"'Tis pleasant, through the loop-holes of retreat,
To peep at such a world; to see the stir
Of the great Babel, and not feel the crowd;
To hear the roar she sends, through all her gates,
At a safe distance, where the dying sound
Falls, a soft murmur, on the uninjured ear."
WILLIAM COWPER
The individual we have mentioned, who now came rapidly, towards Ralph,
was somewhat advanced in years--not less, perhaps, than sixty. Yet, in
his whole bearing and appearance could be seen the iron frame and
hardihood, which in these days have given place to a certain effeminacy
of manners. The hardy, robust race of men who cleared our forests, and
encountered cheerfully the sufferings and privations, and endured the
toil incident to a pioneer life, are passing away; and however much our
vanity may suffer in making the confession, their sons and successors
are apt to lack in those iron qualities which succeeded against
obstacles, the magnitude of which most of us do not appreciate.
The countenance of this individual exhibited tokens of the energy of
this now nearly departed class of men; yet upon it, at the same time,
glowed an expression of honesty and intelligence, which at once win the
heart and command confidence and respect. The frosts of time had but
lightly touched his hair, and at the first glance, one would have
guessed him at least ten years younger than he actually was.
Matthew Barton, for such was his name, about two years before the period
we have assigned for our narrative, had left one of the settlements at
the eastward, and removed with his family to this remote region. He had
been unfortunate in his pecuniary affairs, and his confidence had been
betrayed by a friend for whom he had incurred obligations nearly to the
amount of his small fortune. With the remains of his little property he
had removed to the west, advancing beyond the remotest dwelling in this
section of the State. He was satisfied that he had years of labor left
in him yet; and with a prudent foresight, he saw that a few years, at
most, would surround him with neighbors, who would be likely to follow
him to the fertile and beautiful valley he had selected. Suddenly,
perhaps, for one advanced to his age, and yielding partially to the
feelings of mortification he endured at the idea of struggling with
poverty among those who had seen him in a more prosperous condition, he
resolved upon this course, and it was at once adopted.
His wife had died a number of years before, leaving him but one child, a
daughter, who at this time had arrived at about twenty years of age. He
had purchased, with the remains of his property, a negro, to assist him
in his farming operations, and thus provided, we behold him in the new
house of his old age.
Ralph advanced rapidly forward to meet him, and hearty were the
greetings between them.
"Right glad am I to see you here, Ralph," said Barton, "yours is the
first friendly face I have seen from the settlements in many a day; and
I can say, too, that there is no other I would more gladly see. Oneidas
and Tuscaroras are well enough in their place, but it does one good to
see a little of the old eastern blood, once in a while."
The first greetings over, Ralph, with a blush--very faint indeed, but
still a blush--of which the old gentleman was entirely unconscious,
inquired about his old playmate, Ruth.
"Well and happy, Ralph--at least, as happy as one can be, so far from
friends; but she will be right glad to see you, I doubt not."
Ralph introduced Ichabod to Mr. Barton, as a worthy gentleman from the
settlements, who had been induced to accompany him through the
wilderness; and the party then proceeded towards the cottage, which, on
a nearer approach, if it lost some of the enchantments which distance
had lent it, gained on the score of adaptation to the purposes for which
it had been erected. It was situated in the midst of a few acres of land
which had been almost entirely cleared, and which showed abundant signs
of having already repaid, for the season, the labor which had been
bestowed upon it. A log barn had been erected, a short distance from the
house, and about the premises were seen the usual fixtures of a pioneer
habitation. The house itself was built of logs, but they had been hewn
and squared with some care; and, altogether, it had the appearance of a
neat and comfortable residence. It had, also, with a foresight against
contingencies which might occur, been adapted as a place of defense
against any attacks which might be made upon it by Indians.
"Stir your shanks, Sambo!" said Barton to the negro, "and inform your
mistress that she has visitors coming."
The negro hurried away on his errand, while the party proceeded more
leisurely towards the dwelling.
Ralph was welcomed by Miss Barton with all the warmth and pleasure that
might have been expected from their early friendship. Years had elapsed
since they had been separated, and, in the look of mutual joy and
pleased surprise at the changes which time had wrought in each other,
might be traced, perhaps, in both, the existence of a tenderer feeling
than belongs to mere friendship.
Ruth Barton, as we have already said, was about twenty years of age. In
figure, she was of the medium female height, but with a form fully
developed by healthful exercise; her countenance possessed a gentle
quietness, which was peculiarly feminine; but withal it gave evidence of
a confidence and self-reliance necessary to the women as well as to the
men of the frontier settlements of that period. She was, as her
appearance would indicate, the life of the family--always busy in the
labors and duties of the household; and, under her superintendence,
there were a regularity and neatness which, to the most fastidious of
housekeepers, might perhaps have been a little surprising. But these
were not the only qualifications which Ruth Barton possessed. She was
not satisfied with the mere routine of ordinary duties, but she had
found time to adorn her mind with many of the accomplishments of
education--far beyond most of those even, who were elevated above her by
the means and opportunity of acquiring a thorough education. Her mind
was of a somewhat imaginative cast, and she possessed a deep and quiet
love for the beauties of Nature. She loved her new home in the
wilderness--the beautiful valley which her father had selected,
possessed charms which she admired; and she had never wished to exchange
it, though solitary and neighborless, for the more populous country in
which she had once resided.
There was also present in the room an ill-clad, stout-looking man, by
the name of Guthrie, apparently about forty-five years of age. His
countenance had a vulgar cast; and it wore, besides, an ill-natured
expression, that repelled any attempt at an intimate acquaintance. This
Guthrie had, during the war of the Revolution, been a Tory; and it had
been suspected that he was one of the most active agents in inciting the
Indians of this locality to revolt. He resided at some distance below,
on the river, in a log shanty erected by him. He was a sort of squatter,
and tilled a few acres which had been partially cleared by the Indians
years before; but relied principally upon his gun and fish-pole for a
livelihood. Occasionally he went to the settlements with such skins or
other articles as he could exchange. He was merely tolerated in the
family of Mr. Barton, whenever he made his appearance; and knowing the
ill favor with which he was received, it was seldom that he intruded
himself upon them.
As the party entered the door, Guthrie, who had been sitting listlessly
by the fireside, arose with a sort of dogged air; but as the tall figure
of Ichabod met his eye, he shrank quietly back again, and endeavored, as
much as possible, to withdraw himself from observation. Ichabod did not
observe him, or, at least, exhibited no signs of recognition.
"We have been expecting you, Captain Weston, for some days," said Ruth;
"we learned by Guthrie, who came about a week ago from the settlements,
that you had returned from the army; and we have been awaiting the
fulfilment of an old promise to visit us."
"I left Philadelphia but a few weeks since," replied Ralph: "I was
mindful of my promise, and set out on my visit here as soon as my
business arrangements would allow; but I hardly think I should have
found my way here at all, had it not been for my friend, Mr. Jenkins. He
picked his way through your wilderness like an old acquaintance."
Ichabod acknowledged the attention which this remark attracted towards
him, by gradually elevating his form and replying:
"Well, these woods _are_ something like an old acquainance to me, seeing
as how I have been through here on some sharp war paths, afore now. It
was down yonder in them flats, we had a terrible skrimmage with them red
sarpints the Senecas and Onondagas; but we gave 'em a touch of
Independence, _con_-found 'em!"
"How long ago, Mr. Jenkins," asked Barton, "did the fight which you
mention occur?"
"Well, as near as I can calculate, I should think it was in the fall of
'79."
"That must have been the same affair which I have heard you mention,
Guthrie," said Barton, addressing that individual, who sat in the corner
of the large fireplace, with his hat drawn over his eyes.
"Yes," growled Guthrie, without moving.
"What! old veteran, was you there, too?" asked Ichabod, approaching him.
"No, I wan't there," replied Guthrie ferociously, partly turning his
face towards Ichabod.
"Well, you needn't be so savage about it, friend," said Ichabod, slowly.
"Them that fout there, so far as I know, hadn't nothing to be ashamed
on." Then turning away, he muttered to himself, "I've seen them features
afore, somewhere--down in the settlements, perhaps. But I say, Squire,"
turning towards Barton, "you've done a mighty smart business, clearing
up here, lately."
"Yes, something of a business. We have not been idle. Sambo and I have
got ten or fifteen acres pretty well cleared."
In the meantime, Ruth was busy making preparations for the family
supper, and providing otherwise for the comfort of their guests. Guthrie
took the opportunity quietly to leave the room, and with his rifle on
his shoulder, proceeded rapidly in a southerly direction.
The conversation then turned upon the political condition of the
country, the depreciated state of the currency, and the anticipated
proceedings of Congress.
"The greatest difficulty that lies in the way of a proper management
and settlement of our affairs," said Ralph, in reply to some remark of
Barton, "it seems to me, is in the limited powers of Congress. Impotent
for any purpose, it has a herculean task before it. I think it will be
found necessary to adopt a stronger government."
"No, no," replied Barton, who seemed to be tenacious of State rights,
and to labor under a great fear of the evil consequences of a
centralization of power. "Congress has power enough. The disorders under
which the country labors, would have been no less under any form of
government. Without resources, in a long and harassing war, the burden
of indebtedness and the depreciated condition of the currency, were
unavoidable; but all that will be necessary to restore us, will be a few
years of peace. Things will come round of themselves."
"But," said Ralph, "how is our indebtedness to be paid? The country is
already exhausted by taxation. The States themselves are overburdened
with their own debts: when to these are added those contracted by
Congress, it is very difficult, under the present order of things, to
see our way clearly out of our embarrassments. No credit in Europe--no
money at home--no confidence anywhere. With a few years of peace, had
Congress the power to levy impost duties, much might be done. Even the
late measure of a proposed impost duty of five per cent. has been lost
by the obstinacy of Rhode Island, which would not concur in the
measure."
"Say, the _patriotism_ of Rhode Island, rather," answered Barton, "if
that term may be applied to a State. I look upon that system of impost
duties as a direct robbery of the people. Give Congress that power, and
you give away the whole property of the nation. Duties would be laid
that would deprive the poorer classes of all the comforts--ay, of many
of the necessaries of life. That won't do."
"How, then," asked Ralph, "would you pay off our indebtedness, and
support the burthens of government?"
"By direct taxation!"
"But that system, you would find, I think," said Ralph, "would not
answer the purpose. It would only reach a certain class, and would be
very strongly resisted. But, by the other system, the trifling addition
to the cost of articles of general consumption would be little felt, and
after a time, would be generally acquiesced in. Besides, all classes of
persons would be reached, and almost universally in proportion to their
means."
"It is only a return to the principle of the stamp act," said Barton,
who was a little excited; "and our seven years of warfare and suffering
will have been useless, if, after all, we are to permit any authority,
in its discretion, to impose burdens upon us."
"I don't know about that, Squire," interrupted Ichabod, who had
listened to this discussion with much interest, and to whose mind the
factory speculation proposed to Ralph, recurred. "Wouldn't such a system
a little better allow us to take care of ourselves? Couldn't we a little
easier build up manufactories of our own? Just add that five or ten per
cent, to the profits of our own manufacturers, and pretty soon we'd hold
them _furrin_ manufacturers off at arm's length. You'd see factories of
all sorts starting up all over the country, and there would be a
pleasure in that, to a man who loved his own country--to wear cloth and
drive nails made at home. Now, couldn't _you_, Squire if a duty of ten
or fifteen per cent, was laid on woollen fixins', afford to go into the
factory business, on your own hook, on this river of your'n, here?"
"Fiddlesticks!" ejaculated Barton, "what could _I_ do in the factory
business?"
"Well, perhaps _you_ mightn't do anything at it, Squire," replied
Ichabod; "but somebody else might. Now, suppose somebody _should_ locate
a business of that kind down here, I'll tell you how you could make a
nice spec out of it, without laying out any capital at all--although it
would be kind'er fair to lend a helping hand, jist to start, perhaps,
seeing you could make so well out of it."
Barton looked at Ichabod, as if he began to doubt his sanity; but to
Ralph, the earnestness of the one and the surprise of the other, was a
matter of great amusement.
Ichabod continued, pleased at the surprised attention which Barton was
giving to him:
"You see, Squire, s'pose that business should be started down here, jist
opposite them flats, it would be necessary to bring in lots of people,
and you could lay out them flats into building-lots, and realize
something handsome out of it."
"Pshaw!" said Barton, "a city down here! Well, I'll tell you what I'll
do, Mr. Jenkins. I'll give you the land for your factory, together with
your water-privilege, and we'll divide the profits on the city lots;"
and the old gentleman laughed heartily at the suggestion.
"That's what I call fair," said Ichabod, slowly; "but _couldn't_ you,
Squire, do a little something towards furnishing the capital?"
"Furnishing the capital!" ejaculated Barton; "why, as to that, I haven't
capital enough to furnish my own farm, small as it is. No: I think, Mr.
Jenkins, I have made you a very fair offer."
Just at this moment, Sambo announced their supper to be ready, and
Ichabod was obliged to desist from the further prosecution of his
project. But, extremely well satisfied with the progress already made,
he began seriously to dream of the manufacturing firm of "Barton,
Weston, Jenkins & Co."