Wyandotte

rd, is fashione

d suddenly, and

ptly mentioned

ur deeds, praise

armies, talk o

touching your

eek, call'd to

lustre, ma

, and her bos

lho

is cut off from the signs of the hour. Thus, too, in the forest, or in an isolated clearing, the mysteries of the woods are deepened, and danger is robbed of its forethought and customary guards. That evening, Major Willoughby stood at a window with an arm round the slender waist of Beulah, Maud standing a l

aid, thoughtfully. "Do my father and mother neve

mbly," quietly answered Beulah. "We expected to meet you there, l

ceived my new rank of major, it would not do to be absent at the momen

d said anything; continuing, after a little pause, in a much more mode

isiters?--hunters, trappers, s

ter waiting a moment for her sister

ieve; the Indians come more frequently, though I think we have seen less of them, during Nick's absence than while he was more with us. Still we have as many as a hundred in a year, perhaps, counting the women. They come in parties, you kn

ell look for an estate in a wilderness

which he was searching. His name was Fonda. The other was one of the Beekmans, who has lately succeeded his father in a property of considera

f thousands and tens of thousands,

ained by a snow-storm, and staid with us some days--so long, indeed, that he remained, a

e visiters of this sort so very common that

that. She thinks Mr. Evert Beekman more wort

there was a deeper tint on her cheek than common, which it was too dark to see. "I am

nd now, Beulah, if you will only let out a secret of the same s

there be nothing to tell of a certai

e is in this house. To tell you the truth, girls, these are not times for a soldier to think of anyt

nt to that. Evert Beekman thinks there will be trouble, but he doe

t family are loyal, I believ

leaving her sister to explain, "He is not fiery; but he calls himself an American, with emphasis; and

another. An American, as my father was a Cumberland-man, and

ter--or, if I have two, they are an American, and a New York girl. Di

d Beulah. "Nothing can come of all the big words that have been u

es seem to be fearfully retired for a family like ours. I hope my father may be persuaded to pass more

fevers, and agues, and those things being quite unknown. Mamma

lloughby could be induced to live more in New York. Girls of you

in her brother's face. "Good night. Sir Hugh wishes us to send you into his library when we can spare you, a

with a sobered tenderness, and Maud thought kindly--and then the

employed in the indulgence. A little excellent Cogniac and water, in which however the spring was not as much neglected, as in the orgies related in the previous chapter, moistened their lips, from time to time, giving a certain zest and comfort to their enjoyments. Just as the door opened to admit the major, he was the subject of discourse, the proud parent and the partial friend finding almost an equal gratification in d

pipe at your time of life; or may say, I was afraid of it; the only smoke that was in fashion among our

the door was shut--"Why, sir, to own the truth, my visit, here, just

the pipes from their mouths, holding th

this unexpected pleasure to your affectionate desire to let

you to remember the awkwardness of my position

g in your father's house, major Willoughby, being in the midst of enemies? Th

re. But, there are others besides you two, in this part of the world, and your very settlem

ually to dissipate, as it might have been rising from a field of battle. One lo

ed the captain, gravely. "Has anything new occ

been drawn, sir; open r

consequences of some fresh indiscretion of the soldiery, in firing on the people? R

er, sir. Blood has not been dr

s indeed a serious matter, and may

lead us, poor, dependent creatures that we are, into the paths of peac

that armed and disciplined bod

ajesty's forces, have met and fought. This I know, full well; for my own regiment was in

ord--could not stand before you?" said the captain, compr

ed the Rev. Mr. Woods, if not literally at the devil, at least safe and

the truth, these minute-fellows are not quite as contemptible as we soldiers would be apt to think. It was a stone-wall affair, an

Major Wi

ain, after having done the business on which we went out. I shall

our regiment could not need a reinforceme

exhibition of his father's esprit de corps; but native fran

rvice of the last war, declare, that taking the march, and the popping work, and the distance, altogether, it was the warmest day they remember. Our los

o give a succinct, but connected history of the whole affair. The major complied, beginning his narrative with an account of the general state of the country, and concluding it, by giving, as far a

ll the military points very clearly, did full justice to the perseverance and daring of the provincials, as he called his enemies--for, an American himself, he would not term them Americans--and threw in as many explanatory remarks as he could t

f the military movements was ended, "has been to raise a tremendous

"It is well done, and as I would have expected from you. We might have pass

ath of Sir Harry Willoughby, he directed me to come up the river, privately, have an interview with Sir John, if possible, and then push on, under a feigned name, and communicate with you. He thinks, now Sir William is dead, that with your estate

is confined to my own household, and some fifteen or twenty labourers; and as for the new rank of which you speak, it is not likely the colonists will care much for that

e than to believe you think it my duty, because I was born in the

of birth, and birth-place. Such a subsequent state of things may have grown up, as to change all our duties, and it is necessary that we discharge them as they are; not as they may have been, hitherto, or may be, hereafter. Those who

ly very much like a native American, but very much like a native Yankee, in the bargain. You know I was born in the Bay,

lloughby, smiling--"You have nothing t

s, really rejoiced at heart, to hear that my countrymen

s performed," returned the young soldier, a little stiffly. "I suppose it is natural for one Yankee to sympathize with another; but, my

, my friend--all this is true enough, and very natural. I allow captain Willoughby

it is scarcely the honest man's maxim. Our country, after all, cannot have nearer claims upon us, than our parents for instance; and who can claim a moral right

said the major, in a tone of as much remonstrance

indly, or harshly, because she is the child of only a friend, and not my own natural daughter. As God is my judge, Woods, I am unconscious of not loving Maud Meredith, at this moment, as tenderly as I love Beulah Wi

there could be a divided allegiance. The chaplain looked at the subject with views still more narrowed, and he took up the

he is forced to be true to that nature, so ought he morally to be true to that country. The captain says, that it is difficult to determine which is one's country, in a civil war; but I cannot admit the argument. If Massachusetts and England get to blows, Massachuset

r, with a good deal of animation; "and if one-half the household quarrelled with the oth

f the household out of the question. Has he no claims? Is a father to be altogether overlooked in the struggle between the children? Are his laws to be broken--his rights i

rrible words, and must not be disobeyed. But the decalogue has not another syllable which touches the question. 'Thou shalt not kill,' means murder only; common, vulgar murder--and 'thou shalt not steal,' 'thou shalt not commit adultery,' &c.,

r the things which are C?sar's? Has C?sar no rights here? Can Massachusetts and my Lor

dered a little, and then he came up to

ake sides with us, we shall be ready to honour and obey him; but i

if he refuse to do as we wish, then down with C?sar. I am an old soldier, Woods, and while I feel tha

irly got into a warm discussion, taking the loyal side of the question, he would do more to confirm himself in the desired views, than could be effe

a strong link in the chain of esteem; for they had a tendency to enliven their solitude, and to give a zest to lives that, without them, would have been exceedingly monotonous. Their ordinary subjects were theology and war; the chaplain having some practical kn

g, and really logical portion of the subject, was handled by one trained in garrisons and camps, with a truth, both of ethics and reason, that would have done credit to a drilled casuist. The war of words continued till past midnight, both disputants soon getting back to their pip

resembled herself; and Maud, the adopted, one rendered dear by solicitude and tenderness, and now so fondly beloved on her own account, were all with her, beneath her own roof, almost within the circle of her arms. The Hutted Knoll was no longer a solitude; the manor was not a wilderness to her; for where her heart was, there truly was her treasure, also. After passing a few minutes in silent, but delightful thought, this excellent, guileless woman knelt and poured out her soul in thanksgivings to the Being, who h

he left it on his last visit, a twelvemonth before; and some few things that were strangers to him, in the bargain. In that day, toilets covered with muslin, more or less worked and ornamented, were a regular appliance of every bed-room, of a better-class house, throughout America. The more modern "Duchess

himself. "Can this be my mother?" thought the young man, approaching to examine the well-remembered hoop, which he had never found so honoured before; "can my kind, tender-hearted mother, who never will forget that I am no longer a child, can she have really done this? I must laugh at her, to-morrow, about it, even whil

ike that of the commander-in-chief, were I to take away all that these dear relatives design for me. What's this?--a purse! a handsome silken purse, too, with Beulah's name on it. Has Maud nothing, here? Why has Maud forgotten me! Ruffles, handkerchiefs, garters--yes, here is a pair of my good mother's own knitting, but nothing of Maud's--Ha! what have we here? As I live, a bea

d the scarf, and then--I regret to say without

Maud, ever the quickest and most prompt in her movements, was already in her night-clothes; and, wrapping a shawl about herself, was se

tint of a riband it leaned against, on the back of the chair. "I heard his heavy tramp--t

d heavy, now, that he quite frightens me, sometimes

handsome and curling. Then he is taller, but lighter--has more colour--is so much younger--a

g, and we were both delighted to see it. Papa is quite handsome, and so I think is Bob. Mother

acquaintance--and the major is so-so-ish--but, I wonder you can think a man of seven-and-twent

nly well. Mr. Woods said, a few days since, he had ne

there have been other boys who were quite as c

do, too, so perfect! Now, this very evening, he was looking at the sketch you have made of the Knoll,

aking, from under her cap, and her cheeks now fairly put th

s no judge of drawings--He sca

tionate Beulah, who could see no imperfection in Bob; "and that of your brot

sed to. He has been away from us so much, of late, you know--and the army makes men so formi

a major, and twenty-seven, just as she used to look upon him, when he was in pe

tears starting to her eyes, involuntarily, almost impetuously-

her! Well, for my part, I have no such horror of men, as not to feel jus

ng tenderness for a Major of Foot, a very different thing from feeling it fo

and I am not certain that you are

a real daughter of her nominal parents. As for Beulah, her feelings were so simple and sincere, that they were even beyond the ordinary considerations of delicacy, and she took precisely the same liberties with her titular, as she would have done with a natural sister. Maud alone, of all in the Hut, remembered her birth, and submitted to some of its most obvious consequences. As respects the captain, the idea n

motion, and speaking with startling emphasis

, between you. Mamma says this, sometimes; though she owns she is not jealous. But it w

I?--Beulah

t, Maud? Are you in

I'm sure--you ou

eally frightened at the ot

his real--tru

, in the other's presence. Beulah turned pale; she trembled all over, as if

" cried Maud, throwing herself int

ou shall for ever be,