"Ham broke into a laugh and said: 'Datfs it; dat's good. I knowed she
say jes' like dat. I tell you, Aunt Marfa, she be all right. She know
something I tell you she do.'

"He then entered into a disquisition on Aunt Martha to little Mary,
until she seemed to feel as much interested in Aunt Martha as did Uncle
Ham.

"While we were enjoying the rest of the evening in conversation we heard
a noise coming from the children's bedroom. Jennie at once left us and
proceeded to the room and found little Sarah Lyon--David's youngest
child, then four years old--very sick with a violent attack of croup. We
at once sent for a physician. He came, examined her and pronounced
her very ill. He very soon gave her relief, that proved to be only
temporary. We watched her during the night. In the morning she had a
violent fever, and seemed to be very flighty. Everything was done for
the blessed child, but all in vain. That afternoon she passed away. This
was another stroke to our whole family. Jennie, her mother, was nearly
frantic. This was the first misfortune of any sort that had happened
in David's family. We were all cast down in grief, as we loved little
Sarah. She had been named for my wife, who had made the child a special
pet. Little Mary and Jennie were almost heartbroken by her death.
They cried continually, and could not be pacified for several days.
I telegraphed her father, but it seems my dispatch, for some unknown
reason, was not delivered for three days. When it was he was almost
crazed by the unwelcome news. It was too late, however, for him to come
home. This seemed to sadden him. He was never himself any more during
his life. Little Sarah lies in the cemetery at Allentown."

Here the old man broke down and wept bitterly for a time. When he
recovered he said:

"My friends, it seems to me strange that I should weep now. My sorrows
are passed. I am only waiting here below for the reward that true
devotion must bring in the other world. There is no recompense for it
here. At least, I have only found that which comes from the affections
of a loving family. Oh! why should my family all-all have been taken
from me as they were? Who has had such a hard fate as mine? Yes! yes!
when I come to reflect, many have. Yes! when all are gone--one or
many--that is all; we can lose no more. My country, O! my country, it
was for thee they died."

CHAPTER VI.

"K. G. C."--ORGANIZATION OF THE ENEMIES OF THE UNION IN THE