It is a hereditary matter; so in order to give you an idea of the facts, I must go back to the commencement of the affair.
"You must know that my grandfather had two sons--my uncle Elias and my father Joseph.

My father had a small factory at Coventry, which he enlarged at the time of the invention of bicycling.

He was a patentee of the Openshaw unbreakable tire, and his business met with such success that he was able to sell it and to retire upon a handsome competence.
"My uncle Elias emigrated to America when he was a young man and became a planter in Florida, where he was reported to have done very well.

At the time of the war he fought in Jackson's army, and afterwards under Hood, where he rose to be a colonel.

When Lee laid down his arms my uncle returned to his plantation, where he remained for three or four years.