A Yankee Girl at Fort Sumter

								

States Government if possible, but, if this was refused, by force.
Grace had been thinking about this all the morning, wondering if
Charleston men would really send off the soldiers in the forts. She had
not spoken of this to Sylvia as they came along the street facing the
harbor, and now as she looked at the distant forts on guard at the
entrance of the harbor, she resolved to ask Miss Rosalie why the United
States should interfere with the "Sovereign State of South Carolina,"
which her father had said would defend its rights. "Question time" was
just before the morning session ended. Then each pupil could ask a
question. But as a rule only one or two of the girls had any inquiry to
make. To-day, however, there were several who had questions to ask and
Grace waited with what patience she could until it was her turn. When
Miss Rosalie smiled at her and called her name, Grace rose and said:
"Please, Miss Rosalie, if Charleston owns the forts, could anyone take
them away?"
The teacher's dark eyes seemed to grow larger and brighter, and she
straightened her slender shoulders as if preparing to defend the rights
of her State.
"My dear girl, who would question the right of South Carolina to
control all forts on her territory? We all realize that this is a time
of uncertainty for our beloved State; we may be treated with harshness,
with injustice, but every loyal Carolinian will protect his State."
The little girls looked at each other with startled eyes. What was Miss
Rosalie talking about, they wondered, and what did Grace Waite mean
about anybody "taking" Fort Sumter or Fort Moultrie? Of course nobody
could do such a thing.
School was dismissed with less ceremony than usual that morning, and
the little girls started off in groups, talking and questioning each
other about what Miss Rosalie had said.
Two or three ran after Grace and Sylvia to ask Grace what she meant by
her question.
"Of course we know that northern people want to take our slaves away
from us," declared Elinor Mayhew, the oldest girl in school, whose dark
eyes and curling hair were greatly admired by auburn-haired, blue-eyed
Sylvia, "but of course they can't do that. But how could they take our
forts?"
"I don't know," responded Grace. "That's why I asked Miss Rosalie. I
guess I'll have to ask my father."
"We'll all ask our fathers," said Elinor, "and to-morrow we will tell
each other what they say. I don't suppose YOUR father would care if the
forts were taken," and she turned suddenly toward Sylvia. "I suppose
all the Yankees would like to tell us what we ought to do."
Sylvia looked at her in surprise. The tall girl had never taken any
notice of the little Boston girl before, and Sylvia could not
understand why Elinor should look at her so scornfully or speak so
unkindly. The other girls had stopped talking, and now looked at Sylvia
as if wondering what she would say.