asant for them. My wife, Aunt Sarah, had received a letter from Mary
Anderson a day or so before which brought the gratifying intelligence
that the Colonel was improving rapidly and would be able soon to return
to Allentown and once more enjoy for a time the quiet of our home. He
was informed that he must not return to take the field again for some
months. While I was at home, trying to arrange the difficulty about
the colonelcy of his regiment, inasmuch as his discovery and return to
Dolinsburg had not been officially announced, I wrote to the President
the situation, telling him the whole story and calling his attention to
the reports of the battles in which the Colonel had participated,
and asking that he give him recognition by promotion to a
Brigadier-Generalship. With this request the President had kindly
complied, and I had his commission in my possession, which fact I kept a
profound secret. Just then Peter said to me:

"'What can be done to arrange matters in Col. Tom's regiment? There
is Col. Rice, who, when Tom takes command or when the facts are
ascertained, will be reduced in his command as Lieutenant-Colonel, and I
will go back as Major. This I do not care for, but Col. Rice is a proud
man, and will dislike this, I fear.

"'Then he will show himself an unworthy officer. He should be glad that
his Colonel is alive and yield up the command gracefully.'

"'There is no other way for him to do,' said Peter; 'that is true.'

"Old Ham was sitting off to one side with little Mary Anderson on his
lap. The child had been listening to what was said about her father. She
spoke to Uncle Ham, as she, with the rest of the family, had learned to
call him, and asked:

"'When is papa coming home? Is he well? Is mamma well? How will they get
home?' and many other questions.

"Ham said, 'I doesn't know. Hopes he git heah all right.'

"The old fellow seemed rather serious, and finally he asked Aunt Sarah
'If dat letta diin't say nuffln 'bout my ole woman Marfa.'

"'Oh, yes,' said my wife. 'Uncle Ham, you must pardon me; I was so
engaged talking to Peter and Uncle Daniel about our sons that I really
neglected to tell you. I will get the letter and read you what Mary says
about your wife.'

"She took the letter from her pocket and read to Uncle Ham that Martha
was well and so kind to Col. Tom, calling him her boy and saying 'the
good Laud' had saved him for some good purpose, and sent her love to her
'dear ole Ham.'