them. Now, don't you think we ought to ask him about the Matilda, and write to her?"
Sarah opened her lips to say hastily, "Oh, I know all about that," but suddenly recollecting Clara Winthrop's constitutional inability to keep a secret, she merely said:—
"I don't think he would like to know he had been talking about his affairs that way. Joe is n't like the common soldiers here; he is a very different sort of man. I should just ask him if there was any friend or relative he 'd like to have written to, and if he wants to have her sent for."
"Oh, yes," said Clara. "That would be a great deal better. I 'll do that," and she hurried off, to lose no time in following Sarah's advice.
"Why did n't you tell her?" said Netty.
"Tell Clara Winthrop!" ejaculated Sarah. "I should think you 'd known the Winthrops as long as I have. Why, I would n't tell her anything which I should have the slightest objection to seeing up in posters on Main Street."
Netty laughed.
"Oh, that 's too bad," she said. "Clara would n't tell anything that she thought would do any harm."
"I dare say not," retorted Sarah; "but she never thinks beforehand whether a thing will do harm or not. She is not a bit malicious; but she
