olonel Pegram, for
refusing to fight against the Yankees, and trying to run
away. Tony was much to blame. He had been a good boy till
some confounded Abolitionists put it into his head that the
Yankee scum were fighting the battles of the black man;
when, as you well know, Anjy, the true friends of the black
man are those who mean to keep him in that state of slavery
for which the Lord plainly intended him. But Tony got this
foolish notion of the Abolitionists into his head, and one
day frankly told the Colonel that he wouldn't fire a gun at
the Yankees to save his own life; whereupon the Colonel very
properly had him whipped, and pretty badly, too. The next
day Tony was caught trying to make his escape into the
Yankee lines. He was brought before the Colonel, who told
him, that, for your sake, Anjy, he would forgive him, if he
would swear on the Bible not to do so again. Tony refused to
swear this, began to rave about his rights, and finally
declared that he was free, first under God's law, next under
the laws of the United States, and finally under the laws of
Maryland. There were other negroes, slaves of officers, near
by, listening to all this wicked stuff, and Pegram felt the
importance of making an example; so he drew his revolver and
shot Tony through the heart. How could he help it, Anjy? You
mustn't blame the Colonel. We all felt he couldn't have done
otherwise, I saw Tony the minute after he was shot. He died
easy. I emptied his pockets. There was nothing in them but a
photograph of you, Anjy, a printed proclamation by the
wretched Yankee tyrant, Abe Lincoln, and a handkerchief
printed as an American flag. I'm very sorry at this affair;
but you must seek comfort in religion, and pray that your
poor deluded boy may be forgiven for his unfaithfulness and
bad conduct. Affectionately,

"CULPEPPER."

This letter was read aloud,--not by Barbara, nor by her father, but by
Mrs. Dinwiddie, who exclaimed, as she finished it,--

"Here's the result of your Yankee teachings, Mr. Dinwiddie! There wasn't
a better boy than Tony in all Maryland, till the Abolitionists got hold
of him. Pegram served him just right,--just as I would have done."

Dinwiddie rose, pale, trembling, and all his features convulsed. Barbara
covered her face wit