Roxy Hastings — page 105: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

- 96 ROXY HASTINGS. “Nay, it is not worth a very great sacrifice. I have no friends to pine for me.” : “No friends! Good heavens! And such a heart!” The Rev. Mr. Brown did not deport himself with altogether a clerical air, and when he received from Al- fred’s hands the first installment of his compensation, in the shape of five double eagles, we fear that he let slip some words which would have gone far to ungown him in an ecclesiastical court. He said that Lee was a d——d (which stands for “decided,” gentle reader) good fellow, and that he would be something if he didn’t do all he could to see him safe through, and out of the city. “Well, you jist keep sober to-day and to-morrow, Brud- der Brown,” said Luke, laughing, “and den perhaps he’ll go throo. Don’t you.go to git dat money changed when you go out, and buy—” ‘‘T won’t, Uncle Luke, ’pon honor I won’t.” Nothing was attempted in the way of disguising Lee while Allen remained, it being considered safest to put this off until a short time before changing the guard, lest that officer should look in upon them and discover the dupli- cated minister. But the garments were compared, and slight changes made to render the resemblance as complete as possible. Alfred watched, too, and caught the deportment and gait of Allen as nearly as possible, and when the latter, about six o’clock, prepared to go out, he said to him: ‘Leave me your books, Mr. Allen. You will not need them, and they will add a great deal to my clerical charac- ter.” He left them, of course, and having knocked to be let out, he said, in a drawling voice, as the guard opened the door. ‘Brother Luke will stay with the prisoner an hour or two, and as he is now in a most encouraging frame of mind, I should like to have him left undisturbed by other visitors. Will you see to that?” “Yes,” replied Shaw, curtly. “I won’t-let no one in if you say so, and I’m sure I don’t want to go in to their psalm-singing.” | This man Shaw had, of course, not been neglected in Al- fred’s distribution of gold, and he had heard of the prom- ised legacy, which rendered him accommodating, though it could not make him civil. The supposed minister marched slowly off, and the guard resumed his walk, now and then sitting down to rest on a comicbooks:co