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


oxen will scarce be able draw them away, and
he will never need to cross the rivers any more,
but may sit in the sun before his kraal, and
make his women hoe his corn"
Still Tryon answered not, but the Kafirs
"0Fo' struck wild chord in his heart Could
no 'u' Ding himself to do the chiefs bidding,
,"0 sO'u 0'eI whose tardy coming he had SO
'aIely signed w"uGet once be his his children
would no longer be bufed on frontier farm
and his daughter would 20 where Walter Huns
would be forgotten. But he sSrunk from the
means by which all these objects, which he had
so much at heart, must be obtained; 70, bv car.
rying powder and arms across the border tsave
for sell defence) he would infringe the laws &c
the land wherein he had prospered far more than
he had ever hoped when he landed on its
shores
Tryon had been eager in his pursuit of riches;
and he had bought cheap and sold dear, and he
had exacted from every one to the utmost but
he had broken no law save that of leniency, and
now he shrunk from doing so and babe the
temptation stand off from him but ifwoud not
The spirit of gain, that he had so long cherish.
ed. entered into this new form, and haunted him
day and night, filling his waking thoughts, and
shedding golden hue over his sumberiDg Wis
ions.
When Tryon next entered his home at Will
low Dell, the first object that presented itself
was the smiling happy face of Kate, the next
the almost detested one of him who had drawn
him from the depths of the Fish River. tire
quired little penetration to perceive that Walter
Hume was the declared lover of Kate and as
soon as might be Walter confirmed Tryon's
suspicious by entreatng his sanction to the al
ready given consent Of Kate.
The father was silent for few Moments
But it was only to consider how he might best
reject the man whom he owed so much, and what
effect that rejection would have on the happiness
of Kate; but on this latter point he soon satsf-
ed himselfthat once removed to the other scenes,
this lll-placed for 80 he considered it, PROPOSE
tion would soon pass away, and Kate be far
happier and more prosperous woman than if he
had yielded to what he knew were her present
feelings. Then, rising from his seat he turned
to the anxious suitor, and spoke kindly and firm
ly.
81 owe you much, Hume, very much, even
life, and believe me, do not ,underrate the SER
vice, nor the risk at which it was rendered; and
had you asked me almost any other gift, it had
been given with pleasure; but | cannot put my
own life in comparison with my daughters well
fare.
"Wnatever may be your decision, Mr.. Try
nn." said WA!tor, proudly, though he turned
a deadly pale with apprehension, /" and much
' fear it is against me, do not wish an act o
r common humanity due from one man to another
to be remembered, far less looked on as claim.
Il But your daughter has given me her heart" he
' added, earnestly; "and if you will trust her to
=. me, 1t shall be the study Of my whole life that
she never repents the gift"
\ "Her heart" said Tryon, lightly. " Pooh
she is scarcely of an age to know she has cne.
3 but | have other hopes for her" he continued
e "higher hopes-far higher )" and the once pow
, erty. stricken man drew himself up proudly, as
thought on the wealth his children would pos
sess.
| Hume felt that those words and that manner
sealed his lips to further entreaty, near as was
| the object to his heart and, simply expressing
I a hope that Kate might be happier in the future
: her father designed for her, than he could have
3 made her, he bowed, and left the house with a
4 crushed and embttered heart
} But however great might be Walkers sorrow
it did not exceed that of Kate, when she learn.
e ed her fathers unlocked for decision regarding
1 one toward whom she owed so much, both of af.
fection and gratitude. But all her tears, and the
6 yet more touching eloquence of her pale CHEEKS
and faded smiles were unavaiing, and it SEEM
A ed as if naught could shake Tryon's resolution.
t And yet the fathers heart was only less sad
G than those of the lovers. ForRobert Tryon ov-
ed his daughter too fondly to look on her grief
e with Indifference; end it was but the hopes Of
a proud future, when Walter Hume's name
should have lost all interest for Kate, that en-
q abled him to remain steadfast in his resolves.
Meanwhile he was occupied with prepara-
4 tions for another journey into Ka6rand Al
length the day came for his departure.
+ "Let me see more rosy cheeks on my return
!, child" he said, fondly, as he took leave Of her
k Don't you know mean to make my Kate q
Y lady ?"
If have no wish to be lady, father" said
e Kate, with subdued smile; I" If | can only dc
If my duty in the state to which am called, it vii
l. suffice for me-"
e "Tush, girl, you know not of what you talk,
l. replied TryOn, hastily "ere long my beOutitu
v Kate will be rich and happy"
at Kate sighed, as though she had no such glad
le dening dreams; but her father heard her not
j, he was already watching the departure of hi
IS wagons, for whose safety he had never befor
n appeared so sohcitous. Little did those aroun
him suspect they contained secret whose dis
n covery would prove their owners ruin; who's
E. safe keeping and success he hoped would well
i. nigh complete the building-uP of his fortunes
III might have been that Tryon had withstood tn
Of temptation longer, nay, perhaps, even overcome
s. it altogether, had it not been for the attachmen
D. of Hume, and his anxiety to remove Kate iron
Willow Dell, where of course her recollection
r; of him would be strongest.
IS Thus the voice ofambitions spoke loudly with
in Tryon's heart, overpowering all others, an(
t, he no longer hesitated to avail himselfot the op
% portunity fortune had cast in his path but al
d once applied himself to making the needful prep
arations for complying with the wish of the Ku'
t. ru.
, ooh, Kats, Kate" he thought, as he rode m