The mirror., 1922-06-01
THE CRISIS
Continued from page u

ollaS Wnlpplc knew ana Ielt LlnCOlnS 5
greatness and leadership. Whipple noted
Brices ability and high qualities but re-
GREETED his Boston narrowness. He sought
to broaden him by subjecting him to Lin
coins personality. Under pretence of
business errand, he asked Lincoln to let
the young man hear his debate at Freeport
with Douglas. Bricewas with Lincoln the
night before in a tavern where, hatless,
coatless, vestless, he discussed the wisdom
of asking Douglas the great question, the
answer to which made Douglas senator
and Lincoln president. Lincoln's limpid
intellectual honesty, his pure logic, his
lucidity of style, and his power of apt
illustration, with his nobility of soul and
purpose, impress themselves on young
Brice and profoundly affect his point of
view.
Missouri was saved for the Union by
Frank Blair and Nathaniel Lyon. Under
their leadership the Germans of St. Louis
captured camp of the golden youth of
St. Louis mobilizing as Confederates.
Colfax was among those taken, but re-
fused parole and escaped to the South
ern army. Three disturbing events brought
Brice and Virginia together again. He
sought to render the Carvels service,
which Virginia resented. Mrs. Brice and
Virginia, however, soon became interested
in the nursing of wounded soldiers and
Of Judge Whipple, whom fatal illness
had overtaken- Brice as lieutenant was
in the battle about Vicksburg and found
Colfax badly wounded in the captured
city. He sent him North to St. Louis,
where he was nursed by Virginia. Colfax
had distinguished himself by daredevil
exploits of great usefulness to his cause.
Virginia was enthused by his patriotic de-
votion to the cause she loved and their en-
gagement was the result. Brice was
wounded in the campaigns after Vickburg
and also returned to St. Louis.
The climax of the story comes at the
deathbed of Judge Whipple. Colonel
Carvel, though in the rebel army, returns
to see his daughter. Hearing of Whip
ple's illness, he visits Whipple's office,
where he finds Virginia and Colfax. In
the latter's hurried withdrawal to chase
spy who proves to be Eliphalet Hopper,
Virginia and Brice, Unexpectedly to each,
are thrown together. She is surprised
into betrayal and full realization of her
interest in him. Hopper eludes Colfax
and creeps into Whipples outer office. By
corrupt transactions with Federal quarter
masters he has become rich man and the
real owner of the Carvel business He
finds Virginia alone and threatens, unless
she marries him, to betray her father to
the Union authorities as spy. Brice ap-
pears, strikes Hopper down, defes him
with a counter-threat of prosecution for
corruption. This rids the story of Hopper.
Colfax goes South after Virginia has
broken their engagement. He is sub
sequently captured as spy. Brice identi-
hes him and then intervenes with Sher-
man to save his life. Meantime, Brice is
sent by Sherman to City Point with dis
patches. There he meets Lincoln again.
Lincoln remembers him and invites him
to become his aid.
The story closes with the visit of Vir-
ginia to Lincoln at the White House, for
the pardon of Colfax. Lincoln had heard
of the circumstances, sees Virginia and
brings in Brice. After conversation in
which there is revealed to Virginia the
constant sorrow of Lincoln's soul and his
deep sympathy for the Southern people, he
pardons Colfax and leaves Brice and Vir~
ginia to that mutual confession of love of
which each had long been conscious. They
were married at once but their honeymoon