Hot corn: Life Scenes in New York IllustratedRobinson, Solon
General
Hot corn: Life Scenes in New York Illustrated
Robinson, Solon
New York (N.Y.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Temperance -- Fiction
"Oh, I know who he means," said Adelaide, "it is Lucy, Lucy Smith."
"Yes, yes, that is it. It is Lucy at any rate."
"She is in her room. She has got the dumps--the blues--I should not
wonder if she was all melted by this time, she has been crying these
three days."
"Crying, why what has she to cry about? I should not think anybody need
to cry in this house, you never cry, do you?"
The very question almost brought a tear, but she drove it back.
"Well, Lucy must come down and have some wine. Get her down, and we will
have another bottle."
"She won't come. We are all tired of trying. She has got the pouts,
because Mrs. Laylor took her trunk away from her to keep for her board.
She don't make any thing. All she ever did make was out of Frank
Barkley, and that she gave to redeem her watch and a good-for-nothing
old Bible I don't see what she wants of that."
"Well, I am going to have her down--I have no opinion of having any girl
in the dumps. Where is her room?"
"Third floor back room. That is right, go and bring her out whether or
no. She has hardly been out for a week till to-day Mrs. Laylor took her
out riding with her, to try to put a little life in her, for fear she
would die on her hands, and she would have to bury her for charity."
"Well, well, I will bring her down, see if I don't. Come, Treewell, if
she will not come without we will bring her."
So away we went upstairs, now satisfied that we were on the right trail,
and that we had completely lulled all suspicion that we wanted anything
of Lucy Smith, except to compel the poor heart-sick woman to join in a
Bacchanalian revel, at which her soul revolted. Up, up we went, passed
three "private rooms," in which we will not seek to look, for they are
occupied by those who come veiled and in the dark. Here is the room we
want. We knocked but received no welcome "come in."
How quick she would open the door if she knew who was waiting for
admission. Tired of knocking, we enter unbidden, and find the room
empty. The prisoner has escaped.
The truth flashed upon my mind in a moment. She has gone off with Mrs.
May. Mr. Lovetree thought not, for Stella said they would not let her go
out except some one in the house went with her to watch her.
"No matter. I am almost sure that woman has got her away. These women
are great at contrivance. Very likely she came prepared for it, as
Stella told her of course, all that Mrs. Morgan had told her."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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