totally distasteful to me. How I wished myself away, and
chafed at my folly, and hated myself for being there, and every one for
seeing me. I hope it will be a lesson to me always to remember a lady
can gain nothing by such display.

I was not ashamed of the flag of my country,--I proved that by never
attempting to remove it in spite of my mortification,--but I was
ashamed of my position; for these are evidently gentlemen, not the
Billy Wilson's crew we were threatened with. Fine, noble-looking men
they were, showing refinement and gentlemanly bearing in every motion.
One cannot help but admire such foes! They set us an example worthy of
our imitation, and one we would be benefited by following. They come as
visitors without either pretensions to superiority, or the insolence of
conquerors; they walk quietly their way, offering no annoyance to the
citizens, though they themselves are stared at most unmercifully, and
pursued by crowds of ragged little boys, while even men gape at them
with open mouths. They prove themselves gentlemen, while many of our
citizens have proved themselves boors, and I admire them for their
conduct. With a conviction that I had allowed myself to be influenced
by bigoted, narrow-minded people, in believing them to be unworthy of
respect or regard, I came home wonderfully changed in all my newly
acquired sentiments, resolved never more to wound their feelings, who
were so careful of ours, by such unnecessary display. And I hung my
flag on the parlor mantel, there to wave, if it will, in the shades of
private life; but to make a show, make me conspicuous and ill at ease,
as I was yesterday,--never again!

There was a dozen officers in church this morning, and the psalms for
the 11th day seemed so singularly appropriate to the feelings of the
people, that I felt uncomfortable for them. They answered with us,
though.

May 14th.

I am beginning to believe that we are even of more importance in Baton
Rouge than we thought we were. It is laughable to hear the things a
certain set of people, who know they can't visit us, say about the
whole family.... When father was alive, they dared not talk about us
aloud, beyond calling us the "Proud Morgans" and the "Aristocracy of
Baton Rouge".... But now father is gone, the people imagine we are
public property, to be criticized, vilified, and abused to their
hearts' content....

And now, because