revere the Union in early
youth. The remainder of that party who desired our success were but
few and far between. They are now the ones, however, who saved the
Government, preserved the Constitution, the flag, and our honor, and are
going to reform all abuses and make everybody prosperous and happy.
The Colonel here, who lost an arm for his country, is laid aside as
'worthless crockery'; and as for myself, who gave seven sons to the
service of my country, I am of no use whatever. Of course, I am very
old, but I supposed that it would be considered an honor to me to
have made so great a sacrifice. So I went out to one of the Reformers'
meetings last Fall, and instead of being invited on the stand and
referred to as an old man who had given up his whole family for his
country's cause, I was permitted to sit on the ground and hear an old
Secessionist and rebel sympathizer extolled to the skies, with great
applause following, and one of our best and most gallant soldiers
ridiculed and abused as if he had been a pirate during the war. So it is
and so it goes. I am poor. So are all who spent their time in aiding
our country. The mistake we made was not to have staid at home and made
fortunes, and let these men, who "feathered their nests" during the war,
have gone and served in the army and showed their love of country.
We would now have been the patriots and the ones to be intrusted with
public affairs.

"But why should I care? I think I should not. But it is impossible for
me to lay aside my feelings on the subject of my country's welfare. I
will go down to my grave with the feeling that those who so loved their
country that they risked their lives for it are the safer ones to trust
with its control. I cannot see how those who did not wish the success of
our country and those who exerted every nerve to destroy it can be the
best persons in whose hands to place our vast interests.

"I may be wrong about this, however, and, therefore, will return to my
story, believing that the Lord doeth all things well.

"Peter and our family at home were sitting in the parlor. Jennie was
wrapping Peter's foot in cloths and bandages, when the conversation
turned on Col. David and Col. Anderson. Jennie had a letter from David
but a day or so before, which gave us the news of the good health of
himself and James, the doctor. It also informed her that Henry had been
assigned to duty in the same command with himself, which made it very
ple