476 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



gushing to her eyes. 'Well,' said the brother, repenting, 'we were always glad to see 

 the old man come back again ; for if we did get more holidays in his absence, we 

 always missed him.' 



"Those dramatic points of character in him, which will of course make him the 

 favorite hero of all American romance hereafter, are nowhere appreciated more fully 

 than in his own family. In the midst of all their sorrow, their strong and healthy 

 hearts could enjoy the record of his conversations with the Virginians, and applaud 

 the keen, wise, simple answers which I read to them, selecting here and there from 

 the ample file of newspapers I carried with me. When, for instance, I read the inquiry, 

 ' Did you go out under the auspices of the Emigrant Aid Society ? ' and the answer, 

 'No, sir; I went under the auspices of John Brown,' three voices eagerly burst in with 

 ' That's true,' and 'That's so.' And when it was related that the young Virginia 

 volunteer taxed him with want of military foresight in bringing so small a party to 

 conquer Virginia, and the veteran imperturbably informed the young man that probably 

 their views on military matters would materially differ, there was a general delighted 

 chorus of ' That sounds just like father. ' And his sublimer expressions of faith and 

 self-devotion produced no excitement or surprise among them, since they knew in 

 advance all which we now know of him, and these things only elicited at times a half 

 stifled sigh as they reflected that they might never hear that beloved voice again. 



"References to their father were constant. This book he brought them; the one 

 sitting-room had been plastered with the last money he sent ; that desk, that gun, 

 were his ; this was his daguerreotype ; and at last the rosy little Ellen brought me, 

 with reverent hands, her prime treasure. It was a morocco case, inclosing a small 

 Bible ; and in the beginning, written in the plain, legible hand I knew so well, the 

 following inscription, which would alone (in its touching simplicity) have been worthy 

 the pilgrimage to North Elba to see : 



"'This Bible, presented to my dearly beloved daughter, Ellen Brown, is not 

 intended for common use, but to be carefully preserved for her and by her, in remem- 

 brance of her father (of whose care and attention she was deprived in her infancy), he 

 being absent in the Territory of Kansas from the summer of 1855. 



" ' May the Holy Spirit of God incline your heart, /;/ earliest cliildlwod, " to receive 

 the truth in the love of it," ana to form your thoughts, words, and actions by its wise 

 and holy precepts, is »ty best luis/i, and most earnest prayer to Him in whose care I 

 leave you. Amen. 



" ' From your affectionate father, 



"'JOHN BROWN. 



" ' April 2, 1857.' 



