The Trials of the Soldier's Wife: A Tale of the Second American Revolution — John Shaqi
The Trials of the Soldier's Wife: A Tale of the Second American RevolutionAbrams, Alex. St. Clair (Alexander St. Clair)
History
The Trials of the Soldier's Wife: A Tale of the Second American Revolution
Abrams, Alex. St. Clair (Alexander St. Clair)
Confederate States of America -- Fiction; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
"By what means did you purchase her?" asked Harry addressing himself
to Dr. Humphries.
The Doctor related to him the circumstances which occasioned the
purchase, as well as the statement of Elsy. Harry listened
attentively, for the friendship he felt for his friend naturally made
him interested in all that concerned Alfred, or his family.
"Is there no way by which I can discover where Mrs. Wentworth is
residing at present?" he enquired, after a moment of thought.
"None that I could devise," answered Dr. Humphries. "I know nothing of
the family personally, nor would I have known anything of their
existence, had not chance carried me to the auction sale, at which I
purchased Elsy."
"Call the girl here for me," Harry said: "I must learn something more
of the departure of Mrs. Wentworth and her children from New Orleans,
and endeavor to obtain a clue to her whereabouts. It is a duty I owe
to the man who saved my life, that everything I can do for his family
shall be performed."
Emma left the room as he was speaking, and shortly after returned,
followed by Elsy.
"Here is the girl," she said, as she entered.
"So you belonged to Mr. Wentworth of New Orleans, did you?" Harry
commenced.
"I used to belong to him," replied Elsy.
"What made Mrs. Wentworth leave New Orleans?" he asked, continuing his
questions.
Elsy gave a long account of the villainy of Awtry, in the usual style
adopted by negroes, but sufficiently intelligible for Harry to
understand the cause of Mrs. Wentworth being compelled to abandon her
home, and take refuge in the Confederate lines.
"Did not your mistress state where she was going," he asked.
"No, sah," replied Elsy. "My mistis jest told me good bye when she
left wid de children. I promised her I would get away from de Yankees,
but she forgot to tell me whar she was gwine to lib."
"Did she bring out plenty of money with her?" he enquired.
"Yes, sah," Elsy answered. She had seen the sum of money possessed by
Mrs. Wentworth, on her departure from New Orleans, and it being a much
larger amount than she had ever beheld before, made the faithful girl
believe that her mistress had left with quite a fortune.
"Very well, you can go now," remarked Harry. "It is a satisfaction,"
he continued as Elsy left the room, "to know that Wentworth's wife is
well provided with money, although it does appear strange that she
should have a plenty of funds, when her husband informed me, while in
prison, that the money he left her with could not maintain his wife
and children for any great length of time."
"She may have been furnished with money by some friend, who intending
to remain in the city, had no use for Confederate Treasury notes," Dr.
Humphries remarked.
"That is very likely, and I trust it is so," observed Harry,
"However," he continued, "I shall take steps on Monday next, to find
out where Mrs. Wentworth is now residing."
On Monday the following advertisement appeared in the evening papers:
INFORMATION WANTED.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account