h most desirable
pecuniary results, but they are afraid of being made to fight. Flora,
our heroine, said the women and boys could take care of all the cotton
and corn if the men did have to go--that they did not trust many white
people, but they did trust Mr. Philbrick.

The day passed in perfect quiet: the women finished their work in the
field, I kept school, Mr. G. came back from the Point and after lunch
took the driver's place, sharing out the week's allowance of corn to
the people, while H. and I sat under the shade of the trees, watching
or talking to the women. Wil'by, Joe's wife, was the only one who
seemed really sad and heart-sick--all the rest were as usual. Dr.
Wakefield[33] came and recounted his miseries while I set the
tea-table, when, just as everything was cleared away, Mr. G. came in,
with his face all aglow, to tell us that the drivers, Joe, and one or
two others had been sent back, and in a moment Joe appeared, radiant
with happiness. Mr. G. found he had not seen his wife, so went to her
cabin and told her the ladies wanted her, and it was pretty enough to
see her simple delight as she caught sight of Joe in the doorway. They
both laughed nervously, then shook hands shyly, and she curtseyed,
then hid her face against the wall, saying, "I so thankful I can't say
a word," and pretty soon, "Oh Joe, I couldn't eat the hominy for
dinner;" and Joe, "I couldn't eat the biscuits, either, that Mr.
Philbrick gave me, had to gi' um away--and then I was so glad, I
didn't feel hungry till I got home." We sent them off to eat hominy
and be happy, and sat down to write with lighter hearts ourselves.

Mr. Philbrick soon appeared. He found Mr. Pierce had been down to
Hilton Head and found what he had in part suspected to be the fact.
General Hunter found that the negroes misapprehended his wishes and
ideas, and he could not raise as many as he wanted, so had resorted to
these measures, meaning to give the men an idea of the life and drill,
and after a few weeks not retain any who wished to return to their
homes. All the superintendents were indignant at the way the thing was
done, but it will not turn out so badly as we feared, I trust. The
people are used to being made to do things, and are not in the least
rebellious, as any white man would have been. If we can have blacks to
garrison the forts and save our soldiers through the hot weather,
every one will be thankful. But I don't believe you could make
soldiers