More than four years,
however, had passed since any tidings had been received of them by
Franconia; and it was strongly surmised that they had fallen victims
to the savage incursions of marauding parties, who were at that time
devastating the country, and scattering its defenceless inhabitants
homeless over the western shores of central America. So strong had
this impression found place in Franconia's mind that she had given
up all hopes of again meeting them. As for M'Carstrow's friends,
they had never taken any interest in her welfare, viewing her
marriage with the distinguished colonel as a mere catch on the part
of her parents, whose only motive was to secure themselves the
protection of a name, and, perhaps, the means of sustaining
themselves above the rank disclosure of their real poverty. To keep
"above board" is everything in the south; and the family not
distinguished soon finds itself well nigh extinguished. Hence that
ever tenacious clinging to pretensions, sounding of important names,
and maintenance of absurd fallacies,--all having for their end the
drawing a curtain over that real state of poverty there existing.
Indeed, it was no secret that even the M'Carstrow family (counting
itself among the very few really distinguished families of the
state, and notorious for the contempt in which they affected to hold
all common people), had mortgaged their plantation and all its
negroes for much more than their worth in ordinary times. As for
tradesmen's bills, there were any quantity outstanding, without the
shadow of a prospect of their being paid, notwithstanding
importuners had frequently intimated that a place called the gaol
was not far distant, and that the squire's office was within a
stone's throw of "the corner.
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