“My wife,” said Louis, introducing Camilla to Minnie.  Camilla immediately reached out her hand to the young wife, and gave her a cordial greeting, and they soon fell into a pleasant and animated conversation.  Mutually they were attracted to each other, and when they reached their destination, Minnie had begun to feel quite at home with Camilla.

“How is Aunt Miriam, or rather, my grandmother?” said Louis.

“She is well, and often wonders what has become of her poor boy; but she always has persisted in believing that she would see you again, and I know her dear old eyes will run over with gladness.  But things have changed very much since we parted.  We have passed through the fire since I saw you, and our troubles are not over yet; but we are hoping for better days.  But we are at home.  Let us alight.”

And Louis and Minnie were ushered into a home whose quiet and refined beauty were very pleasant to the eye, for Camilla had inherited from her father his aesthetic tastes; had made her home and its surroundings models of loveliness.  Half a dozen varieties of the sweetest and brightest roses clambered up the walls and arrayed them with a garb of rare beauty.  Jessamines breathed their fragrance on the air; magnolias reared their stately heads and gladdened the eye with the exquisite beauty of their flowers.

“This is an unexpected pleasure,” said Camilla, removing Minnie’s bonnet, and gazing with unfeigned admiration upon her girlish face, “but really some one must enjoy this pleasure besides myself.”

Camilla rang the bell; a bright, smiling girl of about ten years appeared.  “Tell Miriam,” she said, “to come; that her boy Louis is here.”

Miriam appeared immediately, and throwing her arms around his neck, gave vent to her feelings in a burst of joy.  “I always said you’d come back.  I’s prayed for you night and day, and I always believed I’d see you afore I died, and now my word’s come true.  There’s nothing like having faith.”

“Here’s my wife,” said Louis, turning to Minnie.

“Your wife; is you married, honey?  Well I hopes you’ll have a good time.”

Minnie came forward and gave her hand to Miriam, as Louis said, “This is my grandmother.”

A look of proud satisfaction passed over the old woman’s face, and a sudden joy lit up her eyes at these words of pleasant recognition.

“Ah, my child,” said Miriam, “We’s had a mighty heap of trouble since you left.  Them miserable secesh searched the house all over for you, when you was gone, and they was mighty sassy; but we didn’t mind that, so they didn’t ketch you.  How did you get along?  We was dreadfully uneasy about you?”

Louis then told them of the kindness of the colored people, his thrilling adventures, and hair-breadth escapes, and unfolded to them his plans for the future.