Estralla was told that she
must help "Mammy Jane" take care of the doll visitors, and the little
negro's face beamed with pleasure. Not one of the little girls in the
pleasant room was as happy as Estralla; and when supper was ready and
Sylvia and her friends went down-stairs, leaving Estralla in charge of
all the dolls, she could hardly believe in her good fortune, and, as
usual, was sure it was all due to her beloved Missy Sylvia.
After supper the dolls were all invited downstairs to be introduced to
Sylvia's father and mother; and Estralla, smiling and delighted, was
entrusted with bringing "Mammy Jane."
The three friends often looked back on that happy afternoon, for on the
very next day Mr. Hayes decided to move his family to the plantation,
and it was many days before Sylvia, Grace and Flora were to be together
again. The citizens of Charleston, in December, 1860, were becoming
anxious as to what might befall them. Very soon it might be possible
that South Carolina would secede from the Union, and war with the
northern states might follow. In such a case the guns of Fort Sumter and
Fort Moultrie might fire on Charleston, and many planters who had homes
in Charleston were sending their families to their country homes.
Northern men who had business in Charleston were also anxious, and
Sylvia did not know that her own father was seriously considering a
return to Boston.
But the little girls bade each other good-night with happy smiles and
laughter, and without a thought but that they would have many more
pleasant times together.
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