"A property of nearly 2,000 per annum," replied the Colonel. "He may consider it a small property, but I should think it otherwise if it had fallen to my lot."
"Indeed I had no idea, from what he said, that it was so large," said Mrs. Campbell. "Well, I have a high opinion of him, and have no doubt but that he will make a good use of it."
"At all events, he can afford the luxury of a wife," said the Colonel, laughing, "which we soldiers seldom can."
The Colonel then entered into conversation with Mr. Campbell, relative to his farm, and after many questions, he observed:
"I have been thinking, Mr. Campbell, that it will be very advantageous to the government as well as to you, when your farm is cleared and stocked, if, with the water-power you possess here, you were to erect a flour-mill and a saw-mill. You observe that the government has to supply the fort with flour and provisions of all kinds at a very heavy expense of carriage, and the cattle we have at the fort will cost us more than they are worth, now that we have lost your prairie farm, so conveniently situated for us. On the other hand, your produce will be almost useless to you, at the distance you are from any mart; as you will not find any sale for it. Now, if you were to erect a mill, and grind your own wheat, which you may do in another year, if you have funds sufficient; and as you may have plenty of stock, you will be able to supply the fort with flour, beef, pork, and mutton, at a good profit to yourself, and at one-half the price which government pays at present. I have written to the Governor on the subject, stating that we have not the means of keeping our stock, and pointing out to him what I now point out to you.
I expect an answer in a few days, and should he authorize me, I may make arrangements with you even now, which will be satisfactory, I have no doubt."
Mr. Campbell returned the Colonel many thanks for his kindness, and of course expressed himself willing to be guided by his advice. He stated that he had funds not only sufficient to erect a mill, but also, if he were permitted, to pay for the labor of any party of men which the commandant would spare during the summer season.
"That is the very point which I wished to ascertain; but I felt some delicacy about making the inquiry. Now I consider that there will be no difficulty in our arrangements."
The Colonel remained for some time looking over the farm and conversing with Mr. Campbell, and then took his leave.
In the meantime, Alfred and his cousins went out to walk; the weather was now beautifully clear, and in the afternoon the heat was not too oppressive. As they sauntered by the side of the stream, Mary said, "Well, Alfred, what do you think of the Colonel"s proposition?"
"Yes," observed Emma, "you are a party deeply concerned in it."
"How so, dear coz?"
"Why, don"t you perceive that if the mill is erected, you will be the proper person to have charge of it? What a change of professions, from a sailor to a miller. I think I see you in your coat, all white with flour, coming in to dinner."
"My dear Emma, you don"t intend it, I am sure, but you do not know that you are inflicting pain upon me. When the Colonel made the proposition, I felt the importance of it, as it would be a source of great profit to my father; but at the same time, I don"t know how it is, I have always indulged the idea that we may not stay here forever, and this plan appeared so like decidedly settling down to a residence for life, that it made me low-spirited. I know that it is foolish, and that we have no chance of ever removing--but still I can not, even with this almost certainty before my eyes, keep my mind from thinking upon one day returning to my profession, and the idea of becoming a miller for life is what I can not as yet contemplate with any degree of composure."
"Well, Alfred, I only did it to tease you a little--not to hurt your feelings, believe me," replied Emma. "You shall not be a miller if you don"t like it. Henry will do better, perhaps, than you; but as for our quitting this place, I have no idea of it"s being ever possible. I have made up my mind to live and die in the Canadian woods, considering it my wayward fate that all "my sweetness should be wasted on the desert air.""
"Repining is useless, if not sinful," observed Mary Percival. "We have much to be thankful for; at least we are independent, and if we are ever to repay the kindness of our uncle and aunt, who must feel their change of condition so much more than we do, it must be by cheerfulness and content. I have been thinking as well as you, Alfred, and I"ll tell you what was in my thoughts. I looked forward to a few years, by which time, as the country fills up so fast, it is very probable that we shall have other settlers here as neighbors, in every direction. This will give us security. I also fancied that my uncle"s farm and property became of value and importance, and that he himself became a leading man in the district; not only at his ease, but, for a settler, even wealthy; and then I fancied that, surrounded by others, in perfect security, and in easy and independent circ.u.mstances, my uncle would not forget the sacrifice which my cousin Alfred so n.o.bly made, and would insist upon his returning to that profession to which he is so much attached, and in which I have no doubt but that he will distinguish himself."
"Well said, my sweet prophet," said Alfred, kissing his cousin, "you have more sense than both of us."
"Answer for yourself, Alfred, if you please," said Emma, tossing her head as if affronted. "I shall not forget that remark of yours, I can a.s.sure you. Now, I prophesy quite the contrary; Alfred will never go to sea again. He will be taken with the charms of some Scotch settler"s daughter, some Janet or Moggy, and settle down into a Canadian farmer, mounted on a long-legged black pony."
"And I too," replied Alfred, "prophesy, that at the same time that I marry and settle as you have described Miss Emma Percival will yield up her charms to some long-legged, black, nondescript sort of a fellow, who will set up a whisky-shop and instal his wife as bar-maid to attend upon and conciliate his customers."
"Emma, I think you have the worst of this peeping into futurity," said Mary, laughing.
"Yes, if Alfred were not a false prophet, of which there are always many going about," replied Emma; "however, I hope your prophecy may be the true one, Mary, and then we shall get rid of him."
"I flatter myself that you would be very sorry if I went away; you would have no one to tease, at all events," replied Alfred, "and that would be a sad loss to yourself."
"Well, there"s some sense in that remark," said Emma; "but the cows are waiting to be milked, and so, Mr. Alfred, if you are on your good behavior, you had better go and bring us the pails."
"I really pity Alfred," said Mary, as soon as he was out of hearing; "his sacrifice has been very great, and, much as he must feel it, how well he bears up against it."
"He is a dear, n.o.ble fellow," replied Emma; "and I do love him very much, although I can not help teasing him."
"But on some points you should be cautious, my dear sister; you don"t know what pain you give."
"Yes I do, and am always sorry when I have done it, but it is not until afterward that I recollect it, and then I am very angry with myself.
Don"t scold me, dear Mary, I will try to be wiser; I wonder whether what you say will come to pa.s.s, and we shall have neighbors; I wish we had, if it were only on account of those Indians."
"I think it very probable," replied Mary; "but time will show."
Alfred then returned with the pails, and the conversation took another turn.
A few days afterward, a corporal arrived from the fort, bringing letters and newspapers; the first that they had received since the breaking up of the winter. The whole family were in commotion as the intelligence was proclaimed; Mary and Emma left the fowls which they were feeding; Percival threw down the pail with which he was attending the pigs; Alfred ran in from where he and Martin were busy splitting rails; all crowded round Mr. Campbell as he opened the packet in which all the letters and papers had been enveloped at the foot. The letters were few; three from Miss Paterson, and two other friends in England, giving them the English news; one to Alfred from Captain Lumley, inquiring after the family, and telling him that he had mentioned his position to his friends at the Board, and that there could be no call for his services for the present; one from Mr. Campbell"s English agent, informing him that he had remitted the money paid by Mr. Douglas Campbell for the plants, etc., to his agent at Quebec; and another from his Quebec agent, advising the receipt of the money and inclosing a balance-sheet. The letters were first read over, and then the newspapers were distributed, and all of them were soon very busy and silent during the perusal.
After a while, Emma read out. "Dear uncle, only hear this, how sorry I am."
"What is it, my dear?" said Mr. Campbell.
""Mrs. Douglas Campbell, of Wexton Hall, of a son, which survived but a few hours after birth.""
"I am very sorry too, my dear Emma," replied Mr. Campbell; "Mr. Douglas Campbell"s kindness to us must make us feel for any misfortune which may happen to him, and to rejoice in any blessing which may be bestowed upon him."
"It must have been a serious disappointment," said Mrs. Campbell; "but one which, if it pleases G.o.d, may be replaced; and we may hope that their expectations, though blighted for the present, may be realized on some future occasion."
"Here is a letter from Colonel Forster, which I overlooked," said Mr.
Campbell; "it was between the envelope. He says that he has received an answer from the Governor, who fully agrees with him in his views on the subject we were conversing about, and has allowed him to take any steps which he may think advisable. The Colonel says that he will call upon me again in a few days, and that if in the meantime, I will let him know how many soldiers I wish to employ, he will make arrangements to meet my views as far as lies in his power. We have to thank Heaven for sending us friends, at all events," continued Mr. Campbell; "but at present, we will put his letter aside, and return to our English news."
"Dear England!" exclaimed Emma.
"Yes, dear England, my good girl; we are English, and can love our country as much now as we did when we lived in it. We are still English, and in an English colony; it has pleased Heaven to remove us away from our native land, but our hearts and feelings are still the same, and so will all English hearts be found to be in every settlement made by our country all over the wide world. We all glory in being English, and have reason to be proud of our country. May the feeling never be lost, but have an elevating influence upon our general conduct!"
CHAPTER XXVI.
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 sh.o.r.e 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 Sat.u.r.day 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 pa.s.s 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."