This was a horrid lecture, Charles. She brought every charge against me
which a fruitful and gloomy imagination could suggest. But I hope when
she recovers she will resume her former cheerfulness, and become as kind
and agreeable as ever. My anxiety for her safety is very great. I trust,
however, it will soon be removed, and peace and pleasure be restored to
your humble servant,
PETER SANFORD.
LETTER LXXI.
TO MRS. LUCY SUMNER.
HARTFORD.
The drama is now closed! A tragical one it has proved!
How sincerely, my dear Mrs. Sumner, must the friends of our departed
Eliza sympathize with each other, and with her afflicted, bereaved
parent!
You have doubtless seen the account in the public papers which gave us
the melancholy intelligence. But I will give you a detail of
circumstances.
A few days after my last was written, we heard that Major Sanford's
property was attached, and he a prisoner in his own house. He was the
last man to whom we wished to apply for information respecting the
forlorn wanderer; yet we had no other resource. And after waiting a
fortnight in the most cruel suspense, we wrote a billet, entreating him,
if possible, to give some intelligence concerning her. He replied that
he was unhappily deprived of all means of knowing himself, but hoped
soon to relieve his own and our anxiety about her.
In this situation we continued till a neighbor (purposely, we since
concluded) sent us a Boston paper.
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