as resumed at nine o'clock. If in the clear
light of day the shells were trying, what were they in the night! A
ghost story well told in the daytime perturbs a superstitious mind; but
to feel queer at its recital in the night one need not necessarily be
superstitious at all. This new departure intensified the strain and went
far to make faint many a heart that had until then remained stout. The
guns were fired with longer intervals between the shots; the shells did
not follow on the top of one another as in the day; but one nocturnal
projectile excited as much terror as did ten when the sun was shining.
Far into the night--for hours after midnight--the war was waged, and
sleep denied the pleasure of steeping our "senses in forgetfulness." To
sleep was nearly impossible, and at the first peep of dawn to recline on
a bed at all was not easy, so fierce and sudden was the energy with
which a dozen guns commenced to bark in chorus.

And with sad results. The men in the redoubts enjoyed comparative
immunity from the dangers of the bombardment; it was mainly the women
and children in the houses who had to bear the brunt of the assaults. A
lamentable instance of the pity of it was only too soon forthcoming. In
the house of a Mr. Webster (who was in camp with his regiment, the
Volunteers) his wife and children were at breakfast, when crash! through
the roof came a shell on top of the tea-pot. The mother sustained
fearful injuries, to which she subsequently succumbed. Her six-year-old
child was also killed; her second son had his leg and arm broken; while
her youngest child--a little girl--was badly bruised. The stricken
family were removed to hospital amid a shower of shells, which continued
with unabashed fury to seek whom they slaughter. Nearly all our public
buildings were hit, and the places of worship were again a mark for the
vandal. Houses everywhere were damaged, and extraordinary indeed were
the escapes of their distracted occupiers. No less gracious was the
kindly fortune that shielded those whom duty, caprice, or foolhardiness
brought into the streets. One family stuffed away in the ostensible
security of a coal-hole vegetated there all day. They were grateful for
their modern ark, but outraged nature disapproved and caused a shell to
pierce it. Nobody was hurt, remarkable to relate, and the frightened
household ascended with alacrity to take their chances in a purer
atmosphere. In every part of the town the shells kep