s, and the cows were yielding abundance of milk
and cream. That was in the old time, when mails were monthly, and
telegraphing was a thing of the future.

In the following September, my husband having resigned his commission,
we bade a long "good bye" to the army and its many tender
associations. This step was taken after much thought and deliberation,
and in accordance with the advice of our dear father. But the army had
always been my home; I loved it as such. I love it still, and it is a
comfort to me in my old age to know that I am not far away from a
fort, that I can _almost_ see the beautiful flag, as it sways in the
breeze, can _almost_ hear the drum and fife, the music of my
childhood, and can _feel_ that they are near me, in dear old Fort
Snelling, my earliest home.

[Illustration]

_CHAPTER XV._

In 1840, being in Cincinnati, where we were delightfully situated, we
had a rare opportunity to witness the enthusiasm of our countrymen, as
displayed in the Presidential campaign of which General Harrison was
the successful man. The excitement of that time was tremendous. The
hard cider songs--

"And should we be any ways thirsty,
I'll tell you what we will all do,
We'll bring forth a keg of hard cider
And drink to old Tippecanoe."

Also: "For Tippecanoe and Tyler, too,
And with them we'll beat little Van.
Van, Van's a used-up man,
And with them we'll beat little Van."

Resounded through the streets from morn till midnight, drums beat and
cannons roared, and, seeing the way in which the poor old man was
dragged about from place to place in all kinds of processions, we were
not surprised when we learned of his death a few weeks after his
inauguration. Then, alas! what a sad procession passed through those
same streets, of late so full of life and joy; now heavily draped in
mourning and echoing to funereal strains, as the worn-out old man is
borne slowly through the beautiful city to rest in his quiet home at
North Bend. How empty seem all earthly honors in view of such sharp
contrasts. The lesson sank deep, and can never be forgotten. Looking
over the leaves of my diary kept during that eventful year, I find
recorded there a sorrowful incident that occurred during the winter,
bringing desolation to a rich man's home and grief to many loving
friends. I give it here in the form of a story, as I have told it to
my childr