Last in a Long Line of Rebels Read Online Free PDF Page B

pray you will remane well until I am home, which I am hopeful will be soon. As to the other matter you referenced, I indicated at our last meeting that my feelings on the issue have quite changed, but I urge you to be caushus my dear Louise, as reports are that the enemy is nearby. Your bravery in the midst of all that has transpired and the memorey of your sweet smile carries me through these long nites.
    Your love,
    WLM
    I didn’t know who WLM was, but he wouldn’t have passed fifth-grade spelling. And this was the second time today I was hearing about my namesake, Louise, which was strange and exciting.
    I read the letter once more before slipping it back into the Bible.
    The letter mentioned Louise’s bravery. Well, that was something. I could only hope that some of it had been passed down to me.

From the diary of Louise Duncan Mayhew
April 1861
    Mother attempts normality through garden parties
and hosting friends for whist, but the men are on fire with talk of war. Tennessee has rejected secession, though the vote in Nashville proved what everyone feared, that Tennessee is divided in its stance on secession. East Tennessee supports staying in the Union, while people in the western part of the state are against. Here in the middle, we’re just as divided. Yesterday, while shopping, Mrs. Nolan
Paul pointedly ignored me. I glared at her back in a way that I hoped would raise blisters. A friendship lost because my betrothed and I support secession.
    P atty was the first to arrive, all decked out in a black sundress with matching black sandals. With her skinny frame and red hair, I thought she looked like a matchstick. Aunt Sophie jumped out of the car and ran past where I sat on the front porch. “Sorry, Lou, but I drank a large glass of sweet tea, and I’m about to wet myself.”
    â€œMother!” Patty shook her head, causing curls to bounce. “What if Franklin and Benzer were here?”
    â€œI’m sure they have bodily functions too, dear.” Aunt Sophie closed the front door behind her.
    â€œShe’s trying to make me crazy. Oh!” Patty threw herself down on the steps next to me. “Speaking of crazy, Sally Martin’s been telling tales about you. She said you were bragging about how you’ve got awesome summer plans. What’s up with that?”
    I groaned. “Great. I should have known she’d tell everybody in the state what I said. If gossip was an Olympic sport, she’d win the gold medal.”
    â€œI can’t believe you told her that. Sally already tries to make your life miserable. Now she’ll have more ammunition when school starts and you haven’t done anything . . .” Patty shook her head and poked me. “Maybe you can be homeschooled.”
    A car honked, announcing that Mrs. Kimmel had arrived. Franklin’s grandmother had been Bertie’s bridge partner for years. My earliest memories of Franklin were of us playing on the floor beneath their card table. Now the two women were trying hard to teach Mama and Aunt Sophie, because, as Bertie said, “We need some young blood. Everybody our age keeps dying on us.”
    Franklin climbed out of the backseat just as Benzer, wearing an old baseball uniform and covered in dirt, walked into the yard.
    Bertie opened the front door and stood at the porch railing. “Finally, the whole gang’s here.”
    Patty and I stood to let Mrs. Kimmel pass, then sank back down on the porch steps. Benzer and Franklin sat down cross-legged on the grass in front of us.
    â€œHave you told them yet?” Benzer asked.
    I shook my head. As much as I wanted to tell them about the house, just saying it out loud made it somehow worse. I rested my chin on my knees. “You tell it.”
    Patty looked from me to Benzer. “What? Somebody tell it, whatever it is, before I go nuts.”
    Benzer leaned forward and began to tell them the story, from the praying over the