Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-03-06

We consider the following 10 pe one OF lhe
best stories of the year. Among the nb srable,
trashy, demoraizing tales Of the times, is re-
freshing to find one, at once truthful to- nature
and healthful IN the moral lesson conveyed.
Ed
Years, with their summers and winters, their
Joys and sorrows, have passed away, since Gle
Opatra, her long and wearying voyage over, cast
anchor in one of the extensive bays Of South
Africa. How eagerly and anxiously her many
passengers looked across the belt of heaving
waters toward the land, which, low at first, grad
ully rose into ranges of lofty hills, stretching
far into the distance For most of them had
crossed the ocean, and hidden adieu to their re-
moter kindred, in the hope of finding, amid its
secluded valleys, some "forest sanctulry,"
where the bonds of the world that had hitherto
chafed them might be unfelt, and their efots at
earning livelihood for themselves and little
ones be better rewarded.
Foremost among them stood man, the Eagle
keenness Of whose eye bespoke him one fitted
to cope, and successfully, with the worll, in
whatever phase it might present itself. Bnt it
was not so and Robert Tryon, despite years of
unwearying effort, now stood gazing on the
shores of the far South, a world-worn ant al
most pennless man, and whose spirit was en-
bittered, and his heart hardened, by seeing 9TH
ers, whom he deemed less worthy vctors in the
arena where he could achieve nothing.
While thus he stood ponderlng, with cotact-
ed brow on what might be the result of his last
decisive step of emigration, a sweet, childish
voice by his side exclaimed,
"Let me see too, father"
Immediately the stern expression passed a.
way, and with bright smile he raised the little
girl to stand where she might easily look over
the bulwark. Robert Tryon was dovotedIy at
tached to his wife and family; and tn. more
the chilling blasts of adversely had frozen his
heart towards The world, the more did it gush
forth in warm affection to those surrounding his
own humble and sometimes ill-supplied tlreside !;
and he felt that TO see them possessed of the
comforts of life beneftting their staton--more
he "@lF~-' '-',' -i~ls'A ~t ssSalI 10 la no naas
that would, in his estimation, render the labor Of
even galley-slave light.
But dearer than all was his little fairy Kate,
as fair and as beautiful child as the eye need
wish to rest upon, with soft, dark, earnest eyes,
looking forth from among her brown clustering
curls as though the mlsfortunes of her parents
had dispelled the joyous beams of childhood, and
awakened her already to the realities of life, and
a sweet smile playing upon her rosy lips, as if
in the buoyancy of her innocent spirit, hoping
and trusting brighter future.
And the chlld's trust seemed not misplaced,
for brighter days soon began to dawn upon them.
Robert Tryon obtained a small farm in enc of
the deep fertile hollows branching off from the
great valley of the Fish River; and though it
needed both time and labor to render it produce
tive, both were ungrudgingly bestowed and
some five or six years after his arrival, Willow
Dell (so named from the fringe of Babylonlan
willows that swept the little streamlet murmur-
ing through it,) was as fair scene of rural
promise as the wide frontier could show.
And for a while Robert Tryon was happy
and contented man his loved ones were grow.
ing up beautiful and joyous around him. and the
humble competence he once had sighed for was
now theirs few, indeed, are they whose wishes
are SO fully grStfed But it sufiiced not long.
With prosperity, loftier ideas awoke in Tyron's
breast and after time he began to pine for
riches to bestow on the children whom every
succeeding day rendered yet dearcr, and whom,
he felt assured, wealth would grace so we'll. -
How, as he wandered at evening beside the
willows, he would dream Of the proud future
that-could his wishes be realized ed-might be
in store for his promising sons and beautiful
daughters, in some higher sphere and how in
years to come they might revisit their father.
land, and look Scornfully down on those who in
other days had despised himself!
Occupied with such visions, discomfort begar
to take possession Of his heart. 1t would be
years-many years-ere by his farm he coult
hope 10 obtain such results; and ere that hi:
chlldren's youth would be passed-their lot ir
life decided, and riches no so precius and q.
gain he felt that he could toll as man never We
had toiled, to bestow wealth on his children.
OF the many objects man pursues with avid
ity, gold is not the one that most frequently e
ludes him, Tor there are many modes by which
il may be obtained, and one of these presented
itself to Tryon.
He was riding with one Of his nearest neigh
bors into Graham's Town, when on their wa,
they passed an extensive and beautiful farm
and on a rising ground saw large, well-buil
house peeping from among the trees, Tryol
commented upon the beauty of the scene.
"Its owners name is Brunt," observed hi
companion; "sOme twenty years ago he wa
sent out by the parish"
"HOw did he make his money!" demande,
Tryon, almost breathlessly,
Gas Kafir trader"
A Kafr trader 1t was strange that it neve
occurred to him, though he was aware that Iarg,
fortunes had been made, and were constantly
being madei by taking into Kafrund various ar
ticles of British manufacture and bartering then
for ivory, skins, sc, That was mode of ac
quiring wealth that, amid all his search for
: shorter road TO riches, be had quite overlooked,