Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/47

Rh was still a free man in the north who would gladly have her, but she could not think of leaving Mrs. Le V. “She was so fond of her, she should never leave her.”

But who would not be fond of Octavia?

When we reached the residence of Mrs. Le V.'s friend, we found that she had been taken thence to a small hotel in the neighbourhood of St. Charles, and thither Betsy hastened to seek for her.

With the thought of Mrs. G. I went to the scene of conflagration, in the hope of hearing some tidings of her there, and was fortunate enough when near the place to meet her eldest son, and to hear from him that she, his father, and little brother were all well lodged in the house of a friend at no great distance. I passed St. Charles's; merely a small number of people were now busied about the fire. It had done its work, and the flames were now consuming the lower portion of the beautiful colonnades, and ravaging the remains of the basement story. The burning ruins produced a very picturesque effect. Not a trace of tumult or disorder appeared on the open space in front. Everything had been already disposed of and housed elsewhere; everything was tranquil; it was now only about four hours from the outbreak of the fire. And I have heard to-day that a subscription is already on foot to erect another St. Charles. American expedition!

A few persons have been injured by the fire, and many have lost their effects. The fire broke out just by Octavia's room, which was very near mine. How fortunate that it did not happen in the night!

I do not grieve about St. Charles's. It was, in my opinion, a dear, uncomfortable, splendid hotel, and worthy of such a death! I was obliged to pay four dollars and a quarter for a residence there of one night and half a day in a dark room, four stories high. But Louisiana is a very dear place, the dearest in the United States.

From 20th to 27th January.—Quiet days, but