I was greatly agatated, but managed to ask for the ten dollars for my share of the Tent, etcetera, although not saying exactly what for, and father passed it over to me.  War certainly has changed my Familey, for even Leila came over a few moments ago with a hat that she had bought and did not like.

I must now stop and learn the Star-Spangled Banner by heart, having never known but the first verse, and that not entirely.

Later:  How helpless I feel and how hopeless!

I was learning the second verse by singing it, when father came over in his robe de nuit, although really pagamas, and said that he enjoyed it very much, and of course I was right to learn it as aforsaid, but that if the Familey did not sleep it could not be very usefull to the Country the next day such as making shells and other explosives.

April 11th:  I have had my breakfast and called up Jane Raleigh.  She was greatly excited and said: 

“I’m just crazy about it.  What sort of a Unaform will we have?”

This is like Jane, who puts clothes before everything.  But I told her what I had in mind, and she said it sounded perfectly thrilling.

“We each of us ought to learn some one thing,” she said, “so we can do it right.  It’s an age of Specialties.  Suppose you take up signaling, or sharp-shooting if you prefer it, and I can learn wireless telegraphy.  And maybe Betty will take the flying course, because we ought to have an Aviator and she is afraid of nothing, besides having an uncle who is thinking of buying an Aeroplane.”

“What else would you sugest?” I said freezingly.  Because to hear her one would have considered the entire G. A. C. as her own idea.

“Well,” she said, “I don’t know, unless we have a Secret Service and guard your father’s mill.  Because every one thinks he is going to have trouble with Spies.”

I made no reply to this, as William was dusting the Drawing Room, but said, “Come over.  We can discuss that privatly.”  I then rang off.

I am terrably worried, because my father is my best friend, having always understood me.  I cannot endure to think that he is in danger.  Alas, how true are the words of Dryden: 

     “War, he sung, is Toil and Trouble,
     Honour but an empty Bubble.”

Noon:  Jane came over as soon as she had had her breakfast, and it was a good thing I had everything written out, because she started in right away to run things.  She wanted a Constitution and By-Laws as I had expected.  But I was ready for her.

“We have a Constitution, Jane,” I said, solemnly.  “The Constitution of the United States, and if it is good enough for a whole Country I darsay it is good enough for us.  As for By-laws, we can make them as we need them, which is the way laws ought to be made anyhow.”