"Yes, my dear! quite sick--so says my letter. Here are two for you."
Charlie hastily broke the seal of one, and read as follows:--
"MY DEAR LITTLE BROTHER,--We are all in deep distress in
consequence of the misfortunes brought upon us by the mob.
Our home has been destroyed; and, worse than all, our poor
father was caught, and so severely beaten by the rioters that
for some days his life was entirely despaired of. Thank God!
he is now improving, and we have every reasonable hope of
his ultimate recovery. Mother, Caddy, and I, as you may
well suppose, are almost prostrated by this accumulation of
misfortunes, and but for the kindness of Mr. Walters, with
whom we are living, I do not know what would have become
of us. Dear Mr. and Mrs. Garie--[Here followed a passage
that was so scored and crossed as to be illegible. After a
short endeavour to decipher it, he continued:] We would
like to see you very much, and mother grows every day more
anxious for your return. I forgot to add, in connection with
the mob, that Mr. Walters's house was also attacked, but
unsuccessfully, the rioters having met a signal repulse.
Mother and Caddy send a world of love to you. So does
Kinch, who comes every day to see us and is, often extremely
useful.
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