"Because I have heard papa say so. It's all about slavery, and makes out that the people that own slaves are the wickedest people in the world. Papa says the book will cause a war yet."
"My papa says," spoke up another, "that the South is going to secede, and when it does he says there may be war."
"Pshaw! the Yankees will not fight," exclaimed a girl from Mississippi. "Brother Ned says they are a cowardly lot, and that one Southern gentleman can whip ten of them."
The conversation now took a general turn over what would happen if war came, and it was the opinion of most of the girls that it would be just grand.
Grace listened eagerly to the conversation, but took no part. So far she had given little attention to the strife which was agitating the country. Even the conflict which had raged along the borders of Missouri and Kansas had only come as a faint echo among the Ozarks. But now she asked, "What is the name of the book you girls are talking about?"
"Uncle Tom's Cabin. It's a horrid book," replied one of the girls.
Grace said no more, but she determined to have that book; she wanted to see what made it so terrible. The first time she had leave to go downtown she made an excuse to go into a book store and purchase a copy. She concealed it in her clothes and then made a few other purchases.
"Why, Grace, what made you so long?" asked the monitor in charge of the girls when she returned.
"Couldn't get waited on before," answered Grace demurely.
That evening Grace swore her room-mate to eternal secrecy, and then showed her the book.