blood! They carried him out just as he was going to be burned up, in a
blanket hung from rifles, and he was in the hospital nine months, and had
to come home for a while."

"Cynthy," said Ephraim in gentle reproof, "I callate the General don't
want to hear that."

Cynthia flushed, but the President looked at her with an added interest.

"My dear young lady," he said, "that seems to me the vital part of the
story. If I remember rightly," he added, turning again to Ephraim, the
Fifth Corps was on the Orange turnpike. What brigade were you in?"

"The third brigade of the First Division," answered Ephraim.

"Griffin's," said the President. "There were several splendid New England
regiments in that brigade. I sent them with Griffin to help Sheridan at
Five Forks."

"I was thar too," cried Ephraim.

"What!" said the President, "with the lame hip?"

"Well, General, I went back, I couldn't help it. I couldn't stay away
from the boys--just couldn't. I didn't limp as bad then as I do now. I
wahn't much use anywhere else, and I had l'arned to fight. Five Forks!"
exclaimed Ephraim. "I call that day to mind as if it was yesterday. I
remember how the boys yelled when they told us we was goin' to Sheridan.
We got started about daylight, and it took us till four o'clock in the
afternoon to git into position. The woods was just comin' a little green,