ose
up his affairs in a deliberate and decorous manner before returning home
and carrying his plan into execution. It was his idea that I should
spend some months each year with him, and he had made other friends who
would be invited to visit him.

But the plan which Anthony had formed was never executed. Matters were
as I have described, when the war of the Rebellion broke out. Here was
that call to public duty which he had alluded to as a possible
interference which might change the course of his life. He felt from the
first that the contest was a fight for the black man, and he was anxious
to engage in it. In a hasty letter to me he recognized the fact that the
spirit of John Brown, whom he greatly admired, was still busy in the
affairs of the nation, although his body was sleeping in the grave at
North Elba.

Anthony Brown enlisted in a white regiment, there being no trace of
color about him and no objection being made. He claimed to have a
presentiment that he would fall in battle at an early day. Whether it
was a presentiment or a mere fancy, it was his fate. He now rests with
the indistinguishable dead

Where the buzzard, flying,
Pauses at Malvern Hill.

When I learned of his death, a duty fell upon me. He had written in one
of his letters that if he did not return from the war he would like to
have me tell his mother the true history of his life. He had concealed
from her his struggles in reference to color. She knew nothing of his
trials at Whitesboro or at Philadelphia. No words had ever passed
between them upon the subject. He thought it better, if he lived, that
she should never know, but if he died he wished that his history should
be fully made known to her.

I made the journey on horseback over the ground I have already
described. It was a delightful autumn day when I passed through the
village of Champion and went on to Mrs. Brown's home. She was expecting
me, as I had written in advance announcing my intended visit. I could
see that she was greatly pleased to receive me. I had been at the house
two days before I ventured to introduce, in a formal manner, the subject
of my mission. Talking of old times, and leading gradually up to the
subject, I frankly stated that Anthony had charged me to tell her the
story of his personal history, and I exhibited his letter to her. It was
after dinner, as we were sitting in the front room reading and talking.
Mrs. Brown immediately became excited and anxious to