A Romance of the Republic

withstanding a day of very unusual excitement and fatigue, when he retired to rest he felt no inclination to sleep. Rosabella floated before him as he had first seen

show her pearls. He turned restlessly on his pillow with a muttered oath. Then he smiled as he thought to himself that, by saving her from such degradation, he had acquired complete control of her destiny. From the first moment he heard of her reverses, he had felt that her misfortunes were his triumph. Madly in love as he had been for more than a year, his own pride, and still more the dreaded scorn of proud relatives, had prevented him from offering marriage; while the watchful guardianship of her father, and her dutiful respect to his wishes, rendered any less honorable alliance hopeless. But now he was her sole protector; and though he had satisfied her scruples by marriage, he could hide her away and keep his own secret; while she, in the fulness of her grateful love, would doubtless be satisfied with any arrangement he chose to make. But there still remained some difficulties in his way. He was unwilling

hard-looking characters. Among them, and in singular contrast with their world-stamped faces, was the ingenuous countenance of Florimond Blumenthal. Three hundred dollars of his salar

the claims of Mr. Whitwell of Savannah, who, being unable to be

t of his property, with an expression of listless indifference; often moving his finger

however, for his claim was small, and he was too young to be a power in the commercial world. He modestly refrained from making any remarks; and having given in his account, he r

usually blooming countenance; but though Fitzgerald was on tenter-hooks

say, "We appraised them

Mr. Chandler," as you would all agree, gentlemen, if yo

" inquired Blumenthal, with a degree of agi

ruteman. "Their mother was a s

with constrained calmness in his tones, while the expression of his face betrayed his inward suffering. "The

, you must buy them at auction, if you can. The law is inexorable. It requires th

rifice my life to save his orphans from such a dreadful calamity. I know little about the requirements of the law, gentlemen, but I implore you to tell me if there isn

lk sentiment, my lad,"

e to transa

ould be extremely glad. I should be willing to lose much more than my share, for the sake of bringing about such an arrangement. And, really, the sale of such girls as these are said to be is not very creditable to the countr

care a damn about the Abolitionists, nor Europe neither. I

n. "I am surprised to hear a Southerner speak as if the opinions of rascally abolition- amalgamationis

uickly, "I allow no man to call in

elf insulted, you know

e you your choice of

s watch, and two or three o

don, "that gentlemen a

en sent for these slaves of Mr. Royal, and they are probably now lodg

o go out; but a blindness came over h

Chandler. "At any rate, he seems to think there's a differ

prinkled the young man's face, and two or thr

all he knew. Despatches were sent in hot haste to the New York and Boston police, describing the fugitives, declaring them to be thieves, and demanding that they should be sent forthwith to New Orleans for trial. The policeman who had been employed to watch Madame's house, and who had been induced to turn his back for a while by some mysterious process best known to Mr. Fitzgerald, was severely cross-examined and liberally pelted with oaths. In the co

h an impetuous, peppery man, that they never would have thought of trusting him with any important secret. Having thus paved the way, he came out with a distinct proposition at the next meeting. "I feel a great deal of sympathy for Signor Papanti," said he. "I have been acquainted with him a good while, and have taken lessons of him, both in music and Italian; and I like the old gentleman. He is getting ill in prison

opose to offer?" in

sand dollars if you

ill take the subject under

r would like to make a match with Madame Guirlande. If you will allow her to come back to her business

an, abruptly; "and let me tell you, if you know where

the more exciting. I never tried my luck at buying slaves running, and I have rather a fancy for experimenting in that game of chance. And I confess my curiosity has been so excited by the wonderful accounts I have

. With inward maledictions on their slowness, he departed, resolving in his o

ed: "It's very much like him. He's

stery somehow, and that he expects to find those handsome wenc

in that we cannot obta

ve already expended con

o offer two thousand f

ter acc

Fitzgerald returned to New Orleans, and took an early opportunity to inform the creditors that he should remain a ver

rather a quixotic undertaking to go in pursuit of them. You know it's a difficult job to catch a slave after he gets to the North, if he's as black as the ace of spades; and

ubling on the financial question, Fitzgerald agreed to pay two thousand five hundred dollars, if all his demands were complied with. The papers