“‘Will Kaintuck go secesh, Wilse?’ Matthew Creighton asked finally, his eyes on his plate.”

“‘Maybe, Uncle Matt, maybe it will.’”

“And how will southern Illinois feel about it in case that happens?”

“That’s in the minds of a lot of us,’ Matthew said quietly.”

England will provide assistance to both sides to gain influence with either victor.

England will help the industrialists in the North to tax the South more heavily.

England will assist the South to maintain the production of cotton for import.

England will try to regain control of areas within both the North and South.

Wilse is suggesting that the people in the North who claim they want to end slavery are not fully prepared to help African-Americans afterward.

Wilse is suggesting that the people in the North will soon find that their concern for the black man has assisted in ending slavery.

Wilse is suggesting that the conflict between the North and South has caused sorrow for both black and white men in the nation.

Wilse is suggesting that slavery will end at some point and black men will be able to travel North to find work.

“John was studying his cousin’s face.”

“Wilse brought his hand down sharply on the table.”

“Bill spoke for the first time, his eyes on the yellow light of the lamp.”

“Matt Creighton shook his head.”

A young brother with a vivid imagination recalls a fight his brothers and cousin have during the war between the North and South.

A family struggles to feed and clothe themselves during a period of national conflict between the North and South.

A woman goes against convention when she shares her political view of the conflict between the North and South.

A family gathers for dinner and discusses their differing opinions of the war between the North and South.

“Nancy made a flat cake of white flour with a sprinkling of sugar on top, and Jenny pulled tender radishes and onion from her garden to give the taste of spring to their meal.”

“Jethro was sensitive to color and contrast; memory of the golden kitchen and the velvet shadows of the room beyond was firmly stamped in his mind.”

“Slowly and inevitably the troubles of the nation began to move into the crowded little kitchen.”

“Wilse took a drink of water, and then setting the glass down, twirled it a few times between his thumb and fingers.”