"I shall not ask thee to try to mend what cannot be
mended. Thee is like thy father," she said. "I shall not try to change
thee. Go, then, thy own way. Only hear me, thee cannot mend the
unmendable by such a wrongful marriage."
But I went; and under my arm I bore a certain roll of crinkled, hairy
parchment.
This was on the morning of Wednesday, in November, the day following the
national election in the year 1860. News traveled more slowly then, but
we in our valley might expect word from Washington by noon of that day.
If Lincoln won, then the South would secede. Two nations would
inevitably be formed, and if necessary, issue would be joined between
them as soon as the leaders could formulate their plans for war. This
much was generally conceded; and it was conceded also that the South
would start in, if war should come, with an army well supplied with
munitions of war and led by the ablest men who ever served under the old
flag--men such as Lee, Jackson, Early, Smith, Stuart--scores and
hundreds trained in arms at West Point or at the Virginia Military
Institute at Lexington--men who would be loyal to their States and to
the South at any cost.
Our State was divided, our valley especially so, peace sentiment there
being strong.
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