264 GUARD-HOUSE. 



that nearly caused a rupture between 

 me and the friend I had recently se- 

 lected as my companion upon so happy 

 an occasion. 



About five or six weeks before that 

 event, the L.S. the society I have be- 

 fore spoken of spent the evening with 

 a member, who lived at some little 

 distance. In returning, three of us, 

 whose homes lay in the same direc- 

 tion, were walking quietly together. My 

 friend's voice, which was at no time a 

 falsetto, attracted the notice of the ser- 

 geant of the guard, who, with two of 

 his men, were going the rounds ; he 

 challenged us, and demanded the counter- 

 sign. 



My friend, not being accustomed to 

 obey so peremptory an order, himself 

 commanding at the time the volunteer 

 rifle corps, a little altercation ensued, 

 which ended in all three of us being 

 taken to the guard-house, where we 



