! What would those who spend
their time in denouncing our government as the only enemy, and
sympathize with "our mistaken Southern brethren," who have been
alienated by the misconduct of the loyal States, say, if these
"brethren" had subjected them to the same treatment. Their sympathies
would hardly have survived the trial.

Dreary as the days were here, yet we did not surrender ourselves to
gloomy forebodings and vain lamentings over our misfortunes. Although
the fate of our companions seemed suspended over our heads by a single
hair, yet we shunned despondency, and labored to provide such
amusements as would relieve us of the heavy tedium of our prison-life.

On that terrible day of execution, we threw away our cards, which
before had been played almost day and night, and resolved to engage no
more in that game. But the necessity of doing something prompted us to
search for new pastimes. We carved a checker-board on the floor, and
it was occupied from morning till evening by eager players. We all
became very expert in checkers. To provide a more intellectual
amusement, we also formed a debating society, and spent hour after
hour in discussing quaint questions of every kind. Many were the
long-winded speeches that were made, for time was no object; and if no
one was convinced of a new position, we still had the consolation of
knowing that there was no lost labor, where the labor itself was a
pleasure.

In order to enjoy to the fullest extent the books we had so
fortunately procured, we appointed regular reading hours--two in the
forenoon, and the same in the afternoon. During this time, no one was
allowed even to whisper. Some of our boys were a little wild and
restless at times, and would break the rules; but generally our order
was excellent. We gained much useful knowledge during these hours of
intellectual employment in our novel school.

But all our efforts to pleasantly while away those terribly long
summer days were in vain. The tediousness, and oppressiveness, and
vain longing for action, would press down on us closer and closer.
Brown, who was one of the most restless of mortals, would amuse
himself, as long as he could endure it, at the pastimes we had
devised, then suddenly cease playing, and commence pacing the floor
like a caged bear; when this, too, grew unendurable, he would stop at
the door, and say, in the most piteous tones (of course meant only for
us to hear) "O! kind sir, please let me out!"