honour of Lee and his people. The mystic chords of
memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every
living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the
chorus of the Union, when touched again, as they surely will be, by the
better angels of our nature."

"You'll be lucky to live to hear that chorus."

"To dream it is enough. If I fall by the hand of an assassin now, he will
not come from the South. I was safer in Richmond, this week, than I am in
Washington, to-day."

The cynic grunted and shuffled another step toward the door.

The President came closer.

"Look here, Stoneman; have you some deep personal motive in this vengeance
on the South? Come, now, I've never in my life known you to tell a lie."

The answer was silence and a scowl.

"Am I right?"

"Yes and no. I hate the South because I hate the Satanic Institution of
Slavery with consuming fury. It has long ago rotted the heart out of the
Southern people. Humanity cannot live in its tainted air, and its children
are doomed. If my personal wrongs have ordained me for a mighty task, no
matter; I am simply the chosen instrument of Justice!"

Again the mystic light clothed the rugged face, calm and patient as
Destiny, as the President slowly repeated:

"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the
right, as God gives me to see the right, I shall strive to finish the work
we are in, and bind up the Nation's wounds."

"I've given you fair warning," cried the old Commoner, trembling with
rage, as he hobbled nearer the door. "From this hour your administration
is doomed."

"Stoneman," said the kindly voice, "I can't tell you how your venomous
philanthropy sickens me. You have misunderstood and abused me at every
step during the past four years. I bear you no ill will. If I have said
anything to-day to hurt your feelings, forgive me. The earnestness with
which you pressed the war was an invaluable service to me and to the
Nation. I'd rather work with you than fight you. But now that we have to
fight, I'd as well tell you I'm not afraid of you. I'll suffer my right
arm to be severed from my body before I'll sign one measure of ignoble
revenge on a brave, fallen foe, and I'll keep up this fight until I win,
die, or my country forsakes me."

"I have always known you had a sneaking admiration for the South," came
the sullen sneer.

"I love the South! It is a part of this Union. I love every foo