Wyandotte

Jacob! the stre

rs of Zion;--n

ave struck her, a

the desert she

and banner, with s

o down in the mi

u

s, the wheat and other grains were throwing up their heads, and the meadows were beginning to exchange their flowers for the seed. As for the forest, it had now veiled its mysteries beneath broad curtains of a green so bright and lively, that

common to obviate suspicion; and, the leave had, the two conspirators started off, in company, the morning of the second day, or forty-eight hours after the major and Nick had disappeared. As the latter was known to have come in by the Fort Stanwix route, it was naturally enough supposed that he had returned by the same; and Joel determined to head him on the Mohawk,

son, in momentary security at least. After remaining at his post until satisfied his intended prey had escaped him, Joel, with his friend, returned to the settlement. Still, the opportunity had been improved, to make himself better acquainted with the real state of the country; to open communications with certain patriots of a moral calibre about equal

Beulah had schooled her affectionate heart to a degree that permitted her to part with him, in such a cause, with seeming resignation. It was, sooth to say, a curious spectacle, to see how these two sisters bent all their thoughts and

an of strong good sense, though without the least brilliancy; and his arguments were all so clear and practical, as to carry with them far more weight than was usual in the violent partisan discussions of the period. Beulah fancied him a Solon in

ose of the day, the circumstance of most of the windows of the Hut looking on the court, rendering this resort to the open air more agreeable than might otherwise have been the case. Evert was undecided whether to go the following morning, or to remain

ks near the mill, the point at which all arrivals in the valley were first seen

the time he should be back, the bearer of good news. A week earlier might have augured better;

, as he came rapidly across the plain. In a few minutes the Indian came upon the lawn, perfectly in wind, moving with deliberation and gravity, as he drew neare

he then said. "Where

he Indian, presenting a no

hall be paid to-night. But, this letter has been written on the eastern bank

, when he

why have you not come back

ntry--went to shore

, has been at the bot

-no squaw--got

e you of so womanish a feeling. Far from it; I know you a

wered Nick, s

. Surely my son did not allow you to tra

ne for major; one for Tusca

were in earnest. Were you

-pale-face know no better. T'in

mpliment. Had my son reached

n, producing another missive, fr

e which he read with extreme

dated 'Boston, June 18th, 1775;' but it is withou

aimed the anxious mother. "Ne

should be known. This is all. 'My dearest sir--Thank God I am unharmed; but we have had much to make us reflect; you know what duty requires--my best and endless love to my mother, and Beulah--and dear, laughing, capricious, pret

now. Nick dere--hot time--a t'o

that is too plain to admit of dispute. Speak out at once,

ound; Yankee kill. If Yankee could take scalp of all he kill

It can hardly be possible that the Americans would dare to attack

chaplain, with emphasis. "This

d Nick, pointedly. "It skirmg

scarora?" said the captain, mo

-full of red-coat. Great chief, dere!--ten--six--two--all go togeder. Come ashore--parad

I suppose it must have been

answered the I

sensation, even the ladies sta

, slowly. "Go on with your history,

er--go in canoe to fight,

one peninsula, and Charlestown on another. Still, I do not recollect tha

eft Albany, sir," returned the colonel. "A few direct questi

any Yankees were in this fight, Nick?--Ca

no sodger. Carry gun, but no carry baggonet; no carry knapsac

ee deep, would contain about two thousand men

im--pretty ne

Yankees on this hill--how many king's troop

; t'other time, half so many

ll! By George, this does look like w

me go, fight good deal--run away, too. Den try hard

te graphical. Wigwam on fire?

fire--booh--booh-- Nick nebber see such war before--wah!

, Nick? How came you to

'in' to do, dere. How know about him?--See him--dat all. Got eye

rself, or did you remain in Bo

general send letter by Nick--majo

, then!" said Mrs. Willoughby. "H

d Bob knows us too well, to atte

the field, Nick--after you

d up like pine--no dodge he head, dere. Kill all round him--no hurt him!

here might have been left on the gro

d a small bundle, and exhibited an epaulette, several rings, a watch, five or six pairs of silver buckles, and divers othe

d is this the plunder of E

t'ing, too. Go farder, far

ere more red-coats left on t

big grave to hold red-coat. Small grave won't hold Yankee. Hear what he count; most

he had given the coup-de-grace, himself, to the owner of the epaulette, nor did he deem it essential to furnish all the particulars of his mode of obtaining so many buckles. In other respects, his account was fair enough, "nothing extenuating, or setting down aught in malice." The au

officers, soon succeeded, including his own as a colonel; and the war may be said to have commenced systematically. Its distant din occasionally reached the Hutted Knoll; but the summer passed away, bringing with it no event

re of reason. Her mother and Maud were invaluable friends to her, in this novel and trying situation, though each had her own engrossing cares on account of Robert Willoughby. As no other great battle, however, occurred in the course of the year

with his well-beloved Beulah. The ancient town mentioned was not gay at a moment like that; but it had many young officers in it, on the American side of the question, who were willing enough to make themselves acceptable to Maud. The captain was not sorry to see several of these youths manifesting

America will be all the better friends for having a mutual respect. I know my countrymen well; they mean right, and will do right, as soon as their stomachs are a little lowered, and they come to look at the truth, coolly. I'll answer for it, the Battle of Bunker's Hill made us"--the capt

nions were right in part, certainly; for they depended on a law of nature, while it is not improbable they were wrong in all that was connected with the notions of any peculiarly manly quality, in any particular part of christendom. No maxi

crowded about her chair, during the Albany winter mentioned. Two or three of colonel Beekman's military friends, in particular, would very gladly have become connected with

rls of her years, in the attentions of your sex. That her heart is affectionate--warm--even tender, I am very certain; and yet no sign of preference,

are not more certain to befall children, than love to befall a young woman. You were all made for it, my dear W

am sure, I have no wish to separate from my child; but as we cannot always remain, it is perhaps better this one should marry, like

to my fancy Luke Herring

en cannot think of a daughter's establishment, without immed

and lands in moderation, are ve

without any excess of riches to sweeten the state!" answered Mrs. Willoughby, reproachfully. "H

dear girl; for girl you are and ever will be in my eyes; but you are one in a million, and I humbly trust there are not ten hundred and one,

to the child. Maud is not in the least capricious, especially in her affections. See with what truth and faithfulness of sisterly attachme

e him a general officer; certainly, if I live to be as old as my grandfather, Sir Thomas. As for Maud, she finds Beulah uneasy about Beekman; and having no husband herself, or any over that she cares a straw about, why she jus

is so unnatural for Evert and

his cards with spirit and judgment. He was with us, in that awkward affair of Braddock's; and between you and me, Wilhelmina, he covered the regulars,

entioned, it had no small influence on his opinions to find himself acting on the same side with this admired favourite. Prophecies often produce their own f

ly returned to the Knoll, where it was thought wiser, and even safer to be, at a moment so critical, than even in a more frequented place. The war proceeded, and, to the captain's great regret, without any very visible approaches towards the reconciliation he had so confidently anticipated.

ions, partly in consequence of his son's present and his own previous connection with the royal army, and partly on account of Joel's secret machinations, the authorities were well content to let the settlement alone, provided it would take care of itself. Notwithstanding the prominent patriotism of Joel Strides and the miller, they were well satisfied, themselves, with this state of things; preferring peace and quietness to the more stirring scenes of war. Their schemes, moreover, had met with somewhat of a check, in the feeling of the population of the valley, which, on an occasion calcu

igured by war. There, everything seemed peaceful and calm, the woods sighing with the airs of their sublime solitude, the genial sun shedding its heats on

the breathing stillness of the forest, listening to the melancholy sound of the bell that summoned them to prayers. "There is a frightful calm over this p

to good; the people are right; and America will now be a na

ith being respectable subjects of so great a country as England, that they must destroy each ot

have occasion to show, perhaps, how far was that submission to events which she inculcated, from t

ry nor impetuous. If his cool judgment approve of what has been done, we ma

er. The last messenger who came in, brought us the miserable tidings that Sir William Howe was landing a large army near New York, and that the Americans were prep

had promised to write at every good occasion, and that which he promised was usually performed. She thought, and thought rightly, that a very few day

s to change the fortunes of the inmates of the Hutted Knoll. Beulah had now been married more than a twelvemonth, and was already a mother; and of course all that time had elapsed since the s