THE COST—WHO PAYS
ton fought for freedom. They are fighting for slavery. How do you expect 'em to win?"
"Anyhow, daddy, if you had to have a rebel," says Dave, "you'd rather have him in a butternut uniform than a blue one?"
"Why, of course," says I, "a rebel in a Union uniform is—well, you know what he is. We shoot 'em on sight."
"Don't they—if it's the other way with the uniform?" asks Dave.
"I expect they do," says I, "though we don't hear much of their doings."
For a while Dave just sits there and smiles. Then he says in that soft way he had:
"There is Evelyn under this Union roof!"
"Oh," says I, "she's a woman and don't count—except fool-talk that gets others crazy! Is that what you re thinking of?"
"But, daddy, the roof will always give her shelter?"
"Why, of course," says I. "And a spanking now and then!"
We smiled together, and then Dave's eyes fell out of mine.
301
