When they returned to the church, the minister made an
address about the war, and every one listened with new ears. Most of
what he said was familiar enough to his listeners; they were used to
reading those phrases about the results of the war, the glorious
future of the South, in their weekly newspapers; but there never had
been such a spirit of patriotism and loyalty waked in Barlow as was
waked that day by the poor parade of the remnant of the Barlow
soldiers. They sent flags to all the distant graves, and proud were
those households who claimed kinship with valor, and could drive or
walk away with their flags held up so that others could see that they,
too, were of the elect.
III.
It is well that the days are long in the last of May, but John Stover
had to hurry more than usual with his evening work, and then, having
the longest distance to walk, he was much the latest comer to the
Plains store, where his two triumphant friends were waiting for him
impatiently on the bench. They also had made excuse of going to the
post-office and doing an unnecessary errand for their wives, and were
talking together so busily that they had gathered a group about them
before the store. When they saw Stover coming, they rose hastily and
crossed the road to meet him, as if they were a committee in special
session. They leaned against the post-and-board fence, after they had
shaken hands with each other solemnly.
"Well, we've had a great day, ain't we, John?" asked Henry Merrill.
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