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marry-both hands are always open to welcome him as my brother-in-law." Wasn't that lovely of Harold?-dear, blustering, sometimes just awful Harold! What if it all, after all, should come to pass?

"O-o-h! Brother-in-law! That means for Simonson to become my husband; I, Simonson's-wife. No, nomother! My promise to the-dead. Such vows must not be broken, and cannot be expunged; for the person to whom made, the only person who could pronounce absolution, is dead."

Vergie was late at the hotel, but the President's man was waiting.

When Vergie reached the Executive Mansion, Mrs. Davis and the children had returned from their orientation drive, and now joined with the President in welcoming the guest of whom they "had always heard such nice things."

"Now, Vergie," said the President, a little later, "I've had to cut enough red-tape to reach from here to that rebellious Capitol yonder on the Potomac in order to help out that rebel brother of yours-for you see he's rebelled against his folks, and my folks, and your folks, and our folks, and that takes in about everybody.

"I wanted to bring Harold here at once, but my grave and august Cabinet said it couldn't be done. They ransacked the law books from Lycurgus to Justice Taney and couldn't find a single precedent to justify me in a course they declared to be so extraordinary. Benjamin - our Judah P.-thought he could find, not exactly a precedent, but an analogous case, in the reign of Antiochus the Fourth. He said if that turned out all right, I could "abduct" my nephew; otherwise I couldn't. couldn't see what old Auntie did three or four thousand I held my breath, yet years ago had to do with this case here and now"

"But, Uncle Jeff," Vergie said, with mock gravity, "aren't

we strict constructionists? And don't we stand by the Fathers at all hazards, come life, come death? And isn't it horrid to run things to suit ourselves, law or no law, as Mr. Micawber might be doing right now if he were President of the United-ah-Duchies of New Guinea?"

"No interruptions, please," merrily responded President Davis. "Children should be seen, not heard. Besides, this is not a Mrs. Stowe, or E. Cady Stanton, or Miss Anthony rally. Well, as I was about to remark, Seaton, my amiable War Secretary, has graciously relieved me of my dilemma by designating Brockenborough House as one of the 'Official Prisons. You can see now, Miss Vergie, what a convenience it would be to take the reins of government quietly into my own hands and rule as Dictator, instead of sitting here a nominal President, bantered and badgered andhelpless."

There was a momentary stern look in the President's eyes, and an iron purpose in his voice, that Vergie never forgot.

But Vergie dreaded to encroach on the President's hospitality and boundless chivalry by mentioning that her brother had a comrade from whom he refused to be separatedbesides, it might involve the cutting of more red-tape.

In this, however, her fears were immediately set at rest. "Most assuredly," said the President, "have Harold bring his comrade with him. Isn't this an 'Official Prison'? And of course you can vouch for this comrade of your brother's -can you?"

Vergie herself was astonished at the enthusiasm with which she replied: "He's another of our rebels-but he's the soul of honor; and I can vouch for him boundlessly."

To which the President, with a gleam of humor in his weary eyes, quietly remarked, "Is that all?"

Vergie wondered just what the President meant, but felt

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the color rising in her face. She was glad that at that moment Mrs. Davis bore her away to meet some distinguished callers, among others, Mrs. Robert Toombs, and Mrs. John Slidell, wife of the Confederate Commissioner to France.

CHAPTER XXVII

DR. CULPEPPER AT RICHMOND VERGIE'S SORE TRIAL

R. CULPEPPER finally had done the logical thing

MR. CULPEPPER

closed The Elms and followed his daughter to the Confederate Capitol. His home was desolate, his neighbors were hostile, and his practice, which had survived the first two years of the war, had abruptly ceased entirely with his celebration of the Union defeat at Fredericksburg; after that, both from policy and hatred, every door was closed against him. With Charlotte Culpepper sleeping at Oakwood Cemetery, and Virginia Lee at Richmond, there was every reason why he should quit the scenes and associations that constantly revived and intensified bitter memories, and elsewhere seek a social atmosphere and environment that would be both healing and consoling.

Between President Davis and Dr. Culpepper there were many mutual ties of affection and bonds of interest. Both were Kentuckians, veterans of the Mexican War, and thoroughgoing aristocrats; both were high-minded, cultivated gentlemen, fond of the classics, and reverent of the opinions of a great and august antiquity; and, finally, Mrs. Culpepper, of precious memory, had been the President's nearest and dearest kinswoman, and for many years a cherished correspondent.

Even in temperament President Davis and Dr. Culpepper were much alike: noble after the manner of Marcus Aurelius, chivalrous after the manner of Sir Philip Sydney, but at times impatient, dictatorial, irascible-though the Presi

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dent had schooled himself to a self-control that ied many to think he was a grim and unemotional stoic. In this they were mistaken. To the contrary, Mr. Davis was exceedingly sensitive, resented a personal affront with extraordinary bitterness, and perhaps never forgave an injury.

Nevertheless, Mr. Davis was an idealist, and his ideals were very high. He had the misfortune to be an unsuccessful revolutionist, which constituted him a "traitor," his heroic compatriots "rebels," and the whole great movement, of which he was the unwilling head, "an infamous conspiracy against liberty and humanity"-but no man ever truthfully accused him of falsehood, hypocrisy, financial or political dishonesty, disloyalty to a friend or an ideal, shunning a duty, evading a responsibility, or personal cowardice.

Even his judgments of men, with all his haughtiness and imperiousness, were singularly gentle and generous-as was also his personal bearing toward them. Toombs, who, after February 8, 1861, is said never to have spoken of Mr. Davis in other than terms of utmost disrespect and disparagement, was invited to a seat in his Cabinet; Rhett, Pryor and Yancey, always notoriously malignant toward him, he lauded as great men, and unfailingly mentioned in terms of utmost consideration; Bragg, Beauregard and J. E. Johnston, who thwarted him in every way, and often made his life miserable, he forgave without solicitation, at least ethically and officially, and favored beyond their personal or military merits. Even the Brutus-like thrusts of Governors Vance and Brown, and Vice-President Stephens, never swayed him from his high poise as a Christian gentleman, or provoked him to words or acts of retaliationat which Dr. Culpepper often marveled.

Wit is biting, and stings; humor is soothing, and heals. Both are intellectual gifts, but possess no moral quality. Indeed, the wit may be worthier than the humorist. But