“Well, I will tell you. This woman
and her three children are all alone in their
house, and they hear a loud knock at the
‘door. They think the soldiers have come
to look for conscripts.”

“What is a conscript, mamma?”

“It is one who is compelled to be a sol-
dier against his will.”

“Do they intend to compel those child-
ren’s papa to be a soldier ?”

“Yes; but he heard that they were com-
ing that way, and so he went away from
home for a few days.”

"Oh! Im glad of der Are you not,

Gus 2”
“Yes; but just as likely as not they will
catch him when he does come back.”

“But, mamma, what will his wife and
children do if they take the man off to be
a soldier?”

“Oh, they will have to get along the best
way they can. I suppose he would send
some of his pay-money home to them.”