AFTER I JOINED my Navy husband on his tour of duty in Japan, I looked for a job to supplement our income.
I was pleased when my first interview netted a secretarial position at the nearby Army facility. I was sure my typing skills had landed me the post. But a few weeks later my boss, a full colonel, called me into his office and told me I was too quiet. "The reason I hired you," he explained, "was your delightful Texas accent. I'm homesick for someone who can talk right."
All of the officers in the Confederate army were given copies of Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo, to carry with them at all times. Robert E. Lee, among others, believed that the book symbolized their cause. Both revolts were defeated.
