inshore. Fifteen or twenty Federal officers
were standing on the first terrace, stared at by the crowd as if they
were wild beasts.

"Oh, Mattie," Jennie faltered. "We didn't expect to meet these people.
What shall we do?"

"Stand by your colors now. There's nothing else to do."

On they marched, hearts thumping painfully with conscious humiliation at
their silly bravado. Fine, noble-looking, quiet fellows those officers
in blue--refinement and gentlemanly bearing in every movement of their
stalwart bodies. They had come ashore as friendly sightseers and stood
admiring the beauty of the quaint old town. Jennie's eyes filled with
tears of vexation.

"Let's go home, Mattie--"

"I say so, too--"

"Never again for me! I'll hang my flag on the mantel. I'll not try to
wave it in the face of a gentleman again--oof--what silly fools we
were!"

The Federal commander of the fleet had warned the citizens of Baton
Rouge that any hostile demonstration against his ships or men would mean
the instant bombardment of the town.

Jennie had just finished breakfast and helped her grandmother to find
her way to the rocker. Mandy had been sent to the store for some thread
with which to make a new uniform for one of the boys. Jennie resolved to
turn her energies to practical account now. No more flaunting of tiny
flags in the faces of brave, dignified young officers of the navy.

The maid rushed through the hall wild with excitement. She had run every
step back from the store without the thread.

"Lowdy, Miss Jennie," she gasped, "sumfin' awful happened!"

"What is it? What's the matter?"

Mandy stood in dumb terror, the whites of her eyes shining. She was
listening apparently for the arch-angel's trumpet to sound.

Jennie seized her shoulders.

"What's the matter? Tell me before I murder you!"

"Yassam!" Mandy gasped and again her head was cocked to one side as if
straining her ears for the dreaded sound of Gabriel.

"What's happened?--Tell me!" Jennie stormed.

At last poor Mandy's senses slowly returned. She stared into her young
mistress' face and gasped:

"Yassam--Mr. Castle's killed a Yankee ossifer on de ship an' dey gwine
ter shell--"

"Boom!"

The deep thunder peal of a great gun shook the world. There was no
mistaking the sound of it or its meaning. The fleet had opened fire on
the defenseless town. Mandy's teeth chattered and her voice failed.

And then pandemonium.

Poor old negroes and helpless picka