Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 14, 2025
There he is! And Mother, too!" and in another moment her mother's arms were about her, and she was telling as rapidly as possible the story of her adventures, and of Estralla coming to her rescue. Grace came running to meet Sylvia as they came near their home. "Oh, Sylvia, I wish I had been with you," she exclaimed. "That is twice you have been to Fort Sumter without meaning to go, isn't it?"
"Don't cry, Estralla," she said more gently, patting her on the shoulder. "I'll tell you what to do. You are just about my size, and I'll give you one of my dresses. It's pink, and it's faded a little, but it's pretty. And you take this towel and wipe up the floor as well as you can. Then you slip off your dress and put on mine."
While Grace and Sylvia were so pleasantly occupied Estralla had wandered out, crossed the bridge which connected the officers' quarters with the fort, and now found herself near the landing-place, so that when Mrs. Carleton made the girls a cup of hot chocolate and looked about to give Estralla her share, the little colored girl was not to be seen.
She recalled Estralla's effort to rescue her at Fort Sumter on the day Sylvia had run away from Miss Patten's school; and she remembered that it was Estralla who had told Miss Patten the real reason, and so saved her from further trouble. "Estralla, you have been my true friend," she declared, "and I am going to remember it always.
"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.
Neither of them spoke until they reached the walk leading to the door of Grace's home, then Grace said: "I know Sylvia will be found. Estralla will surely find her and bring her home." "Estralla! Why, I had entirely forgotten her," responded Mr. Fulton. "She ran off as soon as Sylvia was missed," Grace continued earnestly, "and she will find her. Probably she has found her before this."
"You watch, Estralla, and if any other boat comes near shout at the top of your voice," said Sylvia as she dipped the oars into the dark water and pulled off from shore. "My lan', Missy! Bar's dat light agin," called the half-frightened darky, "an' we's right in it dis time!" An instant later a call came from the guardboat. "Boat ahoy!
"We really ought to have started an hour ago." For a moment the little group looked at each other in silence. Then with a sudden cry Estralla darted off. Mrs. Carleton hurriedly explained Sylvia's starting off to find Estralla, and her own departure. She blamed herself that she had permitted Sylvia to go out alone. "She must be somewhere about the fort," declared Captain Carleton.
For she was sure that the papers in that envelope were to tell her that Aunt Connie and Estralla had both been sold. But she resolved quickly that Estralla should not know of this until she had told her mother. "Nothing I can tell you now, Estralla," she said, wiping away her tears.
It was too great to be kept a secret even until Christmas Day. "Dar, Mammy! Wat I tells yo'? I tells yo' Missy Sylvia gwine to look out fer us," Estralla declared triumphantly, evidently not at all surprised. "But it is Mr. Robert Waite who has given you your freedom," Sylvia reminded them, "and my father says that you must both go with me and thank him."
Word Of The Day
Others Looking