Roxy Hastings — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

ROXY HASTINGS. 157 to the modus operandi in securing its liquid treasures. He Should be gone nearly a week, he said, and the day after he left home a city letter was received by his mother, di rected to Lieutenant Lee, and marked in broad and school- ° boy characters in a corner of the envelope, “In great haste.” It was only after much deliberation, and in view of the fact that it could not be forwarded to Alfred until they re- ceived advices from him, that Mrs. Lee and Laura decided to violate the seal of this mysterious epistle, the chirog- raphy of which denoted anything but an experienced or elegant penman. CHAPTER XXXII. THE GUEST. The first act of both mother and daughter, on opening the letter, was to look for the signature, and they uttered a joint exclamation as their eyes fell upon it: ‘‘Louis Hartley !” The contents were as follows: ** DEAR LIEUTENANT :—You will be glad to heer that i hev escaped from richmond and are now in this city, though quite destitoot of money and every thing. i hed to kill 2 of the guard to git away and laid hid in the woods, 3 days travelin’ nites; but Ill tell you particulars when we meat. i hey found out ware you live and shall come and sea you to-morrer. Jam rather feable to-day, hopin’ you are well and to hum i reman yours to command. Lovis Hartury.” Mrs. Lee and Laura looked at each other in surprise and sorrow, when they had read this letter. “Why, 1 thought he was quite a gentleman, from AI- fred’s account of him,” said Laura, “and it seems he is a low, ignorant fellow.” “He must be very good, though,” said the mother, “and we can’t expect much from a common soldier in the way of education.” “No, but how could Alf become so attached to him? No matter. Iam very glad he has escaped, and we owe him too much to criticise him very closely. Wemustask him to come and stay with us, I suppose ?” “Why, yes, we cannot do less than that; and then, when Charley returns, he will know what further to do.” The next morning, when their promised visitor arrived, Eomicbooks.¢o