58 CHICKAMAUGA. 



f ul moderation. When a man goes in search 

 of a mood, he must go neither too fast nor 

 too far. As the Scripture saith, " Bodily 

 exercise profiteth little." So much may 

 readily be confessed now ; for wisdom comes 

 with reflection, and it is no great matter to 

 bear a last year's toothache. 



From the railway station I followed, at a 

 venture, a road that soon brought me to a 

 comfortable, homelike house, with fine shade 

 trees and an orchard. This was the Dyer 

 estate, so a tablet informed all comers. 

 Here, in September, 1863, lived John Dyer, 

 who suddenly found his few peaceful acres 

 surrounded and overrun by a hundred thou- 

 sand armed men, and himself drafted into 

 service if he needed drafting as guide 

 to the Confederate commander. Since then 

 strange things had happened to the little 

 farmhouse, which now was nothing less than 

 a sort of government headquarters, as I 

 rightly inferred from the general aspect of 

 things round about, and the American flag 

 flying above the roof. I passed the place 

 without entering, halting only to smile at the 

 antics of a white - breasted nuthatch, my 

 first Tennessee specimen, which was hop- 



