example. Jefferson Davis declared in a proclamation that letters of
marque and reprisal would be issued. Everything wore the aspect of
thickening strife.

My heart grew very heavy over these signs of evil, fearing I knew not
what for those whom I cared about. Indeed, I would not stop to think
what I feared. I tried to bury my fears in my work. Letters from my
mother became very explicit now; she said that troublesome times were
coming in the country, and she would like me to be out of it. After a
little while, when the independence of the South should be assured, we
would all come home and be happy together. Meantime, as soon after the
close of the school year as Dr. Sandford could find a good chance for
me, I was to come out to them at Lausanne, where my mother thought
they would be by that time.

So I studied with all my strength, with the double motive of gaining all
I could and of forgetting what was going on in the political world. Music
and French, my mother particularly desired that I should excel in; and I
gave many hours to my piano, as many as possible, and talked with Mlle.
Genevieve, whenever she would let me. And she was very fond of me and
fond of talking to me; it was she who kept for me my library privilege.
And my voice was good, as it had promised to be. I had the pleasure of
feeling that I was succeeding in what I most wished to attain. It was
succeeding over the heads of my schoolfellows; and that earned me wages
that were not pleasant among a portion of my companions. Faustina St.
Clair was back among us; she would perhaps have forgiven if she could
have forgotten me; but my headship had been declared ever since the time
of the bronze standish, and even rivalry had been long out of the
question. So the old feud was never healed; and now, between the
unfriendliness of her party and the defection of all the Southern girls,
I was left in a great minority of popular favour. It could not be helped.
I studied the harder. I had unlimited favour with all my teachers, and
every indulgence I asked for.

The news of the attack in Baltimore upon the Massachusetts troops
passing through the city, and Governor Andrew's beautiful telegram,
shook me out of my pre-occupation. It shook me out of all quiet for a
day. Indignation, and fear, and sorrow rolled through my heart. The
passions that were astir among men, the mad results to which they were
leading, the possible involvement of several of those whom I loved,