The Crisis, Volume 6

ive himself! These are fearful times. Thousands of our population, by the sudden stoppage of business, are thrown out of employment. Wh

dly that first hot summer of the war time. Let us be thankful that our flesh and blood are incapable of the fury of the guillotine. But when we think calmly of th

im spectre which crept so i

, "why do you persist it wearing that old gown? It has gotten on my nerves, my dear.

such things. I do not think th

bby in such times as these, or be out of fashion, Did you know that Prince Napoleon was actually comin

ce. She did not reply as she

I will give you some gowns. If Comyn had been as carefu

girl. "I do not need the gowns. Give me the money you inte

rranged her l

this superiority, Jinny.

ld you do

the lines to-morrow night. I should send it to Cl

can fi

ther captured last week, and that rash letter of Puss Russell's to Jack Brinsmade published in the Democrat?" She laughed at the recollecti

t," said

e state, and Clarence marches into the city at the head of

's eyes

d the papers. And don't

They need the bare ne

of Price's men hav

x, "bring me a newspaper.

a, quickly. "All we kn

r troops, and that a g

s it is being

rs, "Oh, Jinny," she cried

he hall he slipped into Virginia's hand another, in a "Jefferson Davis" envelope, and she thrust it in her gown -the girl was on fire as he whispered in her ear that he ha

how he had heard the captain of his escort sing out to him in the darkness, and how he had floated down the current instead, until, chilled and weary, he had contrived to seize the branches of a huge tree floating by. And how by a miracle the moon had risen. When the great Memphis packet bore down upon him, he had, been seen fro

on greasy bacon and corn pone, at length he crossed the swift Gasconade (so named by the French settlers because of its brawling ways) where the bridge of the Pacific railroad had been blown up by the Governor's orders. Then he learned that the untiring Lyon had steamed up the

ay some rough farmers with shotguns leaped out of a bunch of willows on the borders of a creek and arrested all three for Union sp

ise laughed when Mr. Colfax and the two others were brought before him. His Excellency sa

. "A Colfax of St. Louis in

gnation, "a razor and a suit of clothes, and I

suit of clothes You k

ecognized his young captain of dragoons the Governor apologized, and Clarence slept that night in the cabin. The next day he was given a horse, and a bright new rifle which the Governor's soldiers had taken from the Dutch at Cole Camp on the

hirty years. And the impedimenta are a sight. Open wagons and conestogas and carryalls and buggies, and even barouches, weighted down with frying-pans and chairs and feather beds. But we've got spirit, and we can whip Lyon's Dutchmen and Yankees just as we are. Spirit is what counts, and th

PRAIRIE,

led-we don't know how many. Tell Maude that George distingu

nd the gold braid and the gold stars. General McCulloch has taken me on his staff, and promised me a uniform. But how to clothe and feed

forced to endure. He, who was used to linen sheets and eider down, was without rough

ng for the South. If he were fed and clothed like

the candle-droppings would not be creased and fall away! He was happy, though wretched because he could not see her. It was the life he had

r saying so many years

able to work? How I

bullet-moulds, and for

at night with our ba

at you will keep up y

s, I can hear yo

Sad to relate, her bandages, shirts, and havelocks never reached the front, -those havelocks, to withstand the heat of the tropic

he Russell girls. They were never so happy as when sewing on the

month-perhaps a year-pass without news, unless he were brought a prisoner to St. Louis. How Virginia envied Maude because the Union lists of dead and woun

a patriot. Heads are not so cheap in our Anglo-Saxon countries; passions not so fierce and

spierre," and yet he did not fear the assassin's knife. Our own Southern aristocrats were hemmed in in a Union city (their own city). No women were thrown into prison, it is true. Yet one was not permitted to shout for Jeff Davis on the street corner

f the Carvel house, and ran past the astounded Jackson up the

ouse is surrounded by Yankees, and Puss a

g in her excitement her last year's bonnet, w

at some of our poor fellows who were being taken to the slave pen. They w

ut in Virginia, smili

ed. And some one told, the provost marshal. He has had t

he food g

n each one of the family is to have just a common

or it ten times over." She tried on the bonnet, conspicuous with its red and white ribbons, before the glass. Then she ran to the closet and drew f

" said Eugenie, aghast.

ld!" cried Virginia. And

htened. "How I w

ew York. It was as if she had been born to wear the red and white of the South. Elderly gentlemen of Northern persuasion paused in their homeward walk to smile in admiration, -some sadly, as Mr. Brinsmade. Young gentlemen found an excuse to retrace their steps a block or two. But Virginia walked on air, and saw nothing. She was between fierce anger and exaltation. She did not deign to d

nia, disconsolately, "Genie, let's go to headquarters, and sh

f this proposition.. She looked up timidly into Virgin

proportional. In short, the house is of that type built by many wealthy gentlemen in the middle of the century, which has best stood the test of time,-the only type which, if repeated to-day, would not clash with the architectural education which we are receiving. A spacious yard well above the pavement surrounds it, sustained by a wall of dressed stones, capped by an iron fence. The whole expressed wealth, security, solidity, conservatism.

rounded at a respectable distance by a crowd that feared to jest. They felt like it save when they caught the stern military eye of the Hungarian captain. Virginia gazed at the glittering uniforms, resplendent in the sun, and at the sleek and well-fed horses, and scalding tears came as she thought of the half-starved rabble of Southern patriots on the burning prairies. Just then a sharp command escaped in broken English from the Hungarian. The people in the yard of the mansion parted, and the General hims

rrested, after all. Oh, I w

lence of that smile. How dare he march undaunted to within six paces of those eyes? The crowd drew back, But did Miss Carvel retreat? Not a st

No, those were not the words, surely. The lieutenan

d he begs that this much of the sidewa

thundered away. A crowd of black-coated civilians, and quartermasters and other officers in uniform, poured out of the basement of the house into the yards. One civilian, a youngish man a little inclined to stoutness, stopped at the gate, stared, then thrust som

" said that gentleman, "o

rginia was more ann

id. Then she added. "I am sure you must go

is was a nature which liked to gloat over a goal on the horizon He cared not a whit for sweet girls; they cloyed. But a real

owadays, Miss Carvel," he answ

hould have any more victories like Bull Run, prosperity will come back with a rush," said the son of Massachusetts

he cried. "How dare you speak flippantly of su

now was that words seldom convince women. But he added something which reduced her incredulity for th

Yankee born,"

r, dryly. A remark which made Eugenie laugh outr

h a thing before, What had got into the man? Was it because he had become a manager, and governed the business during her father's fr

had seen her in company with Mr, Hopper? Eliphalet, too, had seen Stephen, and this had added zest to his enjoyment. It was part of the fruits of his reward. He wished in that short walk that he might meet Mr. Cluyme and Belle, and every man and woman and child in the city whom he knew. From time to time he glanced at the severe profile of the aristocrat beside him (he had to loo

had he prepared his speech and manner for this first appearance in public with Virginia after he had forced the right to walk in her company. The words he had prepared-commonplace, to be sure, but carefully chosen-flowed from his lips in a

at costume! You'll have us in Lynch's slave pen by to-morrow night. My land!" laugh

hey've closed it up, you know-" (He nodded.) "And then we went-Eug

nd McCulloch. Jinny, it's all very well to be brave, and to stand by your colors. But this sort of thing," said he, stroking the gown, "this sort of thing does

stinct, she perceived that these months had made it yellow and lined. "Pa, dear,

shook his

nny There are duties, m

in

es

ho was still standing at the bottom of the steps. He c

Colonel?

art down the steps, she yearned to throw herself in front of him-to warn him of something; she knew not what. Then

you come in

nia s

will, thank you, Colone

y of walking home

lounge and buried her face in her hands, and she saw it still leering at her with a new confidence. Presently she grew calmer; rising, she put on the plainest of her scanty wardrobe, and went down the stairs, all in a str

rginia who entertained him, and even the Colonel never guessed what it cost her. Eliphalet himself marvelled at her change of manner, and gloated over that likewise. Not a turn or a quiver of the victim's pain is missed

don't smoke," he sai

ung herself ou

Miss Crane's, and picked his way up the fr

to make any difference

y remarked, "where h

s afternoon, and stayed for tea with 'em,

rs. Abner Reed's room la