This reply brought in a third party--old Mrs. Reynolds, a regular spitfire, a she-Secessionist of the most rabid, cantankerous species--a tiger-cat in petticoats. This she specimen of the "Spirit of the South," of the demon of desolation, had bottled up her venom during the conversation of her son, but could hold in no longer; her _vial_ of wrath "busted," the cork flew out, and the way she came at the General was a caution to the wayfarers over this road, at any rate. "O, yes! and that's all you nasty Yankees come here for, is, to destroy our property, invade our sile, _deserlatin'_ our homes. This 'ere whole war is nothing but a Yankee speculation, gotten up by the North, so that they can steal niggers and drive us from our homes." "Well, madam, as it is not my province to quarrel with a woman, I shall not talk to you. You get excited, and don't know what you're talking about." "O! but I'll talk to _you_ as much as I please. You're all a sneaking set of thieves. You can just take yourself out of my house, you dirty pup. You're drunk." The General very placidly listened to the old termagant, and merely remarked, "It was too cold to go out of the house just then; he guessed he'd warm himself first." "Get out, quick," said she, opening the door. "I'll let you know I'm a Harney. Yes, I'm a grand-daughter of General Harney, of Revolutionary fame." "Well, madam, I have before told you I don't want to quarrel with a woman, but if you have any of the male Harneys about the house, who will give me the tenth part of the insolence that I have listened to from the lips of 'one old enough to know better,' I will soon show him of what mettle I'm made." "Jeemes, give me your six-shooter," fairly shrieked the old woman; "I'll soon show him. _I'll fight you at ten paces, sir!_" The General laughed at her last remark; seeing which, she became perfectly furious. Her sons and daughters begged her to desist from such talk; but the more they cried "Don't," the less she "_don'ted_." The family, by this time, had been made aware that it was a real General at whom this insolence of tongue was being hurled, and the tribulation of the son was great. The General, after thoroughly warming himself, quietly walked out with his staff. The son followed to the door, making all sorts of apologies for his mother--that she had been sick, was peevish, and, at times, out of her head. I suggested to him, that I didn't think she would _be so apt to go out of her head if John Morgan had come along_, instead of a Union man. Lucky for that house and its inmates that the 9th Ohio, or any of General Steadman's command, were not apprised of the proceedings. The General, in the kindness of his heart, and for the sake of the soldiers quartered there, placed a guard around her house, to prevent her being troubled in the least while the regiments were passing. CHAPTER XVIII.