thy for my family and
deploring our misfortunes.

"Time moved on, and the General was preparing to leave for his command,
when Peter became very much worse; and, also, my wife was growing weaker
and losing her mind. Peter was coughing very often and having slight
hemorrhages. The physician pronounced him to be in a very critical
condition. One morning Aunt Martha came running into the parlor where
the family were sitting, and with much anxiety cried out:

"'Marsa Lyon and Marsa Gen'l, come to Marsa Peter, quick; 'cause he
bleed to deff if you not hurry.'

"We ran to him quickly. He was bleeding profusely, holding his head over
the edge of the bed. He could only speak in a gurgling whisper. He took
me by the hand and said:

"'Father, it is all over with me; soon there will be but one finger
left.'

"We laid him back on the pillow, and without another word or struggle he
passed away. Good bless my poor son!"

"Amen!" said Dr. Adams.

Uncle Daniel soon proceeded, saying: "But, my good friends, this was not
my only grief. We tried to keep his death from his mother. She, in her
delirium, was constantly speaking of her dear son Peter, and crying. She
seemed to have no thought except of Peter and the constant shadow of her
dream. The day of Peter's funeral her reason seemed to return and her
strength revived. She asked for all of us to come into her room, and
we did so. When she saw that Peter was not with us, she inquired why.
I answered that he could not come. I then broke down and left her room
weeping. She saw it, and, with strength that she had not shown for many
weeks, arose, and leaping to the floor rushed past all into the parlor,
and there saw Peter lying a corpse. She shrieked and fell on his
remains. We lifted her and carried her back to her bed. She was dead!"

[Illustration: Mrs. Lyon dies at Peter's Coffin 382]

Uncle Daniel sank back into his chair overcome with his sorrows. The
severe trials through which he had passed, re-called again, opened the
flood of sorrow, which well nigh swept him away. We withdrew for the
present, with intense sympathy for the old hero and a feeling that the
Government had sadly neglected him.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE SCHEME TO CAPTURE OR KILL THE PRESIDENT AND GEN.
SILENT.--A VILLANOUS PLOT.--THE RECKLESS AND DESPERATE
SCHEMES OF THE CONSPIRATORS.--THE PLAN REVEALED.--THE
PRESIDENT AND GEN. SILENT WARNED OF THEIR DANGER.

"I could a tale unfol