Moreovertheschoolmatesandearlyacquaintancesofthegeneralwerereadytotestify，onoath，that，tothebestoftheirrecollection，theaforesaidgeneralhadbeenexceedinglylikethemajesticimage，evenwhenaboy，onlytheideahadneveroccurredtothematthatperiod。Great，therefore，wastheexcitementthroughoutthevalley;andmanypeople，whohadneveroncethoughtofglancingattheGreatStoneFaceforyearsbefore，nowspenttheirtimeingazingatit，forthesakeofknowingexactlyhowGeneralBlood-and-Thunderlooked。
Onthedayofthegreatfestival，Ernest，withalltheotherpeopleofthevalley，lefttheirwork，andproceededtothespotwherethesylvanbanquetwasprepared。Asheapproached，theloudvoiceoftheRev。Dr。Battleblastwasheard，beseechingablessingonthegoodthingssetbeforethem，andonthedistinguishedfriendofpeaceinwhosehonortheywereassembled。
Thetableswerearrangedinaclearedspaceofthewoods，shutinbythesurroundingtrees，exceptwhereavistaopenedeastward，andaffordedadistantviewoftheGreatStoneFace。Overthegeneral’schair，whichwasarelicfromthehomeofWashington，therewasanarchofverdantboughs，withthelaurelprofuselyintermixed，andsurmountedbyhiscountry’sbanner，beneathwhichhehadwonhisvictories。OurfriendErnestraisedhimselfonhistiptoes，inhopestogetaglimpseofthecelebratedguest;buttherewasamightycrowdaboutthetablesanxioustohearthetoastsandspeeches，andtocatchanywordthatmightfallfromthegeneralinreply;andavolunteercompany，doingdutyasaguard，prickedruthlesslywiththeirbayonetsatanyparticularlyquietpersonamongthethrong。SoErnest，beingofanunobtrusivecharacter，wasthrustquiteintothebackground，wherehecouldseenomoreofOldBlood-and-Thunder’sphysiognomythanifithadbeenstillblazingonthebattle-field。Toconsolehimself，heturnedtowardstheGreatStoneFace，which，likeafaithfulandlongrememberedfriend，lookedbackandsmileduponhimthroughthevistaoftheforest。Meantime，however，hecouldoverheartheremarksofvariousindividuals，whowerecomparingthefeaturesoftheherowiththefaceonthedistantmountain-side。
\"’Tisthesameface，toahair！\"criedoneman，cuttingacaperforjoy。
\"Wonderfullylike，that’safact！\"respondedanother。