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GRADUALLY Mrs. Norval withdrew her arm, and slowly turned on her back to prepare for controversy. The doctor waited patiently to hear the answer.

"Unless you yourself think that the idolatry of the popish rites is religion, I don't see how you can conscientiously send the girl to be brought up to believe in such mummeries," said the lady.

"That is not the point. The mother did not leave it to my conscience to choose the child's religion. I shall be abusing her confidence if I force upon her child other than the faith she designated. If you had died, leaving your children young among Catholics, would it not have been your last and most earnest injunction before dying that your children should be brought up Protestants?"

"Of course it would. But my religion is a rational one, not an absurd belief in images, and saints, and relics, and holy water."

"I am not defending the Catholic religion itself (though I must say I think it answers the purpose of all religions as well as any other). What I am holding is, the right to choose our religion,—the freedom which Mr. Hackwell lauded the Pilgrims for defending. Parents choose it for their children, although children in this country are generally an exception. Witness our own, whom you have never been able to bring to your church, and now

"My children and their religion have nothing to do with our discussion," interrupted Mrs. Norval. "The point is this: you say that parents ought to choose religious faith for their children. You occupy the place of Lola's parents; you ought to choose her religion."

"That would be a better argument if the child's own mother had not most positively chosen it herself. She also wished the child to be sent to a convent, and really I feel I have done wrong not to comply with her wishes. But from day to day I thought I would get the manuscript from Lebrun, and if I found her father he could then do what he pleased. As the manuscript never came, and Lola is now nearly fourteen, I do not think I ought to delay sending her to a convent, and I wish you to write to her to-morrow to get ready to go to any convent she may prefer in this country, or she can go to Europe if she likes."

"I declare, you are enough to set any woman crazy!" said the doctor's better half, sitting up in bed, for she felt when lying down as if her ire would suffocate her. "You are not satisfied with shocking the whole community with your absurd sympathy and treasonable defense of those wicked rebels, who have just now carried their audacious villainy to the extremity of firing upon Fort Sumter,-of firing upon our holy flag, which represents the best government on earth,-but you must now come out too as an advocate of popery. Oh, it is too much! Everybody pities me, for everybody knows my principles, and how horrible it is for me to have my husband writing letters against our glorious government, and making speeches against our best prominent men, and trying to help the rebels, or excuse their treason; and now, to finish all, he must defend popery!"

"I do not defend popery, any more than I excuse the South for seceding. And as for my writing against our government, whoever has told you that has told you a wicked lie, and I am ready to prove it. But that is not the point in question. The point is, to send Lola to a convent. That must be done; and I hope you will not fail to write to her about it to-morrow."

"I shall do nothing of the kind. I shall be no party to sending a child to be taught wicked idolatry, which I cannot think of except with horror and detestation. You forget yourself when you ask such a thing. Your next request perhaps will be that I give my consent to send Julian to help the rebels to fight our government."

"Wife, you are too excited. Why do you insist upon bringing on a political discussion between us? You know that instead of asking you to send Julian to help the rebels, I have given him the funds to raise a company to fight the rebels. To-day I wrote to Sinclair to let Isaac also have funds to raise a company. To the Cackles I have lent the money to raise another company also. This does not look as if I am helping the rebels, does it?"

"It may not, but all you have said can't be called back."

"Nor do I wish to take back anything I have ever said on the subject. I shall speak and act as I see fit. I am as good an American as any of those who accuse me."

"And you see fit to act very absurdly. Who on earth but you would lend money to the Cackles?"

"As the money is for raising troops, you at least ought to approve of my lending it. I told Julian he might raise a regiment if he liked, and I'll back him with the necessary funds."

"Is it possible that you have arrived at that point of lunacy!" she exclaimed.

"Bah!" said the doctor, turning on his side.

"All your throwing money away to raise troops won't help you. You are put down as a rebel sympathizer on account of your treasonable letters and your treasonable words, and no matter what you do it won't help you any, that I can tell you," said the lady, also turning her back on her lord, with something of exultation in her voice.

"All right," said the doctor; "let us go to sleep now, and let them put me down what they please."

Mrs. Norval was a sagacious lady, and she understood her community even better than did her easygoing, generous-hearted husband.

"You will not be so indifferent if you are not more guarded. My prayer is, that your wicked sympathies may not injure Julian and Isaac."

"Bother my sympathies! No, Mrs. N., don't be afraid of that. I have received a letter from Arthur Sinclair inviting me to join him in a trip up the Nile, and to Abyssinia. I shall accept his proposal, and will join him somewhere in the Mediterranean next October. Does that make your mind easier? If I. were ready, I would go with the girls now; but I must first see Julian fitted out, and Lola placed in a convent, then in August I'll start."

"Of course, Lola!-always that black girl," said Mrs. Norval, to seize upon some rope of an argu• ment to pull herself out, for she felt herself getting beyond her depth in the discussion. The doctor made no answer, and after some more futile efforts on her part she relinquished the contest.

A few days after, the Misses Norval sailed for Europe, and Lola went to a convent to be educated as her mother wished.

"The proclamation of the President! Seventy-five thousand yolunteers called to defend the nation against treason!" shouted the newsboys in all the cities and towns large enough to have a newspaper. And the voices of the little urchins thrilled a great nation, for they were saying things of fearful import, through intent only on making pennies.

Men and women were electrified! What! to dare to plot against "the best government on earth!"

Martial music resounded in the air the length and breadth of the land. Volunteers flocked to Washington daily; and Julian, Isaac, and two of the Cackle brothers were among the first to offer their services to the government.

The Cackles were Republicans, and felt great desire to crush the rebels. Isaac was a Democrat, but was very angry with the rebels for their folly in "spoiling the Democratic party," and wanted to whip them. Julian did not care for politics, but he felt that every American was in duty bound to defend the Union.

With the influence of Mirabeau and his brother Marcus Julius Cicero Cackle (both just elected to Congress), the other two brothers, Mark Antony and Julius Cæsar, and also Julian and Isaac, backed by Dr. Norval's money, promptly received their commissions. Julian and Isaac got captaincies.

Julius Cæsar Cackle also was made a captain. Mark Antony was Isaac's first lieutenant.

The three companies were ready by the ist of June, 1861; the young officers had displayed great energy and capacity in enlisting and organizing their troops.

Their mothers and sisters were full of enthusiasm and admiration for the young warriors. The battle of Bull Run was soon to be fought.

Like two Roman matrons, Mrs. Norval and Mrs. Cackle waited to hear the announcement of the coming battle. They waited, and made lint for the wounded. Lavinia did more. We will give a whole chapter to her patriotism in due time.