It was very nearly five weeks before Henry returned from his expedition
to Montreal. During this time, the Colonel had repeated his visit and
made arrangements with Mr. Campbell. A party of twenty soldiers had been
sent to work at felling timber and splitting rails, for whose services
Mr. Campbell paid as before. The winter house and palisade fence for the
sheep were put in hand, and great progress was made in a short time, now
that so many people were employed. They had also examined the stream for
some distance, to ascertain which would be the most eligible site for
the water-mill, and had selected one nearly half a mile from the shore
of the lake, and where there was a considerable fall, and the stream ran
with great rapidity. It was not, however, expected that the mill would
be erected until the following year, as it was necessary to have a
millwright and all the machinery from either Montreal or Quebec. It was
intended that the estimate of the expense should be given in, the
contract made, and the order given during the autumn, so that it might
be all ready for the spring of the next year. It was on a Monday morning
that Henry arrived from the fort, where he had staid the Sunday, having
reached it late on Saturday night. The _bateaux_, with the stock and
stores, he had left at the fort; they were to come round during the day,
but Henry's impatience to see the family would not allow him to wait. He
was, as may be supposed, joyfully received, and, as soon as the first
recognitions were over, he proceeded to acquaint his father with what he
had done. He had obtained from a Canadian farmer forty ewes of very fair
stock, although not any thing equal to the English; but the agent had
worked hard for him, and procured him twenty English sheep and two rams
of the best kind, to improve the breed. For the latter he had to pay
rather dear, but they were worth any money to Mr. Campbell, who was
quite delighted with the acquisition. In selecting the sheep, of course
Henry was obliged to depend on the agent and the parties he employed,
as he was no judge himself; but he had, upon his own judgment, purchased
two Canadian horses, for Henry had been long enough at Oxford to know
the points of a horse, and as they turned out, he had made a very good
bargain. He had also bought a sow and pigs of an improved breed, and all
the other commissions had been properly executed; the packages of skins
also realized the price which had been put on them. As it may be
supposed, he was full of news, talking about Montreal, the parties he
had been invited to and the people with whom he had become acquainted.
He had not forgotten to purchase some of the latest English publications
for his cousins, besides a few articles of millinery, which he thought
not too gay for their present position. He was still talking, and
probably would have gone on talking for hours longer, so many were the
questions which he had to reply to, when Martin came in and announced
the arrival of the _bateaux_ with the stores and cattle, upon which they
all went down to the beach to see them disembarked and brought up by the
soldiers, who were at work. The stores were carried up to the door of
the storehouse, and the sheep and horses were turned into the prairie
with the cows. A week's rations for the soldiers were also brought up
from the fort, and the men were very busy in the distribution, and
carrying them to the little temporary huts of boughs which they had
raised for their accommodation, during the time they worked for Mr.
Campbell. Before the evening set in every thing was arranged, and Henry
was again surrounded by the family and replying to their remaining
interrogatories. He told them that the Governor of Montreal had sent
them an invitation to pass the winter at Government-House, and promised
the young ladies that no wolf should venture to come near to them, and
that the aids-de-camp had requested the honor of their hands at the
first ball, which should be given after their arrival, at which they all
laughed heartily. In short, it appeared that nothing could equal the
kindness and hospitality which had been shown to him, and that there was
no doubt, if they chose to go there, that it would be equally extended
to the other members of the family.
There was a pause in the conversation, when Malachi addressed Mr.
Campbell.
"Martin wishes me to speak to you, sir," said Malachi.
"Martin," said Mr. Campbell, looking round for him, and perceiving that
he was not in the room; "why, yes, I perceive he is gone out. What can
it be that he can not say for himself?"
"That's just what I said to him," replied Malachi; "but he thought it
were better to come through me; the fact is, sir, that he has taken a
liking to the Strawberry, and wishes to make her his wife."
"Indeed!"
"Yes, sir; I don't think that he would have said any thing about it as
yet, but you see, there are so many soldiers here, and two or three of
them are of Martin's mind, and that makes him feel uncomfortable till
the thing is settled; and as he can't well marry while in your service
without your leave, he has asked me to speak about it."
"Well, but the Strawberry is your property, not mine. Malachi."
"Yes, sir, according to Indian fashion, I am her father; but I've no
objection, and shan't demand any presents for her."
"Presents for her! why we in general give presents or money with a
wife," said Emma.
"Yes, I know you do, but English wives ain't Indian wives; an English
wife requires people to work for her and costs money to keep, but an
Indian wife works for herself and her husband, so she is of value and is
generally bought of the father; I reckon in the end that it's cheaper to
pay for an Indian wife than to receive money with an English one; but
that's as may be."
"That's not a very polite speech of yours, Malachi," said Mrs. Campbell.
"Perhaps it ain't, ma'am, but it's near the mark, nevertheless. Now I am
willing that Martin should have the Strawberry, because I know that he
is a smart hunter, and will keep her well; and somehow or another, I
feel that if he made her his wife, I should be more comfortable; I shall
live with them here close by, and Martin will serve you, and when he
has a wife he will not feel inclined to change service and go into the
woods."
"I think it is an excellent proposal, Malachi, and am much pleased with
it, as we now shall have you all together," said Mrs. Campbell.
"Yes, ma'am, so you will, and then I'll be always with the boy to look
after him, and you'll always know where we are, and not be frightened."
"Very true, Malachi," said Mr. Campbell; "I consider it a very good
arrangement. We must build you a better lodge than the one that you are
in."
"No, sir, not a better one, for if you have all you want, you can't want
more; it's big enough, but perhaps not quite near enough. I'm thinking
that when the sheep-fold is finished, it might be as well to raise our
lodge inside of the palisades, and then we shall be a sort of guard to
the creatures."
"A very excellent idea, Malachi; well then, as far as I am concerned,
Martin has my full consent to marry as soon as he pleases."
"And mine, if it is at all necessary," observed Mrs. Campbell.
"But who is to marry them?" said Emma; "they have no chaplain at the
fort; he went away last year."
"Why, miss, they don't want no chaplain; she is an Indian girl, and he
will marry her Indian-fashion."
"But what fashion is that, Malachi?" said Mary.
"Why, miss, he'll come to the lodge, and fetch her away to his own
house."
Alfred burst out into laughter. "That's making short work of it," said
he.
"Yes, rather too short for my approval," said Mrs. Campbell. "Malachi,
it's very true that the Strawberry is an Indian girl, but we are not
Indians, and Martin is not an Indian, neither are you who stand as her
father; indeed, I can not consent to give my sanction to such a
marriage."
"Well, ma'am, as you please, but it appears to me to be all right. If
you go into a country and wish to marry a girl of that country, you
marry her according to the rules of that country. Now, Martin seeks an
Indian squaw, and why not therefore marry her after Indian fashion?"
"You may be right, Malachi, in your argument," said Mrs. Campbell; "but
still you must make allowances for our prejudices. We never should think
that she was a married woman, if no further ceremony was to take place
than what you propose."
"Well, ma'am, just as you please; but still, suppose you marry them
after your fashion, the girl won't understand a word that is said, so
what good will it do?"
"None to her at present, Malachi; but recollect, if she is not a
Christian at present, she may be hereafter; I have often thought upon
that subject, and although I feel it useless to speak to her just now,
yet as soon as she understands English well enough to know what I say to
her, I hope to persuade her to become one. Now, if she should become a
Christian, as I hope in God she will, she then will perceive that she
has not been properly married, and will be anxious to have the ceremony
properly performed over again; so why not do it now?"
"Well, ma'am, if it pleases you, I have no objection; I'm sure Martin
will have none."
"It will please me very much, Malachi," replied Mrs. Campbell.
"And although there is no chaplain at the fort," observed Mr. Campbell,
"yet the Colonel can marry in his absence; a marriage by a commanding
officer is quite legal."
"Yes," replied Alfred, "and so is one by a Captain of a man-of-war."
"So be it then," replied Malachi, "the sooner the better, for the
soldiers are very troublesome, and I can not keep them out of my lodge."
Martin, who had remained outside the door and overheard all that passed,
now came in; the subject was again canvassed, and Martin returned his
thanks for the permission given to him.
"Well," said Emma, "I little thought we should have a wedding in the
family so soon; this is quite an event. Martin, I wish you joy--you will
have a very pretty and a very good wife."
"I think so too, miss," replied Martin.
"Where is she?" said Mary.
"She is in the garden, miss," said Malachi, "getting out of the way of
the soldiers; now that the work is done, they torment her not a little,
and she is glad to escape from them; I'd tell them to go away, but they
don't mind me; they know I must not use my rifle."
"I should hope not," replied Mrs. Campbell, "it would be hard to shoot a
good man merely because he wished to marry your daughter."
"Why, yes, ma'am, it would," replied Malachi, "so the sooner she is
given to Martin the sooner we shall have peace."
As the boat was continually going backward and forward between the fort
and the farm, Mr. Campbell wrote to the Colonel, stating what they
wished him to do, and the Colonel appointed that day week, on which he
would come and perform the ceremony. It was a little fête at the farm.
Mrs. Campbell and the Miss Percivals dressed themselves more than
usually smart, so did all the males of the establishment; a better
dinner than usual was prepared, as the Colonel and some of the officers
were to dine and spend the day with them. Martin was very gayly attired,
and in high spirits. The Strawberry had on a new robe of young deer
skin, and had a flower or two in her long black hair; she looked as she
was, very pretty and very modest, but not at all embarrassed. The
marriage ceremony was explained to her by Malachi, and she cheerfully
consented. Before noon the marriage took place, and an hour or two
afterward they sat down to a well-furnished table, and the whole party
were very merry, particularly as the Colonel, who was most unusually
gay, insisted upon the Strawberry sitting at the table, which she had
never done before. She acquitted herself, however, without
embarrassment, and smiled when they laughed, although she could
understand but little of what they said. Mr. Campbell opened two of his
bottles of wine to celebrate the day, and they had a very happy party;
the only people who were discontented were three or four of the soldiers
outside, who had wanted to marry the Strawberry themselves; but the
knowledge that the Colonel was there, effectually put a stop to any
thing like annoyance or disturbance on their part. At sunset, the
Colonel and officers departed for the fort, the family remained in the
house till past ten o'clock, by which time all the soldiers had gone to
bed. Mr. Campbell then read prayers, and offered up an additional one
for the happiness of the newly-married couple, after which they all
saluted the Strawberry and wished her good-night; she was then led to
the lodge by Martin, accompanied by Alfred, Henry, Malachi, Percival,
and John, who all went home with them as a guard from any interruption
on the part of the disappointed suitors.