ppease the discord. Sometimes it is
not so easy. For instance, that memorable night when I had to work
Rose's stubborn heart to a proper pitch of repentance for having
stabbed a carving-fork in Lucy's arm in a fit of temper. I don't know
that I was ever as much astonished as I was at seeing the dogged,
sullen girl throw herself on the floor in a burst of tears, and say if
God would forgive her she would never do it again. I was lashing myself
internally for not being able to speak as I should, furious at myself
for talking so weakly, and lo! here the girl tumbles over wailing and
weeping! And Dophy, overcome by her feelings, sobs, "Lucy, I scratched
you last week! please forgive me this once!" And amazed and bewildered
I look at the touching tableau before me of kissing and reconciliation,
for Lucy can bear malice toward no one, and is ready to forgive before
others repent, and I look from one to the other, wondering what it was
that upset them so completely, for certainly no words of mine caused
it. Sometimes Lucy sings a wild hymn, "Did you ever hear the heaven
bells ring?" "Come, my loving brothers," "When I put on my starry
crown," etc.; and after some such scene as that just described, it is
pleasant to hear them going out of the room saying, "Good-night, Miss
Sarah!" "God bless Miss Sarah!" and all that.

June 27th.

A proclamation of Van Dorn has just been smuggled into town, that
advises all persons living within eight miles of the Mississippi to
remove into the interior, as he is determined to defend his department
at all hazards to the last extremity. Does not look like the Peace I
have been deluding myself with, does it? That means another Exodus. How
are we to leave, when we are not allowed to pass the limits of the
corporation by the Federals? Where are we to go? We are between the two
armies, and here we must remain patiently awaiting the result. Some of
these dark nights, bang! we will hear the cannon, and then it will be
_sauve qui peut_ in a shower of shells. Bah! I don't believe God will
suffer that we should be murdered in such a dreadful way! I don't
believe He will suffer us to be turned homeless and naked on the world!
"Something will turn up" before we are attacked, and we will be spared,
I am certain. We can't look forward more than an hour at a time now,
sometimes not a minute ahead (witness the shelling frolic), so I must
resume my old