SYLVIA MAKES A PROMISE
"It doesn't seem a bit like Christmas," declared Sylvia, as she stood
at the sitting-room window looking out at the falling rain.
Christmas day of 1860 was a gloomy, rainy day in Charleston, and many
people felt exactly as Sylvia did, that it was not like Christmas.
Grace came over in the morning bringing a little chased gold ring for
Sylvia, which the little girl promised always to wear. She wished that
she could tell Grace about the lockets, but decided it would be better
to surprise Grace with the locket itself.
As soon as Grace returned home Sylvia ran to find her mother.
"We will go down street and buy the lockets to-morrow morning, won't
we, Mother?" she asked, and Mrs. Fulton promised that they would start
early.
Sylvia resolved that, if the lockets and pictures did not take all her
money, she would buy a doll for Estralla. She knew that nothing else
would please the little colored girl as much as a "truly" doll.
But the morning of December twenty-sixth found the city of Charleston
angry and excited. Crowds collected in the streets, and Mr. Fulton
received a message from Mr. Robert Waite asking him to remain at home
until Mr. Waite arrived.
"What is the matter, Father?" Sylvia asked.
"He isn't coming to take back Estralla, is he?"
"No, of course not, child. It is trouble over the forts," responded her
father. And in a short time Mr. Waite arrived. But he was not smiling
this morning. He was very grave and serious.
"Major Anderson has evacuated Moultrie, and he and his men are at Fort
Sumter," said Mr. Waite. "I came to assure you that whatever action
Charleston takes that I will protect your household and property as far
as possible."
Then Sylvia heard him say that Governor Pickens had seized Castle
Pinckney, and that troops had been sent to Sullivan's Island to occupy
Fort Moultrie, and the United States Arsenal, situated in the midst of
the city of Charleston, was also in possession of the secessionists.
Sylvia listened to every word, but without much idea of what it all
meant.
"Can't we buy the lockets to-day, Mother?" she asked.
"No, we must not go on the streets to-day," Mrs. Fulton answered; but
Mr. Waite smiled at the little girl and said:
"I will gladly accompany Miss Sylvia if she has errands to do," so
Sylvia told him about the pictures and lockets for Grace and Flora, and
Mr. Waite assured her mother and father that he could easily spare the
time to go with her upon so pleasant an errand. The friendly man
realized that the little household were troubled and anxious, and that
it would reassure them if their little girl could safely carry out her
plan. So the two set forth together.
Mr. Robert Waite was too well known for any southerner to doubt his
loyalty to South Carolina, and his visit to Mr. Fulton's house was in
itself a protection to the family. As they walked along Sylvia told him
how kind Grace and Flora had been to her.
"If we should go away the lockets will remind them how much I think of
them," she said, and Mr. Waite smiled and said: "Yes, indeed," but it
seemed to Sylvia that he was not really thinking about the lockets.
She held close to his hand, for there were crowds on every corner, and
loud and violent threats against Major Anderson were heard from nearly
every group. Sylvia heard one man declare that it was the duty of
Charleston men to fire upon Fort Sumter at once; and before they
reached the shop where she was to purchase the lockets Sylvia began to
fear that she would never see Captain Carleton again.
The lockets were purchased, and Mr. Waite took Sylvia to a studio to
sit for the pictures for the lockets. There was enough money left to
purchase a fine doll for Estralla, and Mr. Waite gave her a box filled
with candy of many kinds, shapes and flavors. All these things occupied
her thoughts so pleasantly that for a time she quite forgot the
disturbance in the streets, and all the trouble that seemed so near to
her and to her Charleston friends.
"I will call to-morrow," said Mr. Waite, as he left the little girl at
her own door. "And tell your father that he had best not go on the
streets unless he goes with my brother or myself."
This last message made Sylvia very sober. She came into the
sitting-room holding her packages, and found her mother and Mrs.
Carleton busy with their sewing, while her father was at his desk
writing. She repeated Mr. Waite's message, and her father nodded
silently.
Then Sylvia told them that the lockets and pictures would be ready the
following day. "And I have a doll for Estralla," she concluded.
"Why not make the doll a fine dress and mantle?" suggested Mrs.
Carleton. "Come up to my room and I will help you," and Sylvia agreed
smilingly.
Mrs. Carleton had a roll of crimson silk in her work-bag and before
supper time the new doll was dressed and ready for Estralla.
"This is for you, Estralla," Sylvia said, when Estralla came up to her
room, as she often did in the late afternoon.
"Fer me, Missy! He, he, I knows w'en you's jokin'; but 'tis a fine lady
doll," responded the little girl, wishing with all her heart that the
beautiful doll in the gorgeous silken dress which Sylvia was holding
toward her might really be hers.
"Take it, Estralla! It is for you. Truly it is," and Sylvia's tone was
so serious that Estralla came slowly forward and took the doll.
For a moment the two little girls stood looking at each other in
silence, Sylvia smiling, but Estralla with a surprised, half-anxious
expression.
"Don't be afraid of it. Can't you have a doll of your own?" said Sylvia.
"Mebbe I can," replied Estralla, and then two big tears ran down her
black cheeks.
"I'se got so much now, Missy Sylvia, dat I dunno as 'tis safe fer me to
hev a doll," she whispered; but in a moment she was all smiles, and ran
off to show her new treasure to her mother.
The pictures and the lockets proved all that Sylvia had hoped, and on
New Year's day, when Grace came in for her daily visit, Sylvia gave her
a small package.
"Please open it, Gracie!" she said, all eagerness to see her friend's
delight.
Mr. Fulton had purchased a slender chain for each locket, and as Grace
held up the pretty gift she exclaimed delightedly: "Oh, Sylvia! It is
lovely, and I'll always wear it," and looked at the tiny picture of her
friend with smiling satisfaction.
Sylvia had written a letter to Flora, and Grace promised to see that
the locket and letter should reach her safely.
Every day Mr. Robert Waite or his brother escorted Mr. Fulton upon any
errand of business to which he was obliged to attend. News had reached
Charleston that a steamer with supplies and reinforcements for Major
Anderson was on its way, and Mr. Robert Waite declared that the
Confederates would never permit it to reach the fort.
Mrs. Carleton was very anxious. She had not received any message from
her husband.
"If I could sail a boat I would go to Fort Sumter myself," she said one
morning as she and Sylvia stood at a window overlooking the harbor.
"I can sail a boat," responded Sylvia.
Mrs. Carleton turned and looked at the little girl.
"If all this trouble ends in war, if the Confederates really dare fire
upon the flag of the United States, I do not know how I can get any
word from my husband," she said.
Sylvia thought that her friend's voice sounded as if she were about to
cry, and the little girl slipped her hand into Mrs. Carleton's. She
wished there was something she could say to comfort her. Then she
thought quickly that there was something.
"I'll sail you over to the fort to see him whenever you ask me to," she
said impulsively.
"Dear child, I may have to ask you, but I hope not. 'Twould be a
dangerous undertaking," she said, leaning over to kiss Sylvia's cheek.
That was the sixth of January, 1861, and on the ninth a steamer, The
Star of the West, with supplies and reinforcements for Major Anderson,
entered Charleston harbor and was fired upon by a Confederate battery
concealed in the sand-hills at Sullivan Island.
And now for many days the Fultons heard only discouraging news.
Everywhere there was great activity among the Confederates. Mrs.
Carleton became more and more anxious for news of Captain Carleton, but
she did not remind Sylvia of her promise.
Grace and Sylvia were together a great deal, and every morning Sylvia
would run out to the front porch to wave a good-bye to Grace on her way
to school. Then there was Estralla's lesson hour, her own studies, and
Mrs. Carleton was teaching her to crochet a silk purse as a gift to Mr.
Robert Waite, so that Sylvia did not think very much about the soldiers
at Fort Sumter.
"What do you think about starting for Boston with us, Mrs. Carleton?"
Mr. Fulton said one night just as Sylvia was going up-stairs. "I really
think the time has come for me to take Sylvia and her mother to Boston,
and I am sure Captain Carleton would want you to go with us."
"And Estralla and Aunt Connie will go, too; won't they, Father?" said
Sylvia, running back to her father's side.
"Yes, child. But I thought you were upstairs," responded Mr. Fulton.
"Do not speak of our leaving Charleston to anyone. Remember. Not to
Grace or Estralla, until your mother or I give you permission."
Sylvia promised. It seemed to her the best of good news that they would
soon see Grandmother Fulton, and she went happily off to bed thinking
of all she would have to tell her grandmother, and of the long letters
she would write to Flora and Grace. "And when summer comes they must
both come and make me a visit," she thought, little knowing that when
summer came no little southern girl would be allowed to visit a Boston
girl.