"Brothers," began he, "I am of your own race, although I am not an
American. I am an Englishman. I was born in the south of that country
something more than forty years ago. My father was a yeoman--an
independent, or, as he was sometimes styled, a gentleman-farmer.
Unfortunately, he was a man of too much ambition for his class. He was
determined that I, his only son, should be a gentleman in the ordinary
sense of the word; that is, that I should be educated in all those
expensive habits and accomplishments, which are sure to lead men of
moderate fortune along the direct road to ruin. This was not wise of my
father; but it would not be graceful in me to reflect upon a fault, that
consisted in his too great fondness for myself. I believe it was the
only fault which my good, kind father, was ever charged with. Beyond
this somewhat foolish ambition, his character was without reproach among
men.
"I was sent to those schools where I should meet the scions of the
aristocracy. I was taught to dance, to ride, and to play. I was
allowed spending money at will, and could call for champagne, and drink
it, with any of my companions. At the end of my college life, I was
sent upon my travels. I made the tour of the Rhine, of France, and
Italy; and after some years spent in this way, I returned to England--
sent for, to be present at the death of my father.
"I was now sole heir to his property, which was by no means
inconsiderable for a man of his class. I soon reduced it in bulk. I
must needs live in London, where I could enjoy the company of many of my
old school and college companions. I was welcome amongst them while my
purse held out--for many of them were needy men--lawyers without briefs,
and officers with nothing to live upon but their pay. Of course, such
men are fond of play. They have nothing to lose, and all to win; and it
was but a short year or two, until they had won from me the best part of
my patrimonial property. I was on the eve of becoming a bankrupt. But
one thing saved me--_she_ saved me!"
Here our host pointed to his wife, who sat surrounded by her family at
one side of the great fireplace. The lady held down her eyes and
smiled; while the children, who had been listening attentively, all
turned towards her with looks of interest.
"Yes," continued he, "Mary saved me. We had been playmates together in
earlier life; and at this time we again met. We felt an affection for
each other. It ended in our getting married.
"Fortunately, my dissipated life had not destroyed, as it often does
with men, all my virtuous principles. Many of these, that had been
early instilled into my mind by the teachings of a good mother, still
remained fixed and true.
"As soon as we were married, I resolved to change altogether my mode of
life. But this is not so easily done as men imagine. Once you are
surrounded by associates, such as mine were--once you are plunged into
debts and obligations--it requires both courage and virtuous
determination to meet and discharge them. It requires a terrible effort
to free one's self from evil companions, whose interest it is, that you
should still remain as profligate as themselves. But I was resolved;
and, thanks to the counsels of my Mary, I succeeded in carrying out my
resolve.
"To pay my debts, I was compelled to sell the property left me by my
father. This done, and every bill discharged, I found myself worth only
five hundred pounds.
"My little wife, there, had brought me the sum of twenty-five hundred;
and this still left us three thousand pounds with which to begin the
world. Three thousand pounds is not much to live upon in England--that
is, among the class of people with whom I had hitherto associated; and
after spending several years in trying to increase it, I found that it
was every day growing less. I found, after three years engaged in
farming, that my three thousand pounds was only worth two. I was told
that this sum would go much farther in America--that it would purchase
me a fine home--and, with thoughts of providing well for my family, I
embarked with my wife and children for New York.
"There I found the very man whom I wanted--that was, some one to advise
me how to begin life in the New World. My predilections were in favour
of agriculture; and these were encouraged by the advice of him whom I
had met. He told me that it would be unwise for me to lay out my money
upon new or uncleared land; as, with my want of experience as a farmer,
I would have to pay more for clearing it of its timber than the land
would be worth. `It would be better for you,' continued my new
acquaintance, `to buy a tract already cleared and fenced, with a good
house upon it, where you will be at home at once.'
"I admitted the truth of all this reasoning; but would my money be
sufficient for this? `Oh, yes,' answered he; and then he told me that
he `knew of a farm in the State of Virginia,'--a plantation, as he
called it, that would suit me exactly. It could be purchased for five
hundred pounds. With the remainder of my money I should be able to
stock it handsomely.
"After some farther conversation, I found that the plantation belonged
to himself. So much the better, thought I; and in the end I bought it
from him, and set out immediately after for my new home."