Her house in the country was broken into by burglars, who entered the room and threatened to blow out her brains if she moved; but the alarm was given, the men servants came down armed, there was a struggle in her room, pistol shots were fired, and the burglars were overpowered and captured.

My mother fainted and was ill for weeks afterwards--in fact, until the time I was born; and she died a few days later, never having, the doctor said, recovered from the shock she had suffered that night.
"I grew up a weakly, timid boy--the sort of boy that is always bullied at school.

My father, as you know, was a general officer, and did not return home until I was ten years old.

He was naturally much disappointed in me, and I think that added to my timidity, for it grew upon me rather than otherwise.

Morally, I was not a coward.