He sprang to his feet, and with long strides met her. He grasped her
hand in both his and pressed it tenderly.
"So it's _you_!" he whispered.
Betty nodded.
"My little Cabinet comforter----"
"I'm afraid I'll be no good to-day," she faltered.
"Then I'll cheer _you_," he cried. "I just wanted to thank the woman
who's been standing behind a lemonade counter through this desolate day
giving her time, her money, and her soul to our discouraged boys----"
"And you are not discouraged?" Betty asked pathetically.
"Not by a long shot, my child! Brush those tears away. Jeffy D.'s the
man to be discouraged to-day. This will be a dearly bought victory. Mark
my word. For the South it's the glorious end of the war. While they
shout, I'll be sawing wood. It needed just this shock and humiliation to
bring the North to their senses. Watch them buckle on their armor now in
deadly earnest. The demagogues howled for a battle. They pushed us in
and they got it. Some of the Congressmen who yelled the loudest for a
march straight into Richmond without a pause even to water the horses
got tangled up in that stampede from Bull Run. They thought Jeb Stuart's
cavalry were on them and lost their lunch baskets in the scramble.
They've seen a great light. I'll get all the money I ask Congress for
and all the soldiers we need for any length of time.
Pages:
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199