“Old Sarah loved her helpless child,

Whom helplessness made dear;
And he was everything to her,

Who knew no hope or fear.

"She knew his wants, she understood
Each half-articulate call,

For he was everything to her,
And she to him was all.

"And so for many a year they lived,
Nor knew a wish beside;

But age at last on Sarah came,

And she fell sick-and died.

"He tried in vain to waken her,

He called her o'er and o'er;

They told him she was dead!

The words to him no import bore.

"They closed her eyes and shrouded her,
While he stood wondering by,
And when they bore her to the grave,
He followed silently.

"They laid her in the narrow house,

They sung the funeral stave;
And when the fun'ral train dispersed,
He lingered by that grave.

"The rabble boys that used to jeer

Whene'er they saw poor Ned,

Now stood and watched him by the grave, And not a word they said.

"They came and went and came again,

Till night at last came on;

Yet still he lingered by the grave,

Till every one had gone.

"And when he found himself alone,

He swift removed the clay;
Then raised the coffin up in haste,
And bore it swift away.

"He bore it to his mother's cot,
And laid it on the floor,
And with the eagerness of joy

He barred the cottage docr.

"Then out he took his mother's corpse,
And placed it on a chair;

And soon he heaped the hearth,

And made the kindling fire with care.

"He had put his mother in her chair,
And in its wonted place,

After Forrest had delighted our little company, we said good-by to the agreeable hosts, and quietly walked in the dark over to Chestnut street, when he said to me, "What is the matter with the town, it seems to be unusually light? Is it a fire? Or is it a jubilee?" It was the 6th of July, 1863when he answered his own question-"Great

heavens! I think Vicksburg has fallen." And so it proved to be. In the midst of our rejoicing over the victory at Gettysburg, won chiefly by General Hancock, a Pennsylvanian, here came the intelligence that on the same anniversary of American independence, another friend of Forrest, General Ulysses S. Grant, had captured that great point on the Mississippi River, and so forever re-opened that pathway to the sea.

What a jolly night it was! what a supplement and sequel to the unparalleled Saturday and Sunday before, when the masses of all parties rose, full of gratitude for the victory of Gettysburg. And now, as if God Himself had directed the similarity, while our sacred flag was floating in triumph over the Confederates at one point, a victory almost as essential was achieved under the same banner at another.

How eloquent Forrest was that evening! how full of praise of Grant! how the democratic politics of my dramatic friend broke out! "Here we have two of the grandest achievements in history; two of the most decisive victories for liberty; two events that will close out this hateful war and finally bring peace and brotherhood to this distracted nation, and won by two democrats! What have you got to say to that, my black republican friend?" He was so delighted with the night, that I never saw him in finer spirits. The world never produced a more interesting man, and

I think he had no equal on any stage, American or European. Poor Forrest! He has gone to his long home, and we ne'er shall look upon his like again. It was indeed a remarkable coincidence. The news came by a despatch from acting Rear Admiral Porter, dated Flag-ship "Black Hawk,”. July 4th, 1863, as follows: "I have the honor to inform you that Vicksburg has surrendered to the United States forces on this 4th of July."

In the evening of the 5th, President Lincoln made a great speech from the Executive Mansion in the city of Washington, in which he spoke of the magnificent courage of the troops at Gettysburg, who fought so rapidly, that their victories might be called "one great battle!" Stanton succeeded in a speech in which he referred in high eulogy to the recent deeds of the Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg. Gen. Halleck, Senators Wlison, Wilkinson, Lane, of Kansas; Representatives Washburn and Arnold also made speeches. Mr. Seward in reply remarked that "No nation could be saved without sacrifices; that if he could not save the country, he was here at the expense of all he held dear, he wished to be buried in its ruins."

CHAPTER V.

EDWARD EVERETT AND ABRAHAM LINCOLN

PLEADING FOR RECONCILIATION WITH THE SOUTH ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF GETTYSBURG SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO.

IT

will be seventeen years on the 19th of next November since I stood at the side of Edward Everett and Abraham Lincoln, at the dedication of the Gettysburg Cemetery, and heard those two historic men, a singular contrast to each other, the one the rugged, simple, honest, unsectional President of the United States, the other the polished, conservative, yet glowing and classic orator of Massachusetts, speaking above the graves of the martyrs who fell at Gettysburg on the 1st, 2d and 3d of July previous, in the hearing of living thousands before and around them. Among those on the stand were Secretary of State Seward, the Ministers of France and Italy, the French Admiral, Governor Curtin, who had just been re-elected by a tremendous majority, members of Congress and many representatives of the army and