282 THE TIM BUNKER PAPERS. 



There was a tear in John s eye as he got a glimpse of 

 the picture we had been looking at during his long ab 

 sence, and he said : 



&quot; I expect to do jest as you say, father. I have always 

 been brought up to mind, and I expect to mind you now. 

 You and mother felt very bad about my going to the 

 war, but on the whole, thought it was best ; and when 

 you come to look at this emigration down South on all its 

 sides, you may think it is just about as necessary for me 

 to go down there now as it was three years ago. I s pose 

 I shall feel worse about leaving Hookertown than you 

 will, for you will have the dear old sod under your feet, 

 and all the associations of your lives around you, the old 

 home, the old church, and old friends, while I shall go 

 mostly among strangers. You have taught me not to fol 

 low my feelings always, but to do my duty, and the pre 

 cept and example have struck in pretty deep. Mr. Spooner 

 has preached that way, and I have come to believe it. I 

 didn t join the regiment because I had any appetite for 

 fighting or seeing sights ; I thought Hookertown was a 

 part of my country, and the rebs were to be kept out of it. 

 If I didn t go and meet them on Southern soil, they might 

 come here, and be watering their horses in the Connecti 

 cut, which would not be so pleasant. We who went 

 down there to fight have given you a life lease of your 

 peaceful homes, and we feel as if we had a right to go and 

 carve out homes for ourselves, in the land we have won 

 by the sword. The boys talked it all over before they 

 were mustered out, and we mean to go back, unless it is 

 clear that Providence is against the movement. 



&quot; You &quot;who are on the stage have had your chance, and 

 help d make Hookertown what it is. You have cultivated 

 and improved your farms, built your houses, and estab 

 lished your schools and churches, and got every thing go 

 ing in good shape. The land is all occupied, and there 

 isn t room here for more farmers. The farms are too 



