y died with a mere
cut on his hand. I was disturbed about your wound last night in my
sleep. I was dreaming about it.'

"'Well, mother,' said Peter, 'you seem to be dreaming something
constantly, and will continue to do so, so long as you allow yourself to
be worried.'

"But Peter ceased speaking on the subject, and his face took the sad
expression that seemed to have fixed itself upon him. I then spoke up to
relieve the matter and said, 'Wife, you must not worry so much. You are
just able to be out, and I fear you will make yourself sick again. Peter
will take care of himself--at least I hope so.7

"Aunt Martha seemed to be listening to our conversation, and (having
been greatly indulged by all our family on account of marked kindness to
Gen. Anderson as well as to all the rest of the family) here chimed in
and said:

"'Marsa Lyon, I tells you dat you is wrong on dat pint. De mans don't
know how to take kear of demsefs. Now, dars Ham. He's like to get kill
any day, he am. He don't know nuffin, he don't.'

"Gen. Anderson and Peter laughed when she spoke of Ham getting killed.
Peter seemed to lose for the time-being his sad countenance, when he
remembered about Ham getting under the brush at Stone Run.

"Aunt Martha knew nothing about Ham's precipitate retreat during the
last battle, so she continued by saying:

"'Jes' see, Massa Tom, de Gen'l dar. Whar he bin if he lef wid de mans
when he got shotted at dat fight at Dolins-burg? He done bin dead sho.
Dars whar he bin. I tell you de good Laud know who he trus' him wid; yes
sah, he do. So he put him wid me and den he make my ole head cifer out
de cures what fotched him out. Jes' kase he want Marsa for good work,
dat's why. What would Ham do curin' him up? No, sah, he not know how,
and de Laud no trus' him.'

"Peter said: 'Aunt Martha, you rather like the Lord, I take it.'

"'Yes, sah, I do. He be good. He fotched de poor darkies out ob workin'
all de time for nuffin for dem Sesh, and he know what he doin'. He goin'
to let dem Sesh 'spect dat dey whip dem Yanks affer while, but he not
let dem do it. He jes' coaxin' dem on till he git good men hold of de
army, den dey all git smash up. Jes' like Genl Tom, de Laud save him for
dat. Don't you see dat? My! when Marsa Tom git after dem Sesh, dey done
gits ebry time, dey do; don't dey, Marsa Lyon.'

"I agreed with her and the rest laughed. She finally cut her speech
short and retired to the kitchen.

"After tea Gen