WAR TIME AND GOLD 59 



terfere with his driving or with the stream of hu- 

 mor, pathos, and wisdom that flowed in their turn 

 from his lips. 



Fourteen years to a day from that famous 

 fourteenth of April, 1861, I was with Mr. and 

 Mrs. Beecher in that courtroom which saw the 

 great sorrow of their lives. I was with them after 

 the strain of the day was over, and the great 

 man's tone was as genial, his manner as natural, 

 and his humor as delicious as if he had not been 

 passing through purgatory. 



Rev. Henry M. Gallaher and John Swinton 

 had gone with me, and in our chat after the ad- 

 journment, Mrs. Beecher thanked us for coming, 

 and turning to Mr. Gallaher, she said: 



"Now, Mr. Gallaher, I'll forgive you for Iona 

 Island." 



She was referring to a picnic of Plymouth 

 Church Sunday School at Iona Island, when in 

 moot court Mr. Beecher was tried for heresy. 

 Mr. Gallaher was judge of the court, and the 

 jury were the twelve prettiest girls in the school. 

 The girls found the defendant guilty, and Judge 



