If we do not succeed, I shall be held accountable by both
friend and foe. It's written so in the book of life. I must accept it.
I'll just do my best and God will give me strength to bear what comes."
And so while the South was gayly celebrating the end of the war and
every crow was busy pecking at the sensitive heart of their leader, the
ominous shadow of five hundred thousand Northern soldiers, armed with
the best weapons and drilled by the masters of military science, was
slowly but surely drawing near.
CHAPTER XIX
SOCOLA'S PROBLEM
Socola found his conquest of Jennie beset with unforeseen difficulties.
His vanity received a shock. His success with girls at home had slightly
turned his head.
His mother was largely responsible for his conceit. She honestly
believed that he was the handsomest man in America. For more than six
years--in fact, since his eighteenth birthday--his mother's favorite pet
name was "Handsome." He had heard this repeated so often he had finally
accepted it philosophically as one of the fixed phenomena of nature.
From the moment he made up his mind to win Jennie he considered the work
done--until he had set seriously about it.
The first difficulty he encountered was the discovery that a large
number of Southern boys apparently considered the chief business of life
going to see the girls--this girl in particular.
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