Sister Mart is a young lady now and does not go to school any more. I study music with Miss Platt and Sister Mart is carrying on her music with an extra fine teacher in Tallahassee. We both study French under a language master, who is a native Frenchman. There are some rumors that he is an abolitionist and a watch has been put upon his movements. Isn’t it dreadful to have to suspect every stranger?
November 2009
Mattie and Lucy do not like Miss Platt; she does not like them either and lets them see it. There is something strange about her; she does not care to sit with us at night and rarely speaks except to answer a question. I went to her room yesterday to carry her some oranges, to keep in her room, so that she could eat them whenever she wished and when I knocked at her door she had to unlock it, in the daytime—just think!
Well, in spite of Ossawatimie Brown and all the trouble his diabolical efforts have called up we have another governess from the North. She is not like anyone we have had before. I do not believe she has ever taught school in her life. She has no idea of discipline or order in arranging studies; she is a good music-teacher and when I asked if she liked to teach music, she said she had never taught anything else until now.
1859. November 3. — ….The alleged insurrection and seizure of the Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, of which we received an imperfect account last week, remains still a source of anxiety.
Several fatal storms have recently caused many disasters on the coasts; one of them wrecked the Royal Charter from Australia with a host of passengers on board, and nearly did the same for the Great Eastern riding near the Breakwater at Holyhead. The Channel fleet, too, was in great danger off the Scilly Light, and was only saved by consummate old English seamanship.
