He had served in the army the last year of the war, and the service did him a world of good, physically and mentally. His faculties were broadened and enlarged. Contact with all sorts and conditions of men gave him ample knowledge of his kind, and yet he kept in touch with the finer issues of life. He was ripened and not hardened. The surrender had no such crushing effects on him as it had on older men. It left him youth, and where youth is there must be hope and energy. He returned home, remained a few weeks, sold a couple of horses he had picked up in the track of Sherman’s army, and then went into the office of a cotton factor in Savannah, giving his services for the knowledge and experience he desired to gain. In a very short time he learned all the secrets of sampling and grading the great staple. He might have remained in the office at a salary, for his aptness had made him useful, but he preferred to return to Halcyondale, where he engaged in buying cotton on his own account. There was just enough risk in this to stimulate his energies, and not enough to lead to serious speculation. To this business he added others as his capital grew, and he was soon the most prosperous man in the town. He had formed the stock company under whose auspices the county fair was held, and was president of the board of directors. [Illustration: Buying cotton on his own account.] Aunt Minervy Ann was very much in evidence, for she acted as cook, nurse, and house-girl. The first glimpse I had of her, she had a bucket of water in her right hand and Conant’s baby—a bouncing boy—on her left arm. Just then Major Perdue hustled me off to my room, thus postponing, as I thought, the greeting I had for Aunt Minervy Ann. But presently I heard her coming upstairs talking to herself. “Ef dey gwine ter have folks puttin’ up wid um, dey better tell me in de due time, so I can fix up fer um. Dey ain’t been no fresh water in deze rooms sence dat baby wuz born’d.” She went on to the end of the hall and looked in each of the rooms. Then, with an exclamation I failed to catch, she knocked at my door, which was promptly opened. As she saw me a broad smile flashed over her good-natured face. “I ’low’d ’twuz you,” she said, “an’ I’m mighty glad you come.” She started to pour the water from can to pitcher, when suddenly she stayed her hand. With the exclamation, “Well, ef dis don’t bang my time!” she went to the head of the stairs and cried out: “Miss Vallie! Miss Vallie! you don’t want no town folks stuck in dish yer back room, does you?” “Why, certainly not!” cried the lady. “What could father have been thinking of?” “Shoo! he like all de men folks,” responded Aunt Minervy Ann.