Dec. 16-22
No church on account of the snow and bad roads. Sue and Mary Lewis busy nearly all the week on Xmas
goodies. Cousin Howel spends a night with us. I always enjoy seeing him. Some other visitors. Saturday Miss
Vallant and Bob arrive. I feel very happy to have Miss Vallent with me. She is one of my few friends now. I'm
glad that Bob too is willing to stay with such a quiet party as we are. Poor boy, I wish I could help him in some
way but it is a hard matter to tell how to go about it. He is looking badly and I think out of spirits. Thursday the
20th South Carolina goes out of the Union. She is a gallant little state but I fear in this case she has been too
hastly. When is it all to end? Troubles are beginning and we are soon to feel them ....