the fiddle, and sang also." On Monday he was
perfect in his lessons; but on Tuesday, being
"up with —— and ——," he "'scunced' them
bad. Practised with my pistol in the evening,
studied my Greek, and had a social chat with
two or three boys. Broke my fiddle bow. Wrote
a letter to ma. Sold a book to a schoolboy
over in town." On Wednesday, besides studies,
"went down to the pond and practised shooting
with my pistol. Did tolerable well. Helped eat
a cake and apples; had a pleasant time," &c.
Next day, Friday, he sold another book and
"got the money;" and on the following evening
—apparently too short of money to go by the
evening coach—"walked out home; had a tough
time, toes blistered and sore." At home on
Saturday, "practised with my pistol nearly all
day, worked in the garden in the evening, sowed
tomatoes, cabbages, and lettuce-seed. Made
fence also. Toes still sore." On Sunday, of
course, he went to preaching, and there was a
prayer-meeting at home. On Monday he lay in
bed till ten o'clock, and his toes being then
sound, "walked about, all day. Went a visiting
in the evening to see my DUCK."

When he left her before, it was with a fresh
zeal for study. Now he leaves her as a gallant
volunteer, and, although still at school, cares
little for school discipline and duties. On his
return to Lexington he had, on the same night,
a supper in his room at ten o'clock, "a fine time
afloat," &c. The next day was wilder: "Have
forgotten everything I did on the above day.
Military company convened," &c., while the day
after that was spent in shooting, with "a heap
of fun," and winds up with "very sick at night,
eat too much," &c. He had not gone back to
school so poor as he departed. The day after
the night's sickness began with cheating in the
matter of school exercises. On that day the
volunteer company was organised, the officers
were chosen. Seven-up and whist; Latin and
pistol practice; "did not go to preaching, but
wrote letters and read novels all day;" "full of
fun and frolic; fell out with——, and like to
had a fight. Worried the students after dark
by dragging a piece of tin about the pavement;"
"was corrected for yawning in class;" "was
treed and reported for making a noise; went
out to practise with my pistol." These are the
characteristic entries now, day after day. "Cut
——'s recitation." But "wrote to Sis Bene,
to ma also." Thursday, 28th March:
"Received a letter from ma. Blues had their first
drill. Did very well. Had any quantity of
fun with cows and sheet-iron; adjourned to bed
at half-past one, &c. Cut——. Friday, 29th.
Had a fine time. Fixed up in white, with a
high military hat on, to go out on a calithuness"
(calisthenic?). "Gave the people of Lexington
a good round. Did not go to bed untill three
o'clock. Saturday, 30th. Roved about all day.
Had a heap of fun with the boys. Went out to
practise in the evening, but could get no caps
that were worth anything. Sunday, 31st. Went
to the Episcopal Church, stayed five or ten
minutes, and left. Read a newspaper the rest
of day. Went to the Presbyterian graveyard.
Went to preaching at night." From the newspaper
reading to the graveyard was indeed the
way!

I have given petty details from this school-
boy's diary, because the young life rises fresh
to the imagination out of them, and because
they suggest very distinctly the inevitable taint
of corruption that belongs to war-time, even when
the sentiment is patriotism, and while it is yet
unpoisoned by the touch of rapine and the taste
of blood. In the diarist's next unsettled week
he was most interested by the noise he made of
nights, "rare sport with a cow."

Next Sunday he "did not go to preaching, on
account of weather," but records, whatever the
entry may mean, that he "went into the cabinet
by a nail and pick. Took a good look at the
pretties." Then another week of little study,
of "fun with a cow," of "fun with a dog. Tied
a sardine-box to his tail, and let him go.
Wednesday, 10th April. Was excused from recitation.
Got off from declamation. Stole some
wood, &c. Thursday 11. Was stealing wood
all night." Excitement follows of debates on
"the question of the day," union or secession.
"Secessionists raised a flag-pole. Union men
in a perfect trance. Saturday, 13th April.
Raised the flag of our country. Union flag-pole
broke into five or six pieces. Great excitement.
Corps of cadets whipped the whole of Lexington.
Next Sunday was spent exclusively upon
the newspapers. Lexington on Monday was
still excited. The Union flag-pole was again
raised. The disunion pole cut down." But next
day "received news of Lincoln's course. All for
secession to a man. Raised a large fifteen star-
flag over college." Still the boy's mother was
in Lexington, and she was there to bid him good
speed when, on the 18th of April, he turned his
back on college walls, "started from Lexington
with the troop," and began his short career as
a boy soldier. He records that he wrote to her
next day from Staunton, forty miles away upon
his road to glory.

On the second of July the first military movement
on the Potomac was made by the advance
of General Patterson's division against the forces
under General Jackson, near Martinsburg. In
this direction, to the Confederate army of the
Potomac, the young diarist had been marched,
and of the defeat and reported rout of General
Jackson's force of five infantry and one cavalry
regiment on that second of July, the diarist,
who belonged to the cavalry, writes: "July 2nd.
Started from camp to meet the enemy. Went
as an advance guard, and came within thirty
yards of the main army, and then reported back
to Ed. Jackson. Engaged the enemy about six
miles from Martinsburg, and had a terrible fight.
Killed on our side one, and wounded fifteen, on
the enemy's side about one hundred and fifty."
This fight was reported in the North and in
England as an utter rout and dismay of Jackson's
force. The boy may be wrong, but certainly
the pencil scrawl in his diary stained with the
oil of Lexington college rooms, was not