Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-09-01
A Bit of Romance.

some ten years ago, as our readers will
remember, there was what was termed a
rebellion in Canada, and after the " pa.
iriois were subdued, some were summarily
executed, and 4 portion banished, for q long
term Of years, to Australia. Most of these
latter were men with families, from which
they were torn without mercy, TO expisie in
a iar-disiani land, BY Imprisonment and
hard labor, the crime Of having failed in
their attempt to rid The country Of the evils
Of disagreement. We think they acted
very unwisely in proceeding TO the extrem-
tiles they did, but this point we i'll not stop
to consider. With one Of these expatria-
ted men our tale has chiefly TO do.
For seven or eight weary years he had
borhe the hardships Of a lonely captivity,
hopeless Of ever seeing home or friends
again. when a general amnesty was pro-
claimed by the British Government IN re-
gard TO all, with one or two exceptions. of
those who had been concerned 10 the re.
bellion. Our hero was now at liberty, and
his hrsl thought was 10 seek his home.
But he had M means 10 pay his passage
there, and he accordingly shipped on board
a whaling vessel. which at The end Of two
years more, landed him upon his native
shores.
Wife, children and friends " filed his
thoughts, and lie fastened on to his old res
idence in Canada. Every thing remained
as 1t hadar been-lriends and neighbours
greeted him as he passed along-but how
his heart sunk within him 10 find the home.
stead deserted, and to learn that his wife
had been married two years to another. snD-
posing the " husband Of her youth " 10 be
dead. She and her new-found mate. had
left that part Of the country and settled
somewhere in Illinois.
The poor man felt d~esolate indeed. and
he determined to see. and il possible to re.
claim his wife and children. After weary
travel aud many enquiries, he traced them
10 KNOX County. Illinois, where they we're
comfortably settled in their new home
There he presented himself a few DAYS
since. The wife could not have been more
surprised or panied to see an apparition
from the grave, for she had long considered
him as dead. The new husbrnd, too, was
rather disagreeably surprised to see befnre
him a claimant for his wife. What should
be donei The frs, husband was anxious
TO obtain the lady, the second was disinclin-
ed to give her up, looking upon his "claim"
as good.
They were reasonable people all around.
The original claimant remained in the
neighborhood a couple Of weeks, during
which time the matter was frankly talked
over. At last the rivals came to the very
just and rational conclusion that the lady
was the proper person TO make a final deci-
sion OF the question, and TO her it was mu-
tunlly agreed TO refer il, giving her time TO
consider il in all its bearings.
What more perplexing position could a
woman be placed in than this Here we're
two men with almost equal claims upon her
affections. One was the father Of all her
children but one, and the companion Of her
youth; the other was bound TO her heart by
near and sacred ties. and by the mutual love
they bore an infant that had been born 10
them. She could not for a time decide
! " which Of the two 20 choose and whn,