have one if
she liked it and could learn to play.

She and Betty used to talk about Elizabeth Manning. There was a new baby
now, another little boy. Mrs. Leverett made a visit and brought home
Hester, to ease up things for the winter. Elizabeth couldn't go to
school any more, there was so much to do. She wrote Doris quite a long
letter and sent it by grandmother. Postage was high then, and people did
not write much for pure pleasure.

And just before the new year, when Betty was planning to go to New York
for her visit to Mrs. King, a great sorrow came to all of them. Uncle
Leverett had not seemed well all the fall, though he was for the most
part his usual happy self, but business anxieties pressed deeply upon
him and Warren. He used to drop in now and then and take tea with Cousin
Winthrop, and as they sat round the cheerful fire Doris would bring her
stool to his side and slip her hand in his as she had that first winter.
She was growing tall quite rapidly now, and pretty by the minute, Uncle
Leverett said.

There was no end of disquieting rumors. American shipping was greatly
interfered with and American seamen impressed aboard British ships by
the hundreds, often to desert at the first opportunity. Merchantmen were
deprived of the best of their crews for the British navy, as that
country was carrying on several wars; and now Wellington had gone to the
assistance of the Spanish, and all Europe was trying to break the power
of Napoleon, who had set out since the birth of his son, now crowned
King of Rome, to subdue all the nations.

The _Leopard-Chesapeake_ affair had nearly plunged us into war, but it
was promptly disavowed by the British Government and some indemnity
paid. There was a powerful sentiment opposed to war in New York and New
England, but the people were becoming much inflamed under repeated
outrages. Young men were training in companies and studying up naval
matters. The country had so few ships then that to rush into a struggle
was considered madness.

Mr. Winthrop Adams was among those bitterly opposed to war. Cary was
strongly imbued with a young man's patriotic enthusiasm. There was a
good deal of talk at Madam Royall's, and a young lieutenant had been
quite a frequent visitor and was an admirer also of the fair Miss Alice.
Then Alfred Barron, his friend at Charlestown, had entered the naval
service. Studying law seemed dry and tiresome to the young fellow when
such stirring events were happe