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Show 258 ROEBUCK. so influential fr01n the State \vonl<.l tcntl to quell the Rpirit of rc. L tancc, and produce cJniet nntl submi sion. Jfc 'nspc 'ted that if . nch a prisoner r emained at the village de:::pcratc efforts \vonlu be n1aL1e to rcsctw him, an<l Colonel vV esel 1night be nttackcu by an overpowering force. lie atlvi. cd that the distinguished rebel should be sent to ''r ashington, \\"'ith a suitable representation of his oifenccs and of his importance, l in order that he Jn1gL t be dctn.ined there as a pri ' onet· of State. Colonel 'V csel, elateu 'vith his good fortune, and apprchensi ve of a res9ue, e1nbraccd the advice 'vith alacrit.y. That very evening Colonel Fairfax \V:l. started to vVa~-;hingtou. lie had to n1ake the first stag-e of the journey in an open ·wagon and over rough ro:HlR. lie suffered intolerable pnin. But he wns hnrric<l off without n1ercy, e corted by a strong guard. lie reqnc ·tccl pern1ission to sec his 'vife and daughter before starting, but it ·was r ·fnsed. lie 'vns not infonned of his destination, and that \\·as kept a secret fr01n othen~, lest. a knowledge of the ronte to be pnrRnecl should illcil it:tte a rescue. IIe 'vas not even pcrrnitted to kno·w what had become of his 'vifc and <laughter. 1\frs. Fairfax remained at the house to 'vhich she hacl been carried, as alre~d.y mentioned, on the morning after the fire at Itocbuck. 1\lrs. Fitzhugh wns carried to the ame place, nfte1· the cle. truction of her house. To that high-spirited lady the exertion required by her Jnjsfortnne proved an antidote to melancholy. As she had suflcred only in the loss of property, and not, like l\lrs ·Fairfax, in the loss of those who \Vcrc dearest to her, she becan1e 1nore cheerful than Rho had usually been during the \var. She devoted herself to the consolation of her n1or@ afiiictecl friend. ' ROEBUCK. ~IrR. l~:tirfax, of a g nt1c, tender, delicate natnr , nccusto1nc<l to he cheri:"hed by her hnsb:tnd a111l dnnghtcr, ancl hitherto RhcHcrc<.l by fortune fr01n t.llc stonn. of life, pined uncler h er calan1ities. The sho(·ks which she endured in that dreadful night, when her honse vras hnrnctl, and her husbat1ll and daturhter b were ~ natched fr01n h er to be carried, she knew Hot whither, ahnost bereft h er of existence. She hau Hot the stubborn qualities which 1night lw.vc enabled h }l' to rnlly her strength ancl spirits. No con ·ol:-ttion conl<llift her fron1 dc~pondency. Sorrow withere<l her strength nncl her health vani ·heel Ile:t· form wn::;teJ away. She b.y night and day, scarcely uttering a word bnt the names of her husban<.l and daughter. I~ifc wnucJ in her· uu til it became the shauow of death. |
