The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-03-06
Gbe. storp TelIer.
A CONTEST FOR A WIFE

In mountain valley, snugly sheltered
from the northern winds, stood the little cot
tagc of Gabriel Heath. Its occupant, an old
deer hunter, had been wanderer among the
Ottawas. Without society, except their oc-
casional companionship, and wholly welded
to wild life, yet. as age came upon him, he
pincd to return to his kind, and wear social
fetters.
Helena Heath inherited from her mother
the daughter of Canadian hunter-both
her name and the roaming spirit of her race.
From the days Of earliest rccollections she had
been at her fathers side on the prairie, or
ranging over the mountains.
The old hunter delighted in nothing more
than predatory skirmishcs with the Indians,
who were won't to acknowledge the debt with
interest. Once, with only two comrades, he
was surrounded in his trapping lodge, and
forced to stand n weeks seige. Then the
fearless conduct Of his daughter, child as she
was, won from him hunters praise and ia
TIERS pride.
twas singular training that she received,
wandering over an uninhabited country with
a rude hunter. shut out from education, and
only taught to read and write bya acciden-
tai visit for few weeks to a missionary sta
ton, without means Of refinement, and hay-
ing for the language Of her mind only what
could DO learned from the voice Of nature in
her deepest scclusiOn. She loved the green
woods and the mighty forests, for there her
soul could livebcyond the rough influence OF
the only life she had ever known.
Such was the character Of our heroine
when old Gabriel Heath exchanged bis wan
derinc life for u residence in n little cottage
on the hill.
Here lew acres supplied him with many
Of the neccssaries of life, and he had an op-
portunity to follow, at his pleasure, the bu-
sincss of his youth, and comfort seemed to
circle round the cottage home, whose exterior
was rendered somewhat picturesque by the
natural taste of the daughter.
On fine days old Heath titled the ground
or hunted among the neishboring hills and
by the side OF the streams, and in unpleasant
weather no sat by the 6rcside, smoked bis
pipe, and told huge stories of old adventures
A thriving village lay just behind the
range Of hills among which the cottage was
nestled, though the cottagcrs formed but lit
tle society with its Inhabitants.
Long exposure to thesun had vailed but
M, hidden Hclena's fair complexion, with a
rich olive, which added to her charms. Con
stan. exposure had given frmncss and cias-
,;c;,y TO her limbs. No wonder, then, though
bu, seldom seen. and still moro seldom ad-
drc-rd. sho was the belle Of the surrounding
country. Ramblcrs among the hills had
noticed the fair cottager, and became iniasu
ated with her beauty and ndireffs, and even
became sui,or, for her hand, but they had
all been rcpulscd. The bold and adventurous
she disliked for the coarsness which gene
rally characterized them. Few Of the differ
ent characters who constantly visited her. did
she trouble herself to notice. OF this latter
number the most prominent was Thomas
Clifford. a young lawyer. who had opened
his Office in the village. Educated in an cas-
tern university, and naturally OF retiring
cast of mind. Clifford had always avoided the
world and lived only with his books; consc-
qucutly bu. Ia part Of his character had been
developed. In his eyes, the beautiful young
cotiagcr was the type Of what the philo'O'
pliers had long sought to find, and he deter
mined to obtain the reality OF the child.iresh.
ness, while they could only conceive the ideal.
He therefore resolved to amend his de6cien-
cics in her cyes, and his sanguine nature
hoped the rest.
Old Heath looked upon marriage as ne