Prev | Current Page 281 | Next

Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander), 1862-1919

"A Story of Lee's Great Stand"

I haven't tasted sardines in a year and I love them."
"I've always liked them," said General Lee.
"And here, sir, are several cases of Yorkshire ham, brought all the
way across the sea--and for us. It isn't as good as our Virginia ham,
which is growing scarce, but we'll like it. And cove oysters, cases and
cases of 'em. I like 'em almost as well as sardines."
"Most excellent."
"And real old New England pies, baked, I suppose, in Washington. We can
warm 'em over."
"I see that you have the fire ready."
"And jars of preserves, a half-dozen kinds at least, and all of 'em look
as if two likely youngsters like Kenton and Dalton would be anxious to
get at 'em."
"You judge us rightly, General," said Harry. "We'll show no mercy to
such prisoners as we have here."
"You wouldn't be boys and you wouldn't be human if you did," rejoined
Stuart, "would they, General?"
"They would not," replied Lee. "One of the principal recollections of my
boyhood is that I was always hungry. Our regular three meals a day were
not enough for us, however much we ate at one time. Virginia, like your
own Kentucky, Harry, is full of forage, and we moved in groups. Now,
didn't you find a lot of food in the woods and fields?"
"Oh, yes, sir," rejoined Harry with animation.


Pages:
269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293