and wear
store clothes like you big folks down about Danville, but we live in
our plain way, wear our home-spun and eat our hog and hominy; but if
there is anything on earth that these people do love, it is the
_truth._ What did this same magnanimous Republican party that
General Fry had told you so much about do with General Robert E.
Lee? I knew General Lee, I served with him in Mexico, and although
we fought on different sides in the last war, I always respected
him as a brave soldier. Well, after he had surrendered at Appomattox,
and his men had all laid down their arms, what did this same
magnanimous party that General Fry talked so much about do with
General Lee? Why, they tried him by a drumhead court-martial _and
shot and quartered him right on the spot!"_

Again interrupting, General Fry indignantly exclaimed:

"It is an outrage, Colonel Woolford, to attempt to deceive these
people by such statements. General Lee was never even imprisoned,
and is still alive, the president of a college in Virginia, and
highly esteemed by everybody."

The Colonel answered:

"Now, General Fry, you have been treated like a gentleman ever
since you came to these mountains; we gave you the best we had
to eat, gave you the last drop out of the bottle, and listened
quietly to you just as long as you wanted to speak. We don't wear
Sunday clothes, General Fry, like you do down in Danville, but just
live in our plain way in our log cabins, and eat our hoe-cake, and
say our prayers, but if there is anything on God's earth that we
do love, it is the _truth._ It is wrong for you, General Fry,
to try and fool these people. Yes, this same magnanimous party
that General Fry has been telling you about, what did they do with
poor old Jeff Davis after he was captured? Now, I never was fond of
old Jeff myself, and I fought four years against him in the last
war. But I was on the same side with him in Mexico, I saw him head
the charge of the Mississippi rifles, and drive back the Mexican
lancers after McKee and Clay and Hardin had been killed at Buena
Vista, and I know he was no coward. Well, after he was in prison and
as helpless as a child, what did they do with him? Why, they just
took him out, and without even giving him a drumhead trial, tied
him up and _burned him to ashes at a stake!"_

Fry sprang to his feet, exclaiming:

"Great God! Jeff Davis is still alive, at his home in Mississippi,
and has never even been tried;