March 24th, 1860.—I have a splendid piece of news to record here, my diary: Sister Mag has a baby boy and he is the first grandson in the house and my nephew. I feel as if I could not love him enough for he is to be named for Father. He is very small and very red, but he is a dear in spite of that and I know he will be lots of fun.
March 26th, 1860.—The baby is not to have Father’s full name after all; he is to be named for both of his grandfathers and that makes him James Edward Whitehead. Maybe I won’t love him so well, but I think I will, for he is Sister Mag’s own dear little son and I shall love him for that, even if I am disappointed. When Brother Junius looked at him he said, “another soldier to fight for the flag,” but I hope he will never have the opportunity to fight. War and bloodshed seem very terrible to me.
Lucy Brodie is making us a visit, she does not think much of babies. Her father was my father’s commission merchant once and the Brodie family lived in Tallahassee but they went back to New York when Lucy was quite young and she does not remember her Florida home. She is thirteen years old now and deeply interested in all she sees. The negroes are something new to her every time she looks at one and she often remarks on their queer looks and ways. Yesterday when Lulu had braided her hair and dressed her, even putting on her shoes, she said, “When I get back home I am going to think of this and wish I had one of my very own to carry about with me.” I do not believe Lucy has been kept at school as steadily as I have been, for the books she studied last term are like those I studied three years ago. Lucy has been visiting at Woodstock and Goodwood and she says she has enjoyed it all. She would like to stay longer and she has promised to come again.
