”Why, Carlotta,” I said, ”did not a young man of that name pay his addresses to you at Saratoga?”
”Oh! certainly; I remember him. How stupid of me to forget. Poor Charley! I do not blame him for not recognising the lady of satin in this old homespun.”
”I must go to Goldsboro’ to-morrow,” I said, thinking gratefully of his kindness, ”and if he is still there offer some testimonial of our gratitude.”
”It’s useless,” said Carlotta, ”he has gone on to Raleigh with the army, and I cannot let you leave me so soon.”
Mr. Bemby now came in from the field, and greeted us warmly in his uncouth way, while Mrs. B. excused herself to see about dinner. It was a plain meal, of one course, but Delmonico has never served one that was more enjoyed, or surrounded by happier hearts.
The next day I went over to Goldsboro’, and, obtaining a hundred dollars, in ”greenbacks,” the first I had ever handled, prepared to start with our little family for Wilmington the following morning, for I could not consent to impose longer on the good nature of the Bembys, and crowd them out of comfort in their little house.
The next morning, having bade them an affectionate and grateful farewell, we lifted mother carefully into the vehicle I had hired to take us to town, and were soon in the cars, mother, Carlotta, Johnnie and I, rattling down to Wilmington. We found that Miss Wiggs had been unmolested in her possession of our house, and that it was therefore ready for our reception.
Many of our former slaves now applied for positions in our household, but, as they had deserted us when most needed, I refused every one, and engaged an entire new set. About this time, also, I received a balance sheet from father’s bankers in New York, showing a large accumulated balance in our favor, and, drawing on this, we began to surround ourselves with ante-bellum comforts, and to make home feel like home.
Soon after we had gotten somewhat settled I began to make inquiries about Lulie, for I felt the deepest interest in her welfare, and had ever thought of her downfall with deepest sorrow. As I could hear nothing definite in regard to her, though it was generally believed she had gone off with a Federal officer of high rank, I determined to call on her old maiden aunt, with whom she had lived since her father’s death, which occurred early in the winter. To my surprise the old lady would neither see me nor answer any of my inquiries, but called out to me, in a shrill cracked voice, as I stood at her door, her long bony feet just visible in heelless slippers and blue stockings, at the top of her stairway:
”You needn’t come here asking me about the little silly fool, for I wouldn’t tell you anything if I knew, which I don’t. She’s gone from my sight and hearing, and I hope to the Lord you nor any one else will ever hear of her again.”