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Show 306 ROEBUCK. CIIAPTER XXIX. 'V ASIIINGTON. I \VE left Julia Fairf:1.x seated in a higlnvay, holding· in l her lnp the he:td of h er d ecen,, eel uncle. N en.r h er lny l1is bleeding scrvan t, and the corpses of two F e<1er:1.l Roldi ers. B eside her stood 1\fr. IIart. N otwithstnndino- the dano-crs 'vhi ch he and his fatnily might in cnr ~ b if he ::5hould affon.l assistance to those ·who hnd provoked the venge~n ce of soldiery in posse~sio n of the country, he 'vas pron1pt to ac:knowle<l g·e t~'\e duties of humanity to a 'v01n:1.n in ::dlliction, an<l to the d ead and wounc1ecl. lie nc1dressec1 her in w·o rcls of RJinpathy, and offered h er the shel tcr of his house, ana 'vhatever aid he conlcl r ender. Tier delicate fr:tme n1ight have snnk under the lo:td of cala1ni ty thnt ha<l be£1.1len her; but, if she " ,.:ls a wotn:1.n j n the weakne:·s of passion, she could be a 'vomnn in the heroistn of dnty. A sacred dnty 'vns Rtill b efore her. A gush of tears dischargecl the natnr:tl tribute of affection ancl gri~f. Then she rapidly reviewed the cirenn1stnnces by 'vhich she 'vas snrronndecl, antl conclncl ccl th:tt it 'vns necessary for her to act prornptly :tccon1ing to the :1cldce of her dying uncle. She thankecllUr. ILtrt lor his kind offer of assistance. She explained to l1im bri etly that she \V:l.S obliged to prosecute h er j onrney without delny. She b eu-o-ecl hin1 to take chnr.o-c of her '-''::> u uncle's body, and of the \VOnndecl Caleb. Th:tt £tith-fttl servant assured th01n that he \voulcl not trouble any one long in this \vorld. '-"rhen l\1r. IIart had con- ROEBUCK. 307 sente<l to fnHil all t he \vi shes \vhich she expresse<l, ::tJH1 she hn<l seen Caleb lai<l on a b ecl in the honse, she took lc:tve of hitn " r.ith 1nn.ny tears, and, aCLcr k:ssing the lifeless lips of h er clear uncle, she bade f.trewell to 1\Ir. IIart. She ' vent into the 'voocl to \vait for the more secure shelter of night. Conce:-tling herself in a ra\'in(\, she tied her h orse by the bridle to a li1nh, an cl H:lL down 111)011 t he o-rass leanin o· :vrainst t he trunk of a b ' :-, ,:J tree. 1,hcre. she remainecl alone scvcr:1l honr . The sun 'vent down, and the r etreating shrtdows at lcngLh stole ::nvay upon the approach of night, like f:tithless friend::; at the cotning of 1niHfortnne. Darkne:s 1nnde her solitude 1nore dis1nal. IIooting owls, ancl wailing whip-poor-wilb, broke, \Vith 1nehneholy voie8s, the solemn silence of the forest ancl of night. Iler clear sense ancl n:ttnral conra[)·e u sually s:tvecl J ulia fro1n imaginary t error s. Dnt h er h eart, already sorrowful ana fe:trful, iclt the d epressing intiuencc of the scene. She turnecl her sleeple!:ls antl tearful eyes to IIcavcu, and prayed to the friend of the frien clless, \Vho sec' at mi<lni o·ht as at n oonc1ay. I t was 1nidnight \vhen she found 0 cotnno·e to vent nrc npon the high \vny. The nio·ht ,vas frl~ntlly to her, mHl, by ri<.llng rapidly, t~hc left this dangerous ncighborhooLl i~tr b ehind her before the dn wn. ACtcrwards, traveling 1nuch at night, she continued her jonrney through n1:1.ny clifllenlLio::; ant~ nlarrn .~, bnt with out any nd\rcn ture that ought to d eLau: the re.at1 ?t' frotn 1norc import:tnt eveuts, until she ntTl vetl W1Ll:1n t en 1niles of \ Vash in oton Ci Ly. Then, a"' she \vas · riding along a public r oncl in the forenoon, sh.e s~1.w before her a p~rLy of Fe<.leral c:1valry npproachmg at a brisk trot. To avoiJ. meeting the1u, she turnc<.l her • |
