But
with Servia the most active portion of the life of the general
ceased, and the rest has been a repetition of what went before. At
present his time is divided between New York and Virginia, where
he has been offered an executive position in the approaching
Jamestown Exposition. Both North and South he has many friends,
many admirers. But his life is, and, from the nature of his
profession, must always be, a lonely one.
While other men remain planted in one spot, gathering about them
a home, sons and daughters, an income for old age, MacIver is a
rolling stone, a piece of floating sea-weed; as the present King of
England called him fondly, "that vagabond soldier."
To a man who has lived in the saddle and upon transports,
"neighbor" conveys nothing, and even "comrade" too often means
one who is no longer living.
With the exception of the United States, of which he now is a
naturalized citizen, the general has fought for nearly every country
in the world, but if any of those for which he lost his health and
blood, and for which he risked his life, remembers him, it makes
no sign. And the general is too proud to ask to be remembered.
To-day there is no more interesting figure than this man who in
years is still young enough to lead an army corps, and who, for
forty years, has been selling his sword and risking his life for
presidents, pretenders, charlatans, and emperors.
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