The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-12-28

20 Washington. Colonel IIaverill and
his wife were now travelling north
ward Via Charleston. accompanied by
Lieutenants Ellingham and West. Ger
trude Ellingham had come on from the
family homestead In the Shenandoah
valley OF Virginia 10 meet her brother
Bob Likewise Madeline West had
come to Join her brother Kerchival and
incidentally to enjoy her first acquaiDt-
ance with the fascination southern city.
Nothing less than ball--one OF the
famous EllIngham 'levees" could Mt
tingly honor the occasion.
The younger set. including the two
lleutenants. had practically no other
subject OF serious" discussion. Seces
sion talk was rife. 10 be sure. and mil
itary activities going on We're such as
10 lead to but one logical conclusion
that war or something very like IL was
imminent But love outranked logic.
i'm that particular camp AZ least.
AT the very opening or the campaign
the casualties took in Kerchiyal West
and his demure. dark eyed sister Made
line: also. as mutual offsetting TO this
pair. the gallant Rob Ellingham and
his sister Gertrude, the latter a spir-
tied girl. with warm bronze hair be.
fitting her emotional temperament and
vivid complexion 70 match.
The first cloud that appeared In this
roseate sky was Edward Thornton.
Thornton was rather a handsome fell
low in his insolent way and few
years older than the two lieutcnants-
that Is 10 say. lie was close upon thirty.
lie had more than the assurance OF
manner that such advantage might
perhaps be expected TO give him-espe
cially with Mrs HaverIll the coloners
wife.
The young people frankly did not like
Thornton though nohe OF them had
said so. and probably any or all OF
them would have denied the charge
had II been made.
Meanwhile Dr. Ellingham and the
colonel and Mrs IIaverill and the
Pinckneys South Carolina relatives OF
the EllinghamO saw graver portents
than sentimental ones ON the near hori-
zon. Their conversation turned upon
| questions OF state sovereignty. the "old
flag" aud rights as 10 secession from
the Union.
III the interests OF your manufactnr.
ing and shipping states OF the North"
observed DR. Ellingham. land OF our
agricultural and cotton states or the
south are not running IN harmony. that
liz no excuse for family quarrel"
II quite agree with you" said Colo.
mel Haverill 1T is an awkward thing
for soldier TO tnke sides In such
dispute Theoretically we don't have
10. The government settles all that for
us, aud We simply obey orders. | feel
confident they will find remedy for
the present break as they have for
other and perhaps worse ones III the
past II II were not for the slavery
question:
All" sighed the southern conserva
tive. If ! owned the 100000 slaves
! would gladly give them all up for the
preservation OF the Union"
"Well. your friend. Major Rufiin. Ger.
tainly has more decided opinions on
the subject than both or us put togeth
err" laughed IIaverill. making the Gus.
tomary effort to divert the converse
ton into lighter channels
Ruffin was u striking character. typ
teal or the time. They met him after
moons ne the Charleston hotel or on
sunny morning walking by the Bat
terry sea wall gazing out across the
harbor TO where the Sumter fortress
reared It's forty foot walls on an arti
fetal island built on the shoals. This
was one Of the important Notifications
OF the seeding states whose status In
relation 70 the federal government was
In ominous dispute
"Sir." Rufin would say impresslvely.
III the status OF these federal forts in
the seeded states is not yet determin
ed. IL IL high time Il should be- If
an appeal 10 arms Is necessary. and
can see that " IL. sooner or later. let
Il come right here and now
but. major" Colonel Haverlll would
protest. Il understood You were a Vir
ginian? Virginia has not seeded"
mot yet. but she will-she must
am. as yon say. sir. u VlrgInan born
But this hanging fire Is so little 20 my
taste. sir. that ! have sold my Virginia
property and cast my allegiance with
South Carolina FOR the present have
enlisted with the state troops here. and
I await any minute General Iieaure
CARDS call to the batteries be- IL plant
ing all around sumter
XIV