ine?'

"'Yes, Henry, that is true; but I have never thought that the proper
time had arrived.'

"'Well,' said Jackson, 'if you will allow me to suggest, I think the
time has now arrived. Seraine, your father and mother are growing old;
your only brother is in the army and may never return.' And to Henry he
said: 'Our mother and father are also growing feeble from so much grief.
Mother, I think, cannot survive very much longer, and all of us who are
now left, save yourself, are in the army. From our experience thus far
the future is not full of hope. You and Seraine may soon be all that are
left of both families, except, perhaps, some one or more of our parents.
Now, Seraine, let us get your father and mother to go with us to
ALLentown, and there, in the presence of both families who yet remain
above the sod, (save brother Peter, who cannot be with us,) have this
marriage solemnized. Henry, our mother and Jennie would be very happy
over this, and so would Mary Anderson and the children, all of whom love
Seraine very much.'

"By this time the tears were rolling down Seraine's cheeks. Henry stood
looking at her, and grasping her by the hand, when Jackson had finished,
he led her into the presence of her father and mother and told them the
proposition, and asked them to consent. They gave Seraine to Henry,
and blessed them both as their children. Seraine, in answer to Henry,
thought, in consideration of the whole situation, that the time had
come, and that she would acquiesce in the arrangements as proposed by
Jackson, who was happier now than he had been since the beginning of the
war, and so expressed himself to Seraine and Henry. The next day being
agreed upon for their departure for ALLentown, Jackson repaired to his
room, leaving Henry and Seraine together to talk over the details of
their prospective marriage.

"Leaving Detroit the following morning they arrived at my house in the
afternoon and found a warm welcome awaiting them, my wife and the two
other ladies of my household doing everything to make Seraine's father
and mother feel that they were more than merely welcome. When we were
all together Jackson became spokesman, and waxed quite eloquent over the
whole affair. When he had finished Gen. Anderson cried out:

"'Bravo! Bravo! Henry and Seraine!'

"My wife drew Seraine to her bosom as she would have taken a child, and
embraced her and wept, until, from sympathy, we all were overcome with
emotion. The fa