Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-09-10
WHOLE NUMBER 679.


pleasing pursuits. village OF no inconsIdsra.
bic size. which lay sheltered beneath the guns Of
the fortress. afforded the mean, Vi an agreeable
social intercourse 10 the officers. and festivities
were In rra.ily mops frequent, aud probably bet.
Ter enjoyed, han Ia the "pIping times Of peace"
VI tne Inhabitants, although the most were re.
p0ollcanS, some Of cOursewrr- IOyullsis. These,
however, remaining entirely inactive, claimed 10
have Their nghs, If not their opinions, respected.
he society was too small u allow Of apv poIiti-
cal line VI demarcaiiOn, and the friends Of Hing
George and the supporters Of Congress were
seen mlngImg harnOn.OusIy together IN the even.
ing parties, Or al the mI1nght ball. Il is true,
there were some whose naturally sour dlsyosi.
uOns, rendered more raucUrnus by the event, Of
the war, kept them entirely alOoi from their Up-
ponenis, and some, more despIcaJc still. vino
concealed the bIuerest luminosity under pleas
ing exterior.
. Not belonging TO either Of these classes last
named. although a royaiist, was Captain Wilton,
a friend aud former companion in arms ef Col.
Ganse' oUr, but gentleman Of more liberal
views, aud Of the most perfect integrity lie
mad two daughters, whose characters may be
briefly described. Both were exceedingly pr.uy.
The elder was graceful and gifted, but vain. con.
celted, and impsroIs. The prcponderaucs 10
her character ot that one quality, which IS 50 VI.
ten the bane Of beauty, subvered what would
otherwise have been d sound aud discriminating
Judgment. The younger, win more than her
sisters charms, possessed almost none Of her
faults. She had been taught, BY the daily and
hourly department Of the other, to believe In her
own comparative inlerority, and vas consequent.
, " but httle conscious Of her attractions. Thus
had she grown up, as il were, in the shade, but
fortunately under circumstances favorable 10 the
development Of all those pure and winning graz
ces OF the heart, which so imm.asurabIy trans
cend the fitting charms Of beauty. Cheerful.
modest, confdng and atf.ctionate. Alice Wilton
was "a gem Of purest ray serene"
Gansevoor was a frequent and welcome visi-
ter at the house Of Captain Wilton. Although
attracted unconsciously BY the charms Of Alice,
the ingenuity Of her sister, ArabeIa, contriyed 10
make him, osrensbIy at least, suiter Of her
own. She did not hesitate 10 appropriate his at.
tentlons exclusively TO herself although she could
not lall 10 see that they were otherwise designed
Indeed Arabeila was possessed Of an art, which
II is to be hoped is lost TO her Sex Of the present
generation, Of compelling the addresses Of the
| gentlemen. Gansevoorl was far from consider.
4 ing himself suitor Of either Of the sis1ers.--
His mind was chiefly engrossed BY the duties Of
his station, and his hours Of relation were con.
IroIled mainly by accident. Thus, therefore.
without giving sufficient thought to the subject 10
enable hun 10 lath0m the designs Of Miss Wilton,
he allowed himself TO appear to the public in the
character Of her professed admir-r.
1t has been said that the winter was rigorous
and severe; but it had not vet been sufficiently
cold to entirely close lhe lower pau Of the river.
which was still navIgabIe from the ofl 10 the CITY
of New York. Occasionally ship Of war, from
the latter place, penetrated up 10 the neghbor.
hood OF the fortress, (avoiding, of course. an
imprudent proximity for the purpose probably
of facilitating intercourse with some paris Of the
INTERIOR From one Of these. messenger. uu-
der the protection OF flag. was sent to the fort.
to request permission for Ensign Wiley 10 visit
some friends at the adjoining village Ganse-
WORT readily gave the desired permit. At an
interview which he soon after had with Wiley, the
after seemed disposed to claim the full benefit
OF their early acquaintance and intimacy. The
commandant did not repel his advances chiefly,
perhaps, les, any coldness which he might mani.
fest should be attributed 10 the pride OF superior
station. They met frequently and at all times
with apparent frankness and cordaltv Wiley
did not even hesitate TO introduce and discuss the
subject Of the war, and its probable results
| New and formidable forces of the enemy were
hinted at. Detection in the highest quarters in
our own ranks was boldly asserted. Negolia.
tions were now pending at New York. he said,
by which several distinguished leaders of the
republicans would return to their allegiance. and
receive the clemency of the king. Gansevoorl.
of cool and phlegmallc temperament, oilen lis
tened without reply; and the other, mistaking his
silence for conviction, or al least for doubt grew
still more bold. Those, he said, who were the
first to claim The royal favor, would doubtless re-
ceive it the most abundanlly. But little merit
would attach 10 the submission of those who SUBJ
mitted only when there were no longer any
hopes o! etfectual resistance. These remarks,
however, were kept carefully free from every
thing of personal character. Theywere made,
too, with an air Of the utmost noacbdianCe. ps If
they were on a subject in which neither speaker
or hearer had the slightest interest. Gansevoort
was, fortunately, man Of quick perceplions.-I
Not slow TO discover when himself was insuted
or his cause dishonored, he yet had that fortunate
command of temper, which, in all controversies,
is of such immeasurable importance to its pos
SCISSOR. Like the true Italian dpomatist as
panied by McCauIey, his eye was large, dark,
and dreamy, expressing nothing, but discerning
every thing. The interviews alluded to usually
took place at the house of Captain Wilton, where
Wiley also was frequent vister. He was, of
course, not admitted within the fort.
CHAPTER V.
Nothing could exceed the grief and anger of
the elder Mr.. Gansevoort on learning the conduct
of his son. The first burst Of his resentment
fell upon poor Ellen, whom he had long suspec.
ted of entertaining dsloyaI views, and who he
now fully believed had been chiefly insrumen.