"Among those passengers was a young man by the name of Charles Rollins, who had just finished a course of education at one of our northern colleges, and was then on his way home. He was a young man of an ardent temperament, of fine appearance and accomplished manners. His parents resided at Natchez, Mississippi.
"Lorain sought relief from the recollections that had passed him by seeking to make the acquaintance of those around him. The fine manly bearing of Charles attracted his attention, and he at once sought an interview, which proved to be agreeable. Frequent interviews were had, and their acquaintance soon ripened into friendship.
"Charles had a sister—an only one—by the name of Annie. She was then entering upon her twenty-fourth year; and though not in the strict sense of the word handsome, she was, nevertheless, good looking, and possessed of what is of more consequence than beauty—all the graces that adorn the life of a devoted, exemplary Christian. She had early embraced the Christian religion, and her pure devotion, genial nature, and agreeable manners won for her the love and respect of all who knew her.
"Annie had received the attentions of several young men of unexceptionable character and reputation, possessed, withal, of that worldly competence and business tact that would have placed her, beyond doubt, above want for means to administer to her worldly comforts; and yet, strange to say, she saw reason to decline their offers. Why she had failed to love was known, if at all, only to herself. Her parents would have been pleased to have seen their daughter united in holy wedlock to a worthy young man that she loved; nevertheless, they had too much respect for her judgment to question the propriety of her decisions and the reasons for them, and the only reason, perhaps, that they could assign was that old and common one, 'matches are made in heaven.'
"The entire passage from St. Louis passed off agreeably to our new-made friends, and, sooner than they could have wished it, the signal was sounded to land at the beautiful town of Natchez. There Lorain was unable to refuse the pressing invitation from Charles to stop and spend a few days, or at least a night, with him at his father's house.
"It is not necessary to describe the introduction that followed, nor the welcome that was extended. Suffice it to say, the journey was not renewed the next day, nor the next. A week rolled around, and then another, and another, until three months had passed, and still Lorain was a welcome guest at the home of the Rollinses. At the end of that time Lorain and Annie were engaged to be married.
"At last business became so urgent that Lorain was obliged to resume his journey to New Orleans. The hour came for departure, and he sought a last interview with Annie, to give her the parting farewell.
"During the winter of 1860 and '61, the country, North and South, had become agitated with political excitement, which ran so high that the two sections seemed in imminent danger of becoming involved in a civil war. The South claimed that the North had encroached upon her rights, and even went so far as to threaten to withdraw from the Federal compact and take up the sword in vindication of her rights.
"As Lorain was about to leave, Annie still clung to his hand, and said: 'My dear Lorain, before you leave me, I want you to make me one promise.'
"'Well, Annie, what is it?'