Roxy Hastings — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

112 3 ' ROXY HASTINGS, grief that fears were entertained for her reason, and even for her life. ! ; Nothing could be attempted for Alfred’s relief which ~ offered the remotest chance of success, and those who were best informed advised him that all further effort would be Quixotic and chimerical. With a tortured heart he had abandoned hope, and had sent an agent to the front to receive his brother’s remains, which it was believed would be sent through, on applica- tion, under a flag of truce. | The Richmond newspapers were not at that time received as regularly as they subsequently were, in our lines, and no tidings of Lieutenant Lee’s escape had been received at the North until the news was telegraphed from Fortress Monroe. Charles, pale and unspeakably wretched, was daily and hourly looking for the coffined body of his brother, when this thrilling and life-giving intelligence was received, and with the delirium of joy tingling through all his nerves, his" first impulse had been to rush to his enfeebled mother with the exciting tidings. He was warned to be more prudent, and to communicate his news rather as a hope and rumor than a certainty, lest the excitement of so great a joy should be too intense for a mind in which reason was al- ready nearly dethroned. Having first told his sister, who herself frightened him by her frantic delight, they consulted together how best to administer this mental medicine’ to their pining parent, who had been inquiring hourly for the past two days about the arrival of that funeral freight which they had all ex- pected and awaited. “Can there be any doubt of the truth of this report?” Laura asked, tremblingly. “Pray do not let us raise any hopes which may have to be disappointed.” “There can be no doubt. It is in the regular official re- port to the government. Here it is: ‘Lieutenant Alfred Lee, who was to have been hung in Richmond last Thurs- day, arrived here this morning in company with an intelli- gent contraband, who assisted in his escape and guided him through the country. They traveled by night only, on the James, hiding in the daytime in the woods. The lieuten- ant looks well, though greatly fatigued, and will proceed to ek his friends in New York after resting here a day or wo.’.’ _ surely there can be no doubtof this, Oh, I hope he will bring that faithful fellow with him.” | | Eomicbooks (ele)