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Show ) 278 ROEBUCK • . I g·atc proposal to trafllc " 'iLh two lives so dear to her, so ·worthy of honor, nn<l so nffiicted. Tint it 'v:1s not in her nature to look on rniscry 'vithout r~n effort to relieve it, nnd, Jcast of all, the 1nisery of her own })arents. Iler n1ind nddresRcd itself 'vith cu. tom:-try directness and force to the question hovv she n1ight procure the restoration of her father to his family. 1\fter much reflection, she came to a resolution, which she fit·-.t disclosed to l\frs. Fitzhugh. That lady treated Julia as a daughter and sh:trod all her cares and counsels. Shn, too, believed that the d:tys of !irs. Fairf~tx would be few unless her hu band 'vere released, and that his life 1night be endangered by his i1nprisonn1ent nuder the actual circumstances. Of course, she particip:tted in his daughter's de ire to obtain his liberation. Tint there seen1ed to be no n1eans \Vithin the power of the two \Vomen to effect that object. They \vere assured that the Federal officer comn1anding in the county " 'as hostile t6 Col .. oncl Fairfax, and that the Palmers \\rere accon1plices in the oppression prncti:·ed up.0n hin1, if they ·were not the instigators. It was not c1eumeJ possible to induce those 1nen to rel:.1x the rigor of persecution except upon a condition kuown only to .Jnlia and re<Ym·clcd by her 'vith horror. The two ladies ' discusseb d tho subject several titnes 'vithout a sntisGwtory result. At last, \vhen it \vas again renewed, Julia said to .1\tirs. Fitzhugh-" I Lelieve I can ol>tain n1 y :fi1ther's release." ''II ow is it possible, n1y denr Julia?" "I 'vill go to "'\Vashington and petition the Federal authorities." "You are a brave girl, Julia, to make such an attempt, but it ·woult1 be useless." nOEBUCIC. 270 "I hope not, .Mrs. Fitzhugh, but, at all m•ent , I mny succeed, and there appcnrs to be no other chance of saving their lives. I will try." " What ra~ional gronnc1 can yon find to hope for snccess? It 1s not probnbJe that yon will ever reach V\Tnshington. I sny nothing of the dangers by the wny, for I kno'v yon 'vill not be deterred by them, and, 1ny dear child, I cannot say that you onght to be. But if you 'verc in \Vashington, the authorities will certainly act accorc1ing to the reports and sugge tions of their own ofiicers and ndhercnts in the county. \Vhat el e can they know of yonr :fi1thcr ?'' "That secn1s plausible. But I imagine that men in high otlice nlust be free froin some of the bitter ana vu1gnr animosity \Vhich is npt to affect inferior agents. .B esides, they are remote from the in trigucs of this ~ neighborhood. Surely there is . omc one in authority who, in spite of political virulence, will feel comlxlssion for the suffer.iu gs of so good a man and of his innocent 'vife." "Ala. , I fear that the n1ilitary among us arc but too ihithfnl representati\·es of their go\·ernmcnt. vVas not Colonel Trmnaine rmnoveu to nutkc room ior the present COlntnander ?" ''These circumstances and n1nnv others are discour- " nging. But I have reflected upon thCJn all. I . eo eli conragCJnent but not impo._. ibility. Since we have thought of no other plan t11at is even within the range of po. sibil ity, I nm re:ol ved to try this one. I c:umot sit still ancJ sec 1ny n1othcr <lie without nn effort to s:1ve her. Even the hope which n1y uuderbking will iuspiro may arrest l1er decline. I intrcat yon, if yon c:m, to euconrnge her and to rmnovc any objection that ~ho may oppose to 1ny atten1pt." |