"So I supposed. You think there are some good soldiers in the Northern army."
"It would be absurd to suppose there are not," said my father; "but what they do want, is a right understanding of the spirit of the South. It is more persistent and obstinate, as well as strong, than the North takes any account of. It will not yield. It will do and endure anything first."
I thought I had heard papa intimate a doubt on that issue; however I said nothing.
"If _spirit_ would save a people," Mr. Dinwiddie rejoined, "those walls over against us would not bear the testimony they do. No people ever fought with more spirit than this people. Yet Jerusalem is a heap of ruins."
"You do not mean that such a fate can overtake the whole South?" said my father.
"I mean, that the race is not always to the swift. The South have right on their side, however."
"I thought that would bring you out," Mr. Dinwiddie said, with a kindly look at me.
"Daisy is an abolitionist," said papa. "Where she got it, is out of my knowledge. But I think, Mr. Dinwiddie, there are minds so constituted that they take of choice that view of things which is practically the most adverse to their own interest."
"Tell papa, Mr. Dinwiddie, that that cannot be."
"I mean, that which is the _right_ cannot be the wrong in any sense; cannot be even the wrong view for anybody's interest that adopts it."
"Something else, it must be, papa. There is a promise - 'With what measure ye measure, it shall be measured to you again.' 'Give, and it shall be given unto you; full measure, pressed down, heaped up, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.' "
"Why into my bosom?" said papa. "I would rather it were into my hands, or a basket, or anything."
We went off into a laugh upon that, and Mr. Dinwiddie explained, and the conversation turned. We went into the house to have tea; and there we discussed the subject of our further journey and when we should set off. Mr. Dinwiddie was engaged to go with us to Lebanon. But it was concluded that we would wait yet a little for the season to be further advanced. For me, I was in no hurry to leave the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem.
We sat on the roof that evening and watched the lights kindle in Jerusalem, and talked of the old-time scenes and changes; till I supposed the question of home troubles and our poor Magnolia people was pretty well driven from papa's mind. But when Mr. Dinwiddie was gone, and I was bidding him good-night, he held me fast in his arms, looking down into my face.