the United States armory at Harper's
Ferry by the Confederates; the attack on the Massachusetts troops while
passing through Baltimore, and lastly the seizure of Norfolk Navy-yard.

Dinner was just over at the villa, the family still chatting over the
dessert, children and all in an unusually merry mood, when this mail was
brought in by a servant, and handed to Mr. Dinsmore.

He promptly distributed it, took up the paper of the earliest date, and
glancing over the headings, exclaimed, with a groan, "It has come!"

"What?" queried the others, in excited chorus.

"War! My country! oh, my country! Fort Sumter has fallen after a terrific
bombardment of thirty-six hours." And he proceeded to read aloud the
account of the engagement, the others listening in almost breathless
silence.

"And they have dared to fire upon the flag! the emblem of our nationality,
the symbol of Revolutionary glory; to tear it down and trample it in the
dust!" cried Mr. Travilla, pushing back his chair in unwonted excitement;
"shameful, shameful!"

Tears were rolling down Elsie's cheeks, and Rose's eyes were full.

"Let us adjourn to the library and learn together all these papers and
letters can tell us," said Mr. Dinsmore, rising. "'Twill be better so; we
shall need the support of each other's sympathy."

He led the way and the rest followed.

The papers were examined first, by the gentlemen, now the one and now the
other reading an article aloud, the excitement and distress of all
increasing with each item of intelligence in regard to public affairs.
Rose and Elsie opened their letters, and now and then, in the short pauses
of the reading, cast a hasty glance at their contents.

Elsie's were from her Aunt Adelaide, Walter, and Enna. Rose's from her
mother, Richard, May, and Sophie.

The last seemed written in a state of distraction.

"Rose, Rose, I think I shall go crazy! my husband and his brothers have
enlisted in the Confederate army. They, Harry especially, are furious at
the North and full of fight; and I know my brothers at home will enlist on
the other side; and what if they should meet and kill each other! Oh,
dear! oh, dear! my heart is like to break!

"And what is it all about? I can't see that anybody's oppressed; but when
I tell Harry so, he just laughs and says, 'No, we're not going to wait
till they have time to rivet our chains,' 'But,' I say, 'I've had neither
sight nor sound of chains; wait at least till you hear th