State after State was seceding and seizing upon United States property within its limits—­forts, arsenals, navy-yards, custom-houses, mints, ships, armories, and military stores—­while the government at Washington remained inactive, doubtless fearing to precipitate the civil strife.

Still Mr. Travilla, Rose, and Elsie, like many lovers of the Union, both North and South, clung to the hope that war might yet be averted.

At length came the news of the formation of the Confederacy:  Davis’s election as its president; then of the firing upon the Star of the West, an unarmed vessel bearing troops and supplies to Fort Sumter.

“Well, the first gun has been fired,” said Mr. Dinsmore, with a sigh, as he laid down the paper from which he had been reading the account.

“But perhaps it may be the only one, papa,” remarked Elsie hopefully.

“I wish it may,” replied her father, rising and beginning to pace to and fro, as was his wont when excited or disturbed.

The next news from America was looked for with intense anxiety.  It was delayed longer than usual; and at length a heavy mail came, consisting of letters and Capers of various dates from the twelfth to the twentieth of April, and bringing news of the most exciting character in the fall of Fort Sumter:  the call of the president for seventy-five thousand troops to defend the capital, the seizure of the United States armory at Harper’s Ferry by the Confederates; the attack on the Massachusetts troops while passing through Baltimore, and lastly the seizure of Norfolk Navy-yard.

Dinner was just over at the villa, the family still chatting over the dessert, children and all in an unusually merry mood, when this mail was brought in by a servant, and handed to Mr. Dinsmore.

He promptly distributed it, took up the paper of the earliest date, and glancing over the headings, exclaimed, with a groan, “It has come!”

“What?” queried the others, in excited chorus.

“War!  My country! oh, my country!  Fort Sumter has fallen after a terrific bombardment of thirty-six hours.”  And he proceeded to read aloud the account of the engagement, the others listening in almost breathless silence.

“And they have dared to fire upon the flag! the emblem of our nationality, the symbol of Revolutionary glory; to tear it down and trample it in the dust!” cried Mr. Travilla, pushing back his chair in unwonted excitement; “shameful, shameful!”

Tears were rolling down Elsie’s cheeks, and Rose’s eyes were full.

“Let us adjourn to the library and learn together all these papers and letters can tell us,” said Mr. Dinsmore, rising. “’Twill be better so; we shall need the support of each other’s sympathy.”

He led the way and the rest followed.

The papers were examined first, by the gentlemen, now the one and now the other reading an article aloud, the excitement and distress of all increasing with each item of intelligence in regard to public affairs.  Rose and Elsie opened their letters, and now and then, in the short pauses of the reading, cast a hasty glance at their contents.