"The papers bring us bad news.

Lincoln is elected." "Ah well, let us not borrow trouble, papa; perhaps he may prove a pretty good president after all." "Just what I think," remarked Mr.Travilla, who had come in with his little girl in his arms at the moment of Mr.Dinsmore's announcement, and seated himself on his wife's other side; "let us wait and see.

All may go right with our country yet." Mr.Dinsmore shook his head sadly.

"I wish I could think so, but in the past history of all republics whenever section has arrayed itself against section the result has been either a peaceful separation, or civil war; nor can we hope to be an exception to the rule." "I should mourn over either," said Elsie, "I cannot bear to contemplate the dismemberment of our great, glorious old Union.

Foreign nations would never respect either portion as they do the undivided whole." "No; and I can't believe either section can be so mad as to go that length," remarked her husband, fondling his baby daughter as he spoke.
"The North, of course, does not desire a separation; but if the South goes, will be pretty sure to let her go peaceably." "I doubt it, Travilla; and even if a peaceable separation should be allowed at first, so many causes of contention would result (such as the control of the navigation of the Mississippi, the refusal of the North to restore runaway negroes, etc., etc.), that it would soon come to blows." "Horace, you frighten me," said Rose, who had come in while they were talking.
The color faded from Elsie's cheek, and a shudder ran over her, as she turned eagerly to hear her husband reply.
"Why cross the bridge before we come to it, Dinsmore ?" he answered cheerily, meeting his wife's anxious look with one so fond and free from care, that her heart grew light; "surely there'll be no fighting where there is no yoke of oppression to cast off.