Fulton had made
the plan to be of aid to the United States.
The little household now began its preparations to start north as soon
as possible, and Sylvia was eager for the time to come that would see
them safely on their way to their northern home. Grace Waite and her
mother had gone into the country, and Sylvia did not know if she would
see her friend again.
The morning of April 11, 1861, dawned brightly over the harbor of
Charleston, whose waters were covered with white sails putting hastily
to sea. Guard-boats were plying constantly between the harbor and the
islands. It was rumored about the town that before sunset the
Confederate batteries would open fire upon Fort Sumter.
Mr. Fulton's preparations to leave Charleston were completed, and if
nothing prevented they would start for Boston on April 14th. On the
eleventh, however, Mrs. Carleton hardly left the window from which she
could look out over the harbor toward Fort Sumter. At any moment it
might be attacked, and she knew that such an attack meant the beginning
of a terrible civil war.
Sylvia wandered about the house and garden with Estralla, telling the
little colored girl of the home in Boston which she soon hoped to see.
The hours passed, and the streets of Charleston grew strangely quiet. At
sunset everything was calm, and no sound of guns disturbed the peace of
the April evening, and Sylvia went to bed at the usual hour, not
thinking that she would be wakened by the roar of cannon.
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