side."

"O, yes," said Col. Bush, "that was understood to be so, and towards the
end of the war we had to frequently change our signal signs to prevent
information being imparted in that way to our enemy."

"There was a Colonel," said Major Clymer, "from Arkansas, in command
of a rebel brigade, in that battle, who acted with great brutality. He
found some of our Surgeons on the field dressing the wounds of soldiers
and drove them away from their work and held them as prisoners while the
battle lasted, at the same time saying, with an oath, that the lives of
Abolitionists were not worth saving."

"Yes. The Colonel mentioned that in his letter and spoke of it when
I saw him. He said it was only one of the acts of a man instinctively
barbarous. His name was Gumber--Col. Gumber. He has been a prominent
politician since the war, holding important positions. You know, these
matters are like Rip Van Winkle's drinks--they don't count, especially
against them."

"'But among Christian people they should,' said Dr. Adams.

"'That is true, but it does not. There are two distinct civilizations in
this country, and the sooner our people recognize this fact the sooner
they will understand what is coming in the future. But, returning to my
story, the winter was now coming on, and I had to make provision for the
families that were in my charge, so I called the women together and had
a council as to what we would do for the best; the first thing was to
arrange about sending the little girls to school. After discussing it,
we concluded to start them the next day to the common school. Our public
schools were said to be very good. So the next morning my wife, Mary and
Jennie all started with the children to school. They saw the teacher and
talked with her, telling her that their fathers were in the army, and
she entered them in school. They came and went, back and forth, and
seemed greatly pleased during the first week, but on Wednesday of the
second week, they came running home crying and all dirty, saying that
some of the school children had pelted them with clods and pebbles,
calling them Abolitionists. Little Jennie said to me:

"'Grandpa, what is an Abolitionist?'

"I replied: 'One who desires the colored people to be free, and not sold
away to strangers like cattle.'

"'Grandpa, do white people sell colored people like they sell cows?'

"'Yes, my child.'

"'Well, grandpa, is that right?'

"'I think not, my child. Would it