liked to look at just then. General Scott was there, and I
know not how many other generals; the members of the Cabinet,
and inferior military officers; and each colonel of the
regiments that passed in review, after passing, dismounted and
joined the group on the platform. I looked at these officers
with particular interest, for they and their command were
going straight across into Virginia expecting active service
soon. So I looked at their men. While each regiment marched
by, the band belonging to it halted and played. They were
going to the war. In good earnest they were going now. This
was no show of pleasure; it was work; and my heart, it seemed
to me, alternately beat and stood still. Sometimes the
oppression of feeling grew very painful, obliged as I was to
hide carefully the greater part of what I felt. A little
additional stir was almost more than I could bear. One
regiment - the Garibaldis, I think, had bouquets of flowers
and greens in their hats. I did not indeed notice this, until
the foremost came just in front of the platform and the
President. Then the bouquets were taken out from the hats, and
were tossed, in military order, rank by rank, as the files
passed by, to Mr. Lincoln's feet. It was a little thing; but
how it shook me! I was glad of the rush which followed the
passing of the regiment; the rush of people eager to secure
these bunches of flowers and evergreens for memorials; the
diversion of interest for a moment gave me chance to fight
down my heart-swelling.

"Daisy! you are - what is the matter? You are not well - you
are tired," - my guardian exclaimed anxiously, as he came back
to my side with one of the Garibaldi flower bunches.