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exercise the christian virtue of patience to the utmost. I was disgusted with
his airs, long before he consented to make one in our family. Truly, we are
much honoured by the association! In what apartment is he to be placed, sir;
and at what table is he to receive his nectar and ambrosia?
With Benjamin and Remarkable, interrupted Mr. Jones; you surely would not
make the youth eat with the blacks! He is part Indian, it is true, but the
natives hold the negroes in great contempt. No, no--he would starve before he
would break a crust with the negroes.
I am but too happy, Dickon, to tempt him to eat with ourselves, said
Marmaduke, to think of offering even the indignity you propose.
Then, sir, said Elizabeth, with an air that was slightly affected, as if
submitting to her father s orders in opposition to her own will, it is your
pleasure that he be a gentleman.
Certainly; he is to fill the station of one; let him receive the treatment
that is due to his place, until we find him unworthy of it.
Well, well, duke, cried the Sheriff, you will find it no easy matter to
make a gentleman of him. The old proverb says, that it takes three
generations to make a gentleman. There was my father whom every body knew; my
grandfather was an M. D.; and his father a D. D.; and his father came from
England. I never could come at the truth of his origin, but he was either a
great merchant, in London, or a great country lawyer.
Here is a true American genealogy for you, said Marmaduke, laughing. It
does very well, till you get across the water, where, as every thing is
obscure, it is certain to deal in the superlative. You are sure that your
English progenitor was great, Dickon, whatever his profession might be?
To be sure I am, returned the other; I have heard my old aunt talk of him
by the month. We are of a good family, Judge Temple, and have never filled any
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but honourable stations in life.
I marvel that you should be satisfied with so scanty a provision of
gentility, in the olden time, Dickon. Most of the American genealogists
commence their traditions, like the stories for children, with three brothers,
taking especial care that one of the triumvirate shall be the progenitor of
any of the same name who may happen to be better furnished with worldly gear
than themselves. But, here, all are equal who know how to conduct themselves
with propriety; and Oliver Edwards comes into my family, on a footing with
both the High Sheriff and the Judge.
Well, duke, I call this democracy, not republicanism; but I say nothing;
only let him keep within the law, or I shall show him, that the freedom of
even this country is under wholesome restraint.
Surely, Dickon, you will not execute till I condemn! said Marmaduke. But
what says Bess to the new inmate? We must pay a deferrence to the ladies, in
this matter, after all.
Oh! sir, returned Elizabeth, I believe I am much like a certain Judge
Temple, in this particular; not easily to be turned from my opinion. But, to
be serious, although I must think the introduction of a demi-savage into the
family a somewhat startling event, whomsoever you think proper to countenance,
may be sure of my respect.
The Judge drew her arm more closely in his own, and smiled, while Richard led
the way through the gate of the little court-yard in the rear of the dwelling,
dealing out his ambiguous warnings, with his accustomed loquacity.
On the other hand, the foresters, for the three hunters, notwithstanding
their great difference in character, well deserved this common name, pursued
their course along the skirts of the village in silence. It was not until they
had reached the lake, and were moving over its frozen surface, towards the
foot of the mountain, where their hut stood, that the youth exclaimed--
Who could have foreseen this, a month since! I have consented to serve
Marmaduke Temple! to be an inmate in the dwelling of the greatest enemy of my
race! yet what better could I do? The servitude cannot be long, and when the
motive for submitting to it ceases to exist, I will shake it off, like the
dust from my feet.
Is he a Mingo, that you will call him enemy? said Mohegan. The Delaware
warrior sits still, and waits the time of the Great Spirit. He is no woman, to
cry out like a child.
Well, I m mistrustful, John, said Leather-stocking, in whose air there had
been, during the whole business, a strong expression of doubt and uncertainty.
They say that there s new laws in the land, and I am sartain that there s new
ways in the mountains. One hardly knows the lakes and streams, they ve altered
the country so much. I must say I m mistrustful of such smooth speakers; for
I ve known the whites talk fair, when they wanted the Indian lands most. This
I will say, though I m white myself, and was born nigh York, and of honest
parents too.
I will submit, said the youth; I will forget who I am. Cease to remember,
old Mohegan, that I am the descendant of a Delaware chief, who once was master
of these noble hills, these beautiful vales, and of this water, over which we
tread. Yes, yes--I will become his bondsman-- his slave! Is it not an
honourable servitude, old man?
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Old man! repeated the Indian, solemnly, and pausing in his walk, as usual
when much excited-- yes; John is old. Son of my brother! if Mohegan was young,
when would his rifle be still? where would the deer hide, and he not find him?
But John is old; his hand is the hand of a squaw; his tomahawk is a hatchet;
brooms and baskets are his enemies--he strikes no other.-- Hunger and old age
come together. See, Hawk-eye! when young, he would go days and eat nothing;
but should he not put the brush on the fire now, the blaze would go out. Take
the son of Miquon by the hand, and he will help you.
I m not the man I was, I ll own, Chingach-gook, returned the
Leather-stocking; but I can go without a meal now, on occasion. When we
tracked the Iroquois through the Beech-woods, they druv the game afore them,
for I hadn t a morsel to eat from Monday morning, come Wednesday sundown; and
then I shot as fat a buck, on the Pennsylvanny line, as you ever laid eyes on.
It would have done your heart raal good to have seen the Delawares eat,--for I
was out scouting and scrimmaging with their tribe, at the very time. Lord! the
Indians, lad, lay still, and just waited till Providence should send them
their game; but I foraged about, and put a deer up, and put him down too,
fore he had made a dozen jumps. I was too weak, and too ravenous to stop for
his flesh; so I took a good drink of his blood, and the Indians eat of his
meat raw. John was there, and John knows. But then starvation would be apt to
be too much for me now, I will own, though I m no great eater at any time.
Enough is said, my friends, cried the youth. I feel that every where the
sacrifice is required at my hands, and it shall be made; but say no more, I
entreat you; I cannot bear the subject now.
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