"I am a soldier's wife," Mrs. Wentworth commenced hesitatingly. "My husband is now a prisoner in the North, and I am here, a refugee from New Orleans, with two small children. Until a short time ago I had succeeded in supporting my little family by working on soldiers' clothing, but the Quartermaster's department having ceased to manufacture clothing, I have been for several days without work." Here she paused. It pained her to continue. Mr. Swartz looked at her with surprise, and the idea came into his mind that she was an applicant for charity. "Vell, vot has dat got to do vid your pisness," he observed in a cold tone of voice, determined that she should see no hope in his face. "This much," she replied. "For over twenty-four hours my two little children and myself have been without food, and I have not a dollar to purchase it." "I can't do anything for you," Mr. Swartz said with a frown. "Dere is scarce a day but some peoples or anoder vants charity and I--" "I do not come to ask for charity," she interrupted hastily. "I have only come to ask you a favor." "Vat is it?" he enquired. "As I told you before, my children and myself are nearly starving," she replied. "I have not the means of buying food at present, but think it more than likely I will procure work in a few days. I have called to ask if you would give me credit for a few articles of food until then, by which I will be able to sustain my family." "I thought it vas something like charity you vanted," he observed, "but I cannot do vat you vish. It is te same ting every tay mit te sogers' families. Dey comes here and asks for charity and credit, shust as if a man vas made of monish.--Gootness gracious! I don't pelieve dat te peoples who comes here every tay is as pad off as tey vish to appear." "You are mistaken, sir," Mrs. Wentworth replied, "if you think I have come here without being actually in want of the food, I ask you to let me have on credit. Necessity, and dire necessity alone, has prompted me to seek an obligation of you, and if you require it I am willing to pay double the amount you charge, so that my poor children are saved from starvation." "I reckon you vill," Mr. Swartz said, "but ven you vill pay ish te question." "I could not name any precise day to you," answered Mrs. Wentworth. "I can only promise that the debt will be paid. If I cannot even pay it myself, as soon as my husband is exchanged he will pay whatever you charge." "Dat ish a very doubtful vay of doing pisness," he remarked. "I cannot do as you ask." "Consider, sir," she replied. "The amount I ask you to credit me for is but small, and even if you should not get paid (which I am certain you will) the loss cannot be felt by a man of your wealth." "Dat makes no differenish. I can't give you credit. It ish against my rules, and if I proke tem for you I vill have to do so for every body."