This morning there was a most painful scene. Annie's father came into
Vicksburg, ten miles from here, and learned of our arrival from Mrs. C.'s
messenger. He sent out a carriage to bring Annie and Max to town that they
might go home with him, and with it came a letter for me from friends on
the Jackson Railroad, written many weeks before. They had heard that our
village home was under water, and invited us to visit them. The letter had
been sent to Annie's people to forward, and thus had reached us. This
decided H., as the place was near New Orleans, to go there and wait the
chance of getting into that city. Max, when he heard this from H., lost
all self-control and cried like a baby. He stalked about the garden in the
most tragic manner, exclaiming:
"Oh! my soul's brother from youth up is a traitor! A traitor to his
country!"