\"Thinkofit！\"hewroteTwichell。\"Twooldrebelsfunctioningthere：I
aspresidentandWattersonasoratoroftheday！Thingshavechangedsomewhatinthesefortyyears，thankGod！\"
TheWattersonintroductionisoneofthechoicestofMarkTwain’sspeeches——apureandperfectexampleofsimpleeloquence，worthyoftheoccasionwhichgaveitutterance，worthyinspiteofitsplayfulparagraphsorevenbecauseofthem，forLincolnwouldhavelovedthem，tobecomethematrixofthatimperishableGettysburgphrasewithwhichhemakeshisclimax。HeopenedbydwellingforamomentonColonelWattersonasasoldier，journalist，orator，statesman，andpatriot；thenhesaid：
Itisacuriouscircumstancethatwithoutcollusionofanykind，butmerelyinobediencetoastrangeandpleasantanddramaticfreakofdestiny，heandI，kinsmenbyblood——[ColonelWatterson’sforebearshadintermarriedwiththeLamptons。]——forwearethat——andone—timerebels——forwewerethat——shouldbechosenoutofamillionsurvivingquondamrebelstocomehereandbareourheadsinreverenceandloveofthatnoblesoulwhom40yearsagowetriedwithallourheartsandallourstrengthtodefeatanddispossess——
AbrahamLincoln！IstheRebellionendedandforgotten？AretheBlueandtheGrayoneto—day？Byauthorityofthissignwemayansweryes；therewasaRebellion——thatincidentisclosed。