Men march 'mid mounds, 'mid molts, 'mid murderous mines,
--FINLEY

"After the lapse of considerable time Gen. Anderson whether or not he had
recovered sufficiently to again take the field. His staff officers and
his wife were protesting that his strength was not sufficient.

"I said: 'Well, we will consider this matter at another time.'

"Aunt Martha called us; we all walked in and sat down to tea, Capt. Day
with us, having been with Gen. Anderson almost daily since his return.
While at the table my wife spoke of the absence of Stephen and Peter,
wishing them with us, and again alluded to her dream, saying that she
had dreamed it all over again last night, and that she thought there
must be some kind of a warning to her in it.

"Just at this moment I discovered old Ham standing in the corner very
much absorbed in counting his fingers. He seemed to be considerably
bothered, however, in making up the proper count. Aunt Sarah discovered
him, and said:

"'Ham, what are you doing?

"'Ham saw that his manner caused my wife (Aunt Sarah) to be disturbed,
and the old fox (for he was very sly) said: "'es, missus, I's--I's jes'
seein'w many is here, and how many dey is wid de oder boys what goed
away, so dat I know how many you is when you'uns is all togedder. I tell
you, dis am a big family--dat's all.'

"Old Martha, who was attending the table, spoke to Ham in her usual way,
saying:

"Ham, you jes' git out, you ole fool; go to de kitchen, whar you
belongs.'

"When Ham left we finished our tea, but Aunt Sarah showed plainly that
she was very much troubled. She soon retired for the night, and the rest
of us conversed about the situation and Gen. Anderson's condition;
he claiming that he was strong, the rest of us to the contrary. We
concluded to settle it for the present by visiting the farm the next
morning, which e did, taking Ham with us as driver of our wagon. When
we arrived Joseph Dent invited us all into his house, and while making
inquiries of him as to his health, the condition of his stock, etc., a
man came to the gate and called for him. When he returned he said that
this man was notifying him that he must come to a meeting that night of
the Golden Circle; that the Circle had some very important business on
hand. We encouraged him to go, and to report to us at Allentown the next
morning. Bent consented, saying that the Circle had been exceedingly
active; that an agent had been there from Canada and ha