The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-03-15
From Howitt'. English ,lounnl
THE KAFIR TRADER 4;
THE REcom or AMBITION.

Years, with their summers and wintcrs,
their JOYS and sorrows, have passed away,
since Cleopatra, her long and wcarying
voyage over, cast anchor in ono of Tie oxton-
ivc baysqf South Africa. How eagerly aud
anNiously her mhuy passengers looked across
the belt Of hcnving waters towards tho land,
which, low ~ first, gradually rozo into ran
pcs Of lo0v hills. stretching Gar into the dis
unrc For most of them had crossed the o.
ccar, and bdhcn adicn to their rrmo'or kim
drcd in the hope Of finding amid its scclud-
cd valleys. some forrest sanctuary" whore
the bonds ot the world that had hitherto chat
ed them might hc unirt, and their efforts at
rsrrT1rT- anl Eitlc
ones bc bd'tcr rewarded
Forcmost among them stood man, tho
eagle kccnncss of whose eve bespoke him one
fitted to cope. and successfully with the world
in whatever phase il might present itself
But it was not So and Robert 1ryon. dcs-
pic yVITS ~ UTwoarying -cttorr, now EtU1t
gazing ON the shores of the far South. n world
worn aud almost pcnnless mnn. aud whose
spirit was cmbittcrcd, and his heart harden
ed, by seeing Others whom he deemed less
worthy victors in the arena where he could a.
chicve nothing.
While thus he stood pondcring, with con-
tracted brow, on what might be the result of
his last decisive step of emigration. sweet,
childish voice by his side exclaimed,
"Let me see too, father"
Immediately the stern expression passed
away, and with bright smile he raised the
httc, girl TO stand Whore she mirl,t easily
look over the bulwark Robert Tryon was
dcvotedly attached 10 his witc and hnilv,
and the moro the chilling blasts Of adyersitv
had frozen bis heart towards the world, the
more did it guSh forth in warm affection To
those surrounding his own humble and some
times ill-supplicd firesde and he felt that "a
see them possessed Of the comforts of life he.
itnng their stRtioH-more he asked not
wished not--would be happiness that would
in his estimation, render the labor of even a
tcalley-slave light
But dcarcr than all was his little fairy
Kate, as fair and as beautiful n child as the
eye need wish rest upon, with soft, dark, ear.
ncst eyes, looking forth from among her
brown clustering curls-ae though the misfor.
tunes Of her parents had dispeled the j6yons
beams OF childhood, and awakened her alrca-
dy TO the realities Of life, and sweet smile
playing upon her rosy lips, as if in the buoy
ancy OF her innocent spirit, hoping and trust
ing brighter future
And the child's trust seemed not misplac-
cd, for brighter days soon began to dawn up
ON them. Robert Tryon obtained a small
farih in one of the deep fertile hollow,
nlhhchlhg OH from the great valley ot the
Fish RIVER and though il needed both time
and labor to render it productive, both were
ungrudgingly bestowed and some five OF
six years aftcr his. arrival, Willow Dell Csc
named from tho fringe of Babylonian willows
that swept the little streamlet murmuring
through it,) was ,.s fair a scene of rural prom.
Use rs the wide frontier could show. .,
And for while Robert 1ryon was a hap
py aud contented man; his loved ones were
growing up beautiful and joyous around hin
and the humble competence he once had
sighed for was now theirs few, indeed, ar,
they whose wishes are 30 fully grati6ed But
il sufiiced not long. With prosperity, lofticI
ideas awoke in Tryon's breast and after a
time he began TO pine for riches to bestow on
the children whom every succeeding day
rendered ye; dearer, and whom, he felt as
sured, wealth would grace so wCtt. flow, as
he wandered. at evening beside the willows
he would dream of the proud future that
cuuid his wishes DC rrtiizrtiz--tnitsht be IN
store for his promising sons and beautiful
daughters, in SOME higher sphere and how
in years to come they might revisit their fa-
therland and look scornfully down on those
who in other DAYS had despised himselfl
vTrir-ll pisianS lizcnntcnt be
gan 81 take possession OF his heart. IL would