nfluences. But the mother hen determined, '_a la_ General
Grant,' to set it out on this nest 'if it took all summer!'
A great destruction of capital has been the result, but
'victory at last' has rewarded her efforts, and she is now
followed by a train of four bipeds, one black, one white,
and two octoroons. I have neglected to tell you that the
mother hen is black, and struts with pompous pride above her
white and octoroon subjects. 'Let us have peace.'"

My record would be incomplete without a brief description of the
freedmen's meetings on Saturday. We found Citadel square almost
impassable with the dense crowds of negroes, while hundreds of
children were marching through the streets singing "John Brown." The
principal gathering was in Zion's Church, where more than three
thousand colored people were crowded together. One of the speakers
from the north, William Lloyd Garrison, the veteran abolitionist, was
surrounded by the freedmen as he entered the church, and borne on
their shoulders amid great enthusiasm to the platform. Then the
surging multitude sang, with thrilling power and effect:

"Roll, Jordan, roll, the year of Jubilee;"

and another song, beginning:

"Blow, blow your trumpet, Gabriel!"

How they all shouted at the first mention of the name of Lincoln!
"Spread it abroad," said Hon. Henry Wilson, "all over South Carolina,
that the black men of South Carolina know no master now, and that they
are slaves no more forever! [Great cheering.] Abraham Lincoln,
President of the United States [tremendous cheering and waving of hats
and handkerchiefs], with twenty-five millions of freemen by his side,
and seven hundred thousand bayonets behind him, has decreed it, and
it will stand while the world stands, that the black men of South
Carolina can never more be slaves! [Loud cheers.] They have robbed
your cradles; they have sold your children; they have separated
husband and wife, father and mother and child. [Cries of 'Yes! yes!
yes!'] They shall separate you no more! ['Hallelujah! bress de Lord!']
The long, dreary night of slavery has passed away forever. ['Amen!
amen! amen!'] Remember that you are now to be obedient, faithful, true
and loyal to your country forevermore!" [Cheers and cries of 'Yes!
yes! yes!']

[Illustration: [_Copyrighted by J.A. & R.A. Reid._]

"OLE MASSA RUN--HA! HA!
DE DARKEYS STAY--HO! HO!"]

Twenty years have passed since the em