of his "other fish to fry" than Cicero and
Legendre, seen its State Convention meet, to
hear from its President a Union speech, with
the proviso "that Virginia would insist on her
rights as a condition of remaining in the
Federation." From this time the question of secession
is a fire-ball in the state. The diarist is
utterly unsettled. Two days after his whist-
playing in lecture-time he records that he "was
treed by every professor. Had some rare sport
at night. Helped to steal a waggon and pull it
all over College Campus. Was taken by the
Cow Committee, but made out to make my
escape by joining them. Received a load of
wood from home and a letter from ma. Was
very thankful for it. Paid fifty cents for to get
it carried up into my room." The wood, not
the letter. Of the last wood he had, he noted
that he stole it from the faculty, and in his little
memorandum of college expenses—thirty-seven
cents for a fluid lamp, twenty-five cents for a
slate, eighty for books, fifty for skate straps,
ten for tobacco and pipe, early in the list, fifty
a little later, fifty cents also for "apples one
time and another"—the great item in dollars is
"three loads of wood—six dollars twenty-five
cents; cutting it up, two dollars ten cents."
There is nothing like it except the three dollars
odd for beer at three initiations into the "G. P.
Society."

In the states round about Virginia, preparation
was being now made for a bloody contest. In
ten days more, on the fourth of the next month,
Mr. Lincoln would be inaugurated as President,
and the formal inauguration of the Southern
President had taken place at Alabama four
days before the date of this Virginian holiday.
Friday, February 22. "Was free. Walked
about town, and was my own man. Marched
over to the church with the students. Saluted
the cadets as I passed the corps, who gracefully
presented arms and lowered their flag in honour
to the students. Splurged around, and played
first at one thing and then at another untill
evening. Formed a corps of students, and
drilled around for some time. At night
attended the celebration of the Mash. Society.
Went over town after night to get some
confectionary. Wound up the day's proceedings by
going to bed at three o'clock." The next day
was idle also, and on Sunday he "came near
being late at chapel." Still the hold of the
home training is not shaken off. He found also
"a good piece of poetry," which he copied. It
is juvenile and amatory in its tone. On the last
day of February the youth was "very much
surprised" to find his mother in town. He was
then going every day to see the parade and
drill, for the war spirit was now astir, and on
the second of March—still with his mother, who
seems to have aided in preparing her boy to
take his part in the coming conflict—he records
that he "bought cloth for a pair of trooper's
pants." With his hand in his mother's he had
now become a volunteer for the approaching war.

"Sunday, March 3. Went to preaching
twice with mama. Read a very interesting
work on Woman by Walker. Put my clothes
to send home," &c. His mother had brought
him other clothes. He was exchanging his
civilian's dress for military uniform. Monday,
the fourth, was the day of President Lincoln's
installation, and on that day the youth records
that he "was up by two o'clock to help raise a
Disunion Flag on College. Succeeded in our
purpose, and carried off the ladders. It floated
magnificently on the breeze until it was taken
down by the servants and burned by a Black
Republican while the students were at recitation.
Boys all very much excited and enraged
at——'s conduct. Made preparations for
raising another. Marched about College Campus
with a disunion flag for our banner. Drew my
pistol from Compton for the troop. After ten
o'clock two or three boys, together with myself,
went up to visit and "shroud" (the statue of)
"Washington for the burning of the flag, which
waved over him in defiance of the Faculty, and
fired a salute of six rounds of pistols from the
old chap's feet." On the following day the boy
"got leave to go to see ma. Received a letter
from Jimmie.—— was raging mad when he
saw Washington with his shrowd wraped around
him. Fixed up my things to send out home by
mama." Mother and son were clearly of one
mind about the volunteering. We find as we
proceed that brother Jimmie's newspaper reading
and his letters had pointed to the same end.
He also was turning volunteer.

The text of President Lincoln's "inorgeral"
having reached Lexington, the diarist read it,
and "considered it a very poor thing to come
from a President of these United States." His
neighbours were of the same mind. Even the
"black republican" chief of the Faculty now
amuses the boy "with his wit and sarcasm," and
the last entry of the day is "whole of Lexington
turned secessionist." "Took my pistol all to
pieces to see how it was made."

The habit of study remains, but is not strong.
One day he says that he studied a little, "played
several tunes on the fiddle, went to bed and
dreamed of my DUCK." He arose quite early the
next morning to learn his lessons, otherwise
"prepare recitations," before going after the ladder
and "fixing our flag up in readiness to put on top
of College." In the evening the ladder was taken
to the statue of Washington, and a secession flag
was planted by the diarist himself in the patriot's
back. Thereupon he helped to light a large
bonfire, already prepared, and the boys spent part
of the night in keeping the blaze alive; "carried
off," he says, "all the old goods, boxes, and
barrels from Lexington, kept the town awake
untill three o'clock in the morning, when we
quieted down and went to sleep. Had two or
three egg suppers," &c.

"Saturday, 9th March. Looked for my horse
until ten o'clock. Saw the troop turn out. Quite
a small number. Riflemen also turned out. Drew
my saber, and practised a little with it before
night."

On Sunday he "did not go to preaching; read
some good novels, and played some hymns on