consistent with his character as a gentleman.

The captain who brought the extra from Mobile wished to have it
reprinted, but it was instantly seized by a Federal officer, who
carried it to Butler, who monopolized it; so _that_ will never be
heard of again; we must wait for other means of information. The young
boy who told us, reminds me very much of Jimmy; he is by no means so
handsome, but yet there is something that recalls him; and his voice,
though more childish, sounds like Jimmy's, too. I had an opportunity of
writing to Lydia by him, of which I gladly availed myself, and have
just finished a really tremendous epistle.

Wednesday, 9th July.

Poor Miriam! Poor Sarah! they are disgraced again! Last night we were
all sitting on the balcony in the moonlight, singing as usual with our
guitar. I have been so accustomed to hear father say in the evening,
"Come, girls! where is my concert?" and he took so much pleasure in
listening, that I could not think singing in the balcony was so very
dreadful, since he encouraged us in it. But last night changed all my
ideas. We noticed Federals, both officers and soldiers, pass singly, or
by twos or threes at different times, but as we were not singing for
their benefit, and they were evidently attending to their own affairs,
there was no necessity of noticing them at all.

But about half-past nine, after we had sung two or three dozen others,
we commenced "Mary of Argyle." As the last word died away, while the
chords were still vibrating, came a sound of--clapping hands, in short!
Down went every string of the guitar; Charlie cried, "I told you so!"
and ordered an immediate retreat; Miriam objected, as undignified, but
renounced the guitar; mother sprang to her feet, and closed the front
windows in an instant, whereupon, dignified or not, we all evacuated
the gallery and fell back into the house. All this was done in a few
minutes, and as quietly as possible; and while the gas was being turned
off downstairs, Miriam and I flew upstairs,--I confess I was mortified
to death, very, very much ashamed,--but we wanted to see the guilty
party, for from below they were invisible. We stole out on the front
balcony above, and in front of the house that used to be Gibbes's, we
beheld one of the culprits. At the sight of the creature, my
mortification vanished in intense compassion for his. He was standing
under the tree, half in the moonl