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 1 
 
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 4 
 
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^BI 
 
 A NAia 
 
 vv 
 
THE 
 
 r 
 
 <4' 
 
 BLACK PHANTOM, 
 
 OR 
 
 WOMiN'S ENDURANCE: 
 
 ' '•^"""■™ C0NNE,.-r.D w,r„ -n.K eap.lv ,„.tc.p.v op 
 
 CANADA AND THE AMERICAN UEVOLUTION. 
 
 J'V 
 
 CHARLES SHKIMPTON. 
 
 NEW YORK- 
 '•l^BLISHED in- JAMES MILLEU, 
 
 5 22 BROADWAY. 
 
 1S67, 
 
^fl^i/tipr£>fj c 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, In tho year 18C7, 
 
 By CHARLES SlIllIMPTON, 
 
 In the Clerk's (Vlice of the District Court of the United State.s for the 
 
 SoiiUiern Di.itrici of New York. 
 
 ; i- 
 
PRELIMINARY. 
 
 In the publication of the work lu're presented to the 
 reader, the author has been actuated by uo selfish pur- 
 pose. The thouglit of principal importance in issuinp^ 
 a book for general perusal should be — what will be the 
 probable influence it will exert : is it trashy in its na- 
 ture, or vicious in its spirit ; will it oflV'nd or corrupt 
 the moral sense, or to any extent injure the intellect, by 
 debasing it with impure thoughts and demoralizing im- 
 agery ? Or, on the contrary, is it, in design and execu- 
 tion, adapted, by its portrayal of character, to give a 
 winning beauty to virtue, and to exert a controlling in- 
 fluence for good on the mind of the Reader ? Is it, in a 
 word, such a production, that parents can place it in the 
 hands of their children with the conviction that, while 
 they will be interested and informed, they will receive 
 no detriment from its perusal ? The author, conscious 
 of his rectitude in this regard, leaves his work to win its 
 way to public favor, rather by its intrinsit; character 
 and moral value, than by an}' pretensions. to lit(;rary ex- 
 cellence. 
 
THE BLACK PHANTOM. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 On one of those stormy nig-hts tliat can porbaps be 
 i'X|>eri(>nced only in Lower Canada, when it is impossible 
 to judge with certainty how soon the wind will veer, or 
 from which point of the compass it will next come, — the 
 snow driving with a fury and an inijietnosity that may 
 emphatically be termed ('anadian, or whirling in ev(.>ry 
 direction in eddies, large and small, according to the size 
 of the obstruction that diverts it or imj)edes its progn^ss, 
 and in places forming drifts that musl be seen t(j fully 
 rcidize their magnitude, — while such a storm is raging, 
 we will enter one of those snuc; and comfortable white- 
 washed cottages in the neighborhood of thv^ (Quebec 
 Barracks, in the city of Montreal, as it appeared in the 
 latter part of the last century. But before doing so wc 
 will take a cursory g-lance at its exterior, 
 
 A substantial edifice, known as a franu^-buiUling, 
 erected with an eye to shelter its ()ccu{)ants from the 
 biting blast of such a night as this, with its tight-fitting 
 doors and window-frames and double sashes, with all 
 the outside joints and interstices well plastered over, 
 
6 
 
 TUE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 it was well iidiiptcd to keep .hick Frost at bay. Tho 
 hiiildiii;^- was what niiglit bo called a story and a lialt', 
 with I'our doriuLT windows in the lii<^li, stcep-Klauting 
 voui\ and four windows ! clow, two on each side of the 
 door. Tiie door was shcltcrctl from tiie snow by a teni- 
 jtorary porch, with outside door. This porch was iii- 
 tend(,'d for winter use only, and would be removed in 
 early sprinp^. At sonie distance, in front of the building, 
 there was a painted picket-fence, which enclosed a nicely 
 laid out flowcr-g-ardcn ; but nothing of this could be seen 
 on th(! night in question, owing to the deep covering of 
 snow. In the rear of the building was a spacious yard, 
 with stable, coach-house, w«)(Kl-shed, and all other con- 
 veniences comp(jrting with respectability. On the front 
 d()(/r was a brass knocker, with a neatly engraved door- 
 plate, bearing the name of "Captain Walters," — thes(!at 
 all times being kept scrupulously clean and bright. 
 The doors and windows, as also the picket-fence, were 
 painted a light green. The whole of the exterior ap- 
 pearance of the place would impress the mind ol' the be- 
 holder that comfort and neatness of no common order 
 reigned within. On entering the cottage, this impression 
 would be increased by the unmistakable evidences that 
 woman's hand and eye, and tast(! of no ortlinary grade, 
 had been at work, not less by the quantity or quality of 
 the articles there presented to view, than by the skill 
 displayed in the arrang<'nient and disposition of shade 
 and color, and in the classification. 
 
 We shall not describe the material or color of the nice 
 curtains, the elaborate })attern of the rich Turkey car- 
 pet, or the kind of wood of which the varied furniture 
 was made, or the ingenious wu)rkmansliip and costly 
 
 cl 
 
 * 'I 
 bl 
 
 iti 
 
 ol 
 
 n 
 
 wl 
 
 m 
 ail 
 la 
 ra 
 
 sc 
 w 
 th 
 
 
W u M AN S K X 1) U K A N C K. 
 
 i(» l)e- 
 )nl(!r 
 
 'ssioii 
 that 
 title, 
 
 ty of 
 skill 
 lade 
 
 iiico 
 car- 
 
 carvinjj^ of the Kaiiio. All these tliiM;;'s imisl 1»«' jiidy-ed 
 olTnim tlie tanto and character ol' the occupiuits, as tliev 
 hecome niore fully devoloped in our narrative. SuHlce 
 it to say, th;it <»iie of the most important and ('(inspitMi- 
 ous oltjects, to our taste, was a very neat hookcase of 
 no mean dimensions, and tilled to its utmost capacity 
 witli a choice and well-selected library. The proprietors 
 must have been no mean lin<j;"uists, judj;'in;;" from th(? 
 arra}' of works in the modern an well as the aiuiient 
 lan^iiafjifes there represented ; vvliile, frtuii the wiih; 
 rang'e of subji.'cts end)raced in th(! hi,i;"her branches of 
 science and literature, they must, in (svery sense of tin; 
 word, be well read and hi.u'ldy tutored. In the room on 
 the other side of the entrance hall there was an elei^ant 
 )»iano, from om) of the most celebrated London mak(M's ; 
 and a larp^e assortnuMit of music lay close at hand, on a 
 small table. In the centre of each, of the rooms there 
 was the ever-present and (>ssential requisite, in that land 
 of frost and snow, the larg-e, square, Canadian stove, and 
 near by, a larg'e box full of hard maple firewood. 
 
 This hasty glance at the exterior and interior of the 
 dwelling, will give us some crude idea of the standing', 
 tlie characters, and the tastes of the occupants. Now, 
 on tlu^ eveninir alreadv alluded to, in one of those rooms 
 there sat a female. She had just lei"t her piano, and 
 was about to take U)) her sewing. On the work-table 
 there stood a beautiful branch candlestick, with four 
 wax candles. It might be seen, at a glance, that she 
 was a person of no ordinary character ; in every sense 
 of the word, a true woman. We are not going to de- 
 scril)e her eyes, though they were the blacklist of the 
 black, steady and penetrating — possessing, at the same 
 
°!* 
 
 
 6 
 
 TUE liLACK phantom; OR, 
 
 tiinc, all «'XproHsi»)n of soft and incltiiif]^ tondcrnosH. Nor 
 kIiuII w(! <;iv(! a loii^, j^lowiiij:^ wonl-pictiiro of lior iiair, 
 tliougli it was of tlu' riclicHt luxuriance, and flossy rav«.'n 
 liuc, with a sli<,^lit tendency to curl. Her form was 
 ])luin}) and finely rounded ; her count<.'nance expressive, 
 and exhibitin;jc hi«i^li int(dli|^ence, cahn and placid when 
 ttt H'st, but oft(,'n lighted up by a most bewitching sinih', 
 and then wit and wisdom would hold hi;i;h revel on lier 
 lips, althouijjh, at all times, she displayed more than com- 
 mon firmness. Her statun; was rather above the medium 
 height, with a nice adjustment of breadth ; her step 
 was (d«'an ; and, in fact, her every movement muin'- 
 fested rerinement and grace. Her voice, manner, couri- 
 tenanc(^ and deportment showed very clearly to the ob- 
 server that more than an ordinary amount of sorrow had 
 fallen to her lot. Holding her sewing in her hand, as 
 though in a state of hesitancy, casting a momentary and 
 furtiv(.> glai»co towards the window, as though listening 
 for the sound of some expected footfall, then consulting 
 the (degant gold watch that she had just taken from her 
 girdle, she looked, with a steady gaze, at the light of 
 the wax tap(»rs, as though revolving some weighty sub- 
 j(!ct in her mind ; and ever and anon a deep-drawn sigh 
 would escape her, which would }ave her bosom and 
 give still greater dimensions to her well-developed 
 bust. 
 
 At length there was the sound of the opening wicket, 
 and tlu? well-known cough — sure notice, and welcome 
 password to the inner citadel of that true woman's heart 
 — and, cpiick as thought, with an elastic bound, she was 
 at the door, and the bolt withdrawn. Be not afraid, ye 
 loving couple, for it is not our purpose to say one word 
 
 
 •d. 
 
 s- she 
 
 t 
 
 ;i 111 
 
 dut' 
 
 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 
 
 38. Nor 
 litT liiiir, 
 sy nivcM 
 irrii was 
 jrcHHive, 
 ;id wlini 
 ig smile, 
 1 on her 
 liiii corn- 
 iiiLHlium 
 ler step 
 it niiiiij- 
 jr, coun- 
 tlio ob- 
 •ow had 
 uuid, as 
 ary aiul 
 stt'iiiiig- 
 isidting" 
 •orn lior 
 iij^ht of 
 ty sub- 
 n sig-h 
 )in and 
 'doped 
 
 rt'icket, 
 elcoine 
 i lieart 
 le was 
 aid, ye 
 3 word 
 
 * "^liont tliat or any oilier ol your lond j^reetinj;;s I liuL 
 she did Hay — 
 
 "0 Ri>l»ert, I am so yrlad that voti are come ! Wlnit 
 ;i ni;;ht is this to be out, and yon so ill able lo bear it !" 
 
 "Yes, my p]liza, it is; bnt yon know that ijarrison 
 duty nuist be attended to, let it be I'onl or fair weather."' 
 
 "Oh, yes, I do know all that ; bnt I know, also, tiiat 
 yon are not so able as you used to be to stand such ex- 
 cessive fatigue, before j'ou wore so severely wounded, 
 and your long- siekness in consequence." 
 
 "Well, 1 do feel a litth; the worse for wear on iliat 
 account ; but 1 trust that time and patience and tlie 
 blessiiijif of God secondin*:,' your very af]ecti»viiate nurs 
 ing', will eve.> .^lly bring all ri<j^ht aj^i-ain vvith mo/' 
 
 " Oh ^ know that you are always oo patient, J'ubort, 
 ami nt)t given to complaining, how(?vor much you ii.iiy 
 suffer ; but does not this ver}' severe cold night alfcct 
 you, and cause your wounds to be; more painful ?" 
 
 " Rather painful, my dear ; but you know that a sol- 
 dier must with courage live, or must with courage 
 die." 
 
 " Yes, my dear Robert ; but it is not only that kind of 
 courage that will nerve the arm in the dcnidly conllict 
 with the f(je, or even to do bravely the arduous duties 
 of life, that is necessary, but that more diflicult bravery, 
 to take a bold and decided stand on the side of virtue 
 and the cause of God." 
 
 " Oh, yes ; I feel that ev(>ry day of my lift?, i. know 
 that it is far easier to brave death at the cannon's 
 mouth, or to encounter the storm and tempest on sucii 
 a night as this in the pf'rformance of our most arduous 
 duties, than to contend with the vain and vicious, or to 
 
 1* 
 
^ 
 
 10 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 H 
 
 bear up against their supercilious laugh or cutting 
 jests ; but if tliey did it to the green tree, will they not 
 also do it to th(; dry ?" 
 
 " Yes, my dear Robert, that is true ; and with so 
 bright and so beautiful an example before us, ought we 
 not to bear the cross, as seeing llim who is invisible ?" 
 
 " Certainly, my own Eliza ; and, when seeing Him by 
 the eye of faith, it lightens the burden, because He bears 
 thu heaviest portion with us. 
 
 " And although our good name may be evil spoken 
 of, and the cold and piercing blast may rage without, 
 if we have peace of conscience and conjugal love at 
 home, with the smile of Heaven to cheer our hearts, we 
 may then bravely dare and do, and leave all the conse- 
 quences to God. But now, my dear Eliza, we will join 
 in the evening hymn of praise to Him who has led us 
 by a way that we knew not, and then, by prayer and 
 supplication, commit our way to Him, and crave His 
 fatherly help and guidance for the future. 
 
 of 
 
 -^ 
 
woman's endubance. 
 
 11 
 
 cutting 
 
 they not 
 
 with so 
 Ui^'lit we 
 sible ?" 
 
 Him by 
 Se bears 
 
 spoken 
 without, 
 
 love at 
 larts, we 
 le conse- 
 vvill join 
 S h^d us 
 yer and 
 ave His 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The last chapter closed with a portrayal of the calm 
 and peaceful termination of the day in the dwelling" of 
 Captain Walters, We will now introduce the reader to 
 a very difterent scene. It is the officers' mess-room of 
 tlie same regiment t(j which Captain Walters belonged. 
 
 The band of the regiment, under the able leadership 
 of the German bandmaster, had just closed their exer- 
 cises for the evening, as usual, with the national air of 
 " God save the King." The officers had j»ist partaken 
 of a sumptuous repast, which term it is intended shall 
 convey a more than ordinary significance ; for "ach of 
 the gentlemen com[)osing that company may be sup- 
 posed to occupy a high position as to his capacity, judg- 
 ing from the quality and quantitj' of the viaufls placed 
 before them, and the amount of culinary skill expended 
 in tlir'ir preparation. And any defect or deficiency as 
 to either, or in the manipulation of the French cook, 
 would have been detected by the veriest tyro present ; 
 and then, judging from the antecedents of the parties, 
 could any flaw have been detected, tlu^y were not the 
 men to allow it to pass unnoticed, or, however innocent 
 the man or trifling the cause, to sulfcr any fault or de- 
 ficiency to pass unreproved ; nor did they, under any 
 circumstance, use the most gentle or refined lang-uage. 
 For these gentlemen (we had almost said these men^ 
 but perhaps that term might be considered discourteous 
 
iilii 
 
 12 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 on our part, wliicli it is onr wisli to avoid ; we know, 
 however, tliat there is often a wide diirererice between 
 the term, as well as the real character of " man" and 
 "gentleman," but it is not our purpose to discuss 
 liere that question, or to canvass on wliicli side of 
 the scale preponderates real worth, but simply to no- 
 tice the supposed antecedents of these gentlemen), de- 
 scended from the ranks of the old aristocratic; families 
 of En<rland. They had, of course, been deeply ind)ued 
 with the exalted notions of class privileges held at the 
 date to wliich we are now alluding. They had been, 
 from earliest infancy, held aloof from contact with what 
 they were pleased to call the lower orders. 
 
 As a general thing, they traced the line of their an- 
 cestry to the companions in arms of William, the Con- 
 queror of England ; hence it was presumed that a purer 
 blood flowed in their veins than in the veins of the 
 common people ; while, as a privileged class, they held 
 a mono})oly in the few leading S(\'its of learning then 
 in the land, which had the t(mdency to still more widen 
 the chasm above alluded t(j. The}'' had also, from time 
 far back in the history of the nation, laid special claim, 
 as a not to be disputed right, to all places of trust and 
 emolument both in Church and State ; all tending to the 
 result of an oppressive and extravagant government 
 and a bigoted and an intolerant Church, while the 
 masses of the people were neglected, ignorant, and im- 
 moral. 
 
 Then we may naturally suppose that these genth^men 
 would not be much improved in their morals when 
 relieved of the very slight restraints that may have 
 held them while under the parental roof, and of the 
 
 1(11 
 
 ui 
 
 ui 
 
 (■()| 
 
 thi 
 
 tli.i 
 
 tin 
 
 tlul 
 
 chi 
 
 dill 
 
 sh; 
 
 fas 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 13 
 
 'laim, 
 and 
 
 tlie 
 ii(>nt 
 
 the 
 
 1 im- 
 
 rnen 
 i^hen 
 lave 
 the 
 
 loose curb th;it rcf^traiiicd tlioir rampant passions \vhi1(' 
 under tutors, tliey liavini; now become, in a ;i'reat meas- 
 iir<', the arl)iters of their own actions. And when we 
 consider that the younger part had been successively 
 thrown into tiie company of those already schoole<l by 
 thorough culture among tiiese fashionable rak(^s, and 
 tiie aptness also of the young to copy from those older 
 than themselves, especially in the darker shades of 
 ciiaract(.'r — their pertness and wish to shine — it is not 
 dini(Mdt to conceive of their ability to contribute their 
 share in supplying fuel to this seething cauldron of 
 fashionable vice. 
 
 From a necessarily hasty and general view of the 
 company now before us, as they appear in the officers' 
 mess-room, and from general appearances, we judged 
 that they were a go(idly and nobh.'-looking company. 
 We will, ln)wever, be more special and personal in our 
 survey and remarks, and endeavor with an impartial 
 judgment to portray the personal appearance of a few, 
 and to sketch their moral character ; for that, after all, 
 is our main object and aim. 
 
 Of course, the highest in point of office must claim 
 our first regard, and for other reasons than merely being 
 the highest in office. He appeared to be the oldest, and 
 had no doubt been a dashing fellow in his time. The 
 Colonel bore all the marks of being a man of the woi'ld 
 and a highly polished gentleman, easy and afllabh.' in 
 his manners among his compeers, and, at will, could 
 throw just enough of hauteur into his bearing to be- 
 speak at all times due deference and respect from all the 
 officers in the regiment under bis command ; but he 
 held in supreme contempt any and every person who in 
 
14 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 any way atteniptod to question the dig-nity or the reapcc- 
 tahility of his office. He was tall in stature, noble in 
 ills figure and general carriage ; with an eye large, 
 clear, dark in color, and penetrating' ; a prominent Ko- 
 iiian nose ; a deeply bronzed counte'iiance, with all the 
 indications ot having seen much and severe service. 
 But there had been otlier influences at work, that had 
 most seriously affected that line and noble frame, than 
 had been encountered in the service of his countrv. 
 lie iiad been a valetudinarian — his fine constitution had 
 been emaciated by his vices far more than by the hard 
 professional service that he had seen ; and, to use a signifi- 
 cant expression, he was indeed a patched-up man. AVo- 
 inen and wine were the deities at whose shrine he had 
 been a most devout worship[)er ; ' nd withal he had been 
 no inattentive votar}' at the more material, but perhaps 
 not less enervating, cuisine delicacies. N(jw he was tor- 
 mented with g'out, together with a legion of other dis- 
 eases, that caused him to totter on in the imbecility of 
 a premature old age ; notwithstanding which, the fires 
 of former dissipation still smouldered within him, and 
 the smirking frivolities which would but ill become even 
 the boy not out of his teens, subjected him to the ridi- 
 cule and contempt of all true admirers of manly virtue. 
 
 The next to be presented, in the order of rank, is the 
 major. This gentleman was a kind of nondescript : had 
 a large, full face, with an unmeaning expression, blotched 
 all over, the natural result of vicious indulgence ; a 
 remarkably wide mouth, and large, protruding lips ; 
 with a tongue far too big even for his capacious mouth, 
 so that, when he spoke, it gave a kind of abrupt and 
 uneven blurt to his expression. To add still more to 
 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 15 
 
 rcapec- 
 [)ble in 
 
 'lit Ko- 
 
 all the 
 
 srrvicc. 
 
 lat liad 
 
 c, than 
 
 ountry. 
 
 ion liad 
 
 le hard 
 
 sigMiifi- 
 
 . Wo- 
 
 he had 
 
 id been 
 
 l>erhaps 
 
 ,'as tor- 
 
 T dis- 
 
 ility of 
 
 10 fires 
 
 m, and 
 
 ic even 
 
 le ridi- 
 
 irtiie. 
 
 is the 
 
 : had 
 
 otched 
 
 a 
 
 ips ; 
 
 nouth, 
 
 it and 
 
 lore to 
 
 le 
 
 iC(! ; 
 
 the hidicroua, he was at all times a loud, vociferous 
 talker, even on the most trivial subject, if an}' tliin,t^ 
 that he ever sp(jke of could be dignified by that term ; 
 for, in general, his conversation was shallow atid trifling 
 ill the extreme, and, to use a well-known expn'ssion, 
 uttered as though he had plums in his mouth : to which 
 might be added, for aught we know to the contrary, a 
 ([uantity of thick, sticky fluid in his throat, so that his 
 voice resembled a sound between a mumble and a gur- 
 gle. He had a large, ungainly person, surmounting a pair 
 of feet that appeared to have been fastened to the wrong 
 owner ; and even that but lately, as he had not yet ar- 
 rived at a just appreciation of their use for straightfor- 
 ward locomotion. Nor did it only appear that these 
 feet had been misapplied as to person : there seems to 
 have been another grand mistake, for they w^ere not an 
 exact pair by a very long way. But, notwithstanding 
 all these peculiarities, he was evidently a general favor- 
 ite amono: the wIkjIc of the officers and men of the rem- 
 ment, altiiough each paid his attentions to him from 
 different and widely divergent motives. One thing was 
 certain, that he was one of the best-tempered men, inoffen- 
 sive, and of an amiable disposition. The keen, pointed 
 witticism, the plain, coarse, rude joke, might- be flung at 
 him ; his person or manners might be ridiculed and bur- 
 les(iued : still he was always ready with as hearty a 
 laugh as the most hilarious or joyous and fun-loving 
 spirit present. He was also very wealthy ; and who 
 ever yet lost the chance of flattering a rich fool, wh(;re 
 any thing might be made out of him by the operation ? 
 'He had been the spoiled child of his mother, and in his 
 youthful days had spent most of his time in company of 
 
16 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 llic ladios. At tli(^ tinio of wliicli we arc wn'tiiip;", he 
 Kcldoin lost an opportniiity of JittciKliiio- tlioir social 
 parties ; or of accoriipaiiyiiif^ tlieni, or latlier tlioy accom- 
 panyiii<»' him, in their rides to view the grand and i)ic- 
 tures(]ue scen(My in tiie neighborliood of Montreal, — all of 
 which were at his expense. Most of his lady acquaint- 
 ances knew just what kind of a smile would n^icli his 
 kind and tender heart ; and, in their strolls past tlie few 
 stoi'es that were then to be found in 8t. Paul street or 
 Notre Dame street, they knew that it was necessary 
 only to admire that beautiful love of a silk dress, or 
 that very handsome hat or bonnet, in a half-careless, 
 nonchalant way, to draw upon his purse, as well as to 
 reach his heart. And so great was his infatuation 
 with the ladies, that, if all the kings of Christendom had 
 made the most urgent demands for his presence, there 
 would not have been one short moment necessary to in- 
 duce him to decide in their favor. It was certain, how- 
 ever, that the king's service ivas never known t(j suffer 
 much from his absence, and equally so that the same 
 was never much benefited by his presence. The in- 
 quiry might justly be made, What on earth brought 
 him at all into the British armv? Whv, the same cause 
 that, from time to time, has brought others. It was, 
 perhaps, first of all, his own wish or whim ; and he 
 being thought, })y his powerful friends, and especially 
 his wealthy and titled mother, too great a fool fov the 
 church, he was, by a well-conceiv(Ml but private^ under- 
 standing, foisted upon the army. Through the inlluence 
 of his friends at headquarters he had been, from time to 
 time, promoted over the heads of the really talented and 
 meritorious, but who had no friend at " court." Now 
 
 f 
 
 
 a I 
 w 
 
 ni( 
 of 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 17 
 
 tliat he was i?i tlic^ highway of promotion, from these 
 and such-like caiuses, he could not tail to be borne on- 
 ward from rank to rank, without the least thought or 
 effort of his own, until he attained the elevated jxisition 
 ot" general, although many doubted his ever making a 
 Marlborough. 
 
 Not the least remarkable of the members of this 
 mess-room com})any was Captain Andrews, a gentleman 
 of very few words. Ilis eyes looked unutterable things 
 — keen, penetrating, and searching, as though capable 
 of reading one through and through. At the first ap- 
 proach of any person, there appeared to be a kind of 
 slow, calculating process going on in his own mind, as 
 though taking the full mental and moral measure of the 
 man lor his ulterior use and benefit, and which, by his 
 own mental culture, he seemed well calculated to ac- 
 complish. And when he had a[)[)arently linished the 
 process in his own mind, he seemed to (jxercise great 
 caution and wariness, like the stealthy approachc^s of a 
 cat. Aiming to gain your good opinion, and firmly se- 
 cure your confidence, with oily words, and soft insinu- 
 ating manners, a stranger to him would be led to sup- 
 pose that he was a man of undoubt(!d probity. In any 
 and all cases of difficulty he seemed to be perfectly at 
 home ; for, with native shrewdness and sagacity, he 
 would at once take in the length and breadth of the sul)- 
 ject U'ought before him, and give his advice as though 
 prompted by inspiration, — the inspiration being propor- 
 tionably quickened where it was likely to bring grist to 
 his own mill. His own personal int(;rests seemed to be 
 the grand moving impulse of his entirt^ nature ; ho 
 appeared to be completel}^ absorbed in s(.'lf. His whole 
 
18 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 \l 
 
 iiHiiihood presented Ronietliiiif]; of the qiuilities of the 
 magnet, in its mysterious vvorkiiii^s ot" positive and nei^-- 
 ative poles, as there was, indeed, an irresistil)le kiw 
 that urged liis whole being in tlu; direction where gold 
 was to be gained. And he was repelled as powerfully 
 from the (opposite direction, where then* was the least 
 probability of a draw upon his purse. There was no 
 soft spot in his heart that was ever known to yield to 
 the plaint of the suffering child of want. He was of 
 ratluir a tall, thin, wiry frame ; harsh features, sunken 
 cheeks, and very deep-set eyes, and large, overhanging 
 ey(.'brows ; of a yellowish, jaundiced-like coni))lexion ; 
 head inclined a little forward when walking, or, rather, 
 Ids forward movement was between a walk and a creep, 
 as though he was always on the lookout for something 
 that he feared to meet. He had somethino; of the cast 
 of the Jew in his character, being always on hand wliere 
 there was a needy borrower who had ample security to 
 tender ; and the amount of interest that he would demand 
 wtv nev(;r regulated by anj^ considerations suggested 
 by conscience. 
 
 Lieutenant Broughton was a man of quite an opposite 
 character to that of Captain Andrews. This man was 
 utterly reckless of person, property, and character ; his 
 disposition was at once vengeful and cruel, with aj)|)a- 
 rently no more feeling than the nether millstcme — utterly 
 regardless of all evil consequences that might follow 
 either to himself or to others from his outrageous con- 
 duct, lie was almost always in difficulties with his 
 brother officers, the subalterns, or private men in his 
 company, or with some of the civilians with whom he 
 might have any dealings. Although he had many 
 
 son 
 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 19 
 
 3 of tllC 
 
 ble law 
 livo f>'(»M 
 werruliy 
 lie least 
 
 was no 
 yield t(» 
 1 was ol' 
 
 sii'ikeii 
 haiic^iiig 
 )lexi()ii ; 
 , rather, 
 a cre(.'p, 
 inotliing 
 the cast 
 d wliere 
 
 urity to 
 demand 
 
 ^g'ested 
 
 uppositc 
 
 an was 
 
 >r ; liis 
 
 li a})pa- 
 
 [utterly 
 
 follow 
 
 ns coii- 
 
 ith his 
 
 in I lis 
 
 loni he 
 
 in any 
 
 wealthy relatives, wlio held liig-Ji oftice under govern- 
 . nient, and a very rich father, who allowed him a hand- 
 some sum over and above liis pay, yet, from Ids sjx'nd- 
 thrift conduct, he was almost always without cash in 
 his pocket or at his command, liis position as an oilicer 
 in the British army gave iiim at once character and in- 
 lluence in the connnunity, and with any of the trades- 
 people wherever the rei^iment might be stationed ; but 
 tlieir conlidence was pretty sure to be abused by his 
 reckless purcliases, and then in liis equal recklessness 
 in fulfilling liis promises to pny — and very many were 
 his victims. In this way, poor but honest liard-working 
 mechanics, it might be with small capital but large 
 families, were often irretrievably involved. lie would 
 purchase a valuable carriage or a set of harness, which 
 he would use for a short time, and then, when deterio- 
 : rated perliaps more than half their value, for some 
 i frivolous pretext he would return tlieni to the maker 
 '' without a^iy recompense ; so derelict was lie to all moral 
 |)nnciple. His haughty and imperious manners to those 
 with whom he came in contact, plainly told how deeply 
 J he was impressed with the consciousness of his owmi 
 ■ greatness, and that the whole world was bound to ren- 
 der him the most abject obedience ; while, at the same 
 time, he was a complete sycophant to his superiors, 
 "With a frame tall and full, he was a fine commanding per- 
 son ; and his face was handsome, of which it might be 
 seen he was not a little vain. He had the voice of a 
 lion, and a kind of dare-devil spirit to correspond. Woe 
 he to the poor unhappy being who came within the 
 lash of his ire 1 
 
 Lieutenant Darlington was one of the youngest mem- 
 
'^, 
 
 20 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 IxTH of the mcsH-rooni, and (jiiite a curiosity in Iii.s way; 
 of rather a Kinall fi<i;ure, liis nose lar{j,(' and Hharp- 
 pointed, face thin and lun<^', without a single p^ood fea- 
 ture in his count(T»ance. His liead was far too hirg-e, in 
 {)roportion to tlie size of his hody, and placiul upon a 
 {)air of slioulders wiiose outlines j)resent('(l no very stron- 
 claims to beauty. Ilis arms were too lonjj^, and danf;'liii^ : 
 at the ends of these were a pair of clumsy iiauds, awk- 
 ward in the extreme, and jerking- in all their motions. 
 His legs, what there was of them, were too close at the 
 knees and far too wide apart at the feet, to be any thiii^ 
 like graceful in their movements ; while the toes wen; 
 outward bound. He would have been a very useful 
 companion in the fields at early morning, when the dew- 
 was lieav}'' on the grass, for the great breadtii that 
 would be swei)t over by his wide-set feet would clear 
 the grass of the dew, so that one might follow him in 
 the sam(! path with comparatively dry boots. He was 
 most fastidious as to the placing and a{)pearance of his 
 liunvsj red hair, and the cut of his scarcidy perceptii)It 
 whiskers. His boots always of the most jet-black })iil- 
 ish ; his clothes of the latest cut and of the extremost 
 fashion ; his French hat placed in the most jaunty wuv 
 upon his head ; furnished with gold-headed cane, and 
 eye-glass stuck fast over one of his little twinking gray 
 eyes, and held there by the contraction of the upper and 
 lower muscles of the face ;— thus fully decked and 
 trinmied, he issued forth as though he liad just stepped 
 out of a bandbox. Redolent with choice odors, he was 
 like Milton's angel, who shook his plumes and filled the 
 circuit wide with rich perfume. It was clear to I lie 
 dullest perception that he considered himself a perfect 
 
 A lady- 
 hill. di 
 'I s<dr a 
 I the w 
 males 
 ; tilt' e 
 
 I bonne 
 
 :* Wi)Ul< 
 
 i an <ti 
 
 ' that. 
 
 ^ faults 
 
 \ Th( 
 
 rerl 
 
 ov 
 
 (: 
 
 i the ni 
 I and tl 
 I hare I 
 , ever, 
 
 This 
 ^ Jumefc 
 ^ cated 
 \ have 1 
 '}, questi 
 
 He w 
 .' poor 
 
 very i 
 •' ofEni 
 I Thi 
 ; smart 
 
 made 
 i therei 
 
 of the 
 
 hira ii 
 
 III 
 
■^'^ 
 
 WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 31 
 
 his wnv : 
 
 11(1 Kliiir))- 
 
 g"o()(l fca- 
 
 d upon a 
 'ly !s troll, - 
 
 liUlpI'lillo ; 
 
 lids, iiwk- 
 inutioiis. 
 )S0 at the 
 any tiling' 
 toes were 
 ry us(;riil 
 1 tlie clew 
 ultli tli;it 
 iild clear 
 vv him ill 
 Ho was 
 ice of his 
 rceptil'lc 
 lack poj- 
 xtreniest 
 nty WHY 
 
 une, and 
 
 iig gray 
 )per and 
 ced and 
 stepped 
 ho was 
 lied tlio 
 
 ' to tilt,' 
 
 perfect 
 
 ladv-killer, and siip}>osed liiniself to he the observed of 
 ■ nil observers. Indeecl so he was, and he comported him- 
 si'lf accordingly. And it was (piiti' amusing to observe 
 llir way in which Ik,' would wink and smirk at the fe- 
 males as ho passed then! in the stnM't, the boldness and 
 ; the ertVoiitery with which lie would peer under their 
 Ixnmets, and the ])ert yet unmeaning remarks that he 
 would pass upon them to his coinj)anion. But he was 
 an officer in the service of his Britannic Majesty, and 
 that, like charity, was suiiicient to cover a multitude of 
 5 faults and failings. 
 
 m There was one person whom we would not wish to 
 I overlook, or have it supposed that we slighted him in 
 ^ the most distant way, as, by the position he occupied 
 \ and the sacnMl charac^ter of his office, ho certainly should 
 hare been the first noticed in our sketches ; but, how- 
 ever, bettor late than never. 
 
 This gentleman was no less a person than the Rev. 
 James Wilson, M, A., chaplain of the regiment. Edu- 
 cated at the celebrated University of Oxford, it might 
 have been said, so far as literary attainments wore in 
 question, that he did very high honor to his Alma Mater. 
 lie was a son of a pcjor, or, rather, a comparatively 
 poor man, who hold the office of uiider-stoward to a 
 very wealthy nobleman in one of the niidland counties 
 of England. 
 
 This son of the nobleman's steward had been a very 
 smart and intelligent boy in the village school, and had 
 made such progress in all tTio departments of learning 
 therein taught, that he had attracted the special notice 
 of the village clergyman, who was over ready to assist 
 him in his higher studios, and so prepare him for col- 
 

 22 
 
 TIIK BLACK PHAP^TOM; OK, 
 
 lego, if tliiit couKl by any possibility be br(»ii<;-lit about ; 
 whicJi, by liis IVioiidly interest and inlinoncc with tin 
 said nobhiinan, in wliose service y(mn<;" Wilson's tatlit r 
 then was, was happily accomplished ; I'or it so happened 
 that fliis nobleman had a younjj^er son who was on tlw 
 eve of ^oin;^ to Oxford to complete his education, and 
 
 the noble Lord H concUuled that he would be at 
 
 the ex|)enKe of young Wilson's education on the very 
 easy condition tiiat he would be a kind of waiting-man 
 on this scion of nobility during his stay at this cele- 
 brated seat of learning. Thus the whole thing was soon 
 arranged, so far as young Wilson was concerned ; for 
 when a young man of a lively imagination and an ar- 
 dent tem[)erament is thirsting after knowledge, every 
 avenue that may open up to his laudable ambitfon will 
 be considered by him as something like a god-send. 
 The preliminaries — so far as the understanding of the 
 conditions, and tlie necessary preparations and outfit for 
 the life-journey of these young a.spirants after fame and 
 honors — were soon completed, and the happy pair com- 
 fortably domiciled in the ancient and grim city ./f silk 
 gowns and tassel led square caps. 
 
 At the same time, it is most true that these young men 
 were not fairly mated as to their dispositions and gen- 
 eral tastes, and the means at their disposal for gratify- 
 ing their inclinations ; but this inequality might, per- 
 haps, prove to be no great detriment to young Wii&on'y 
 advancement in learning. Suflice it to say, that the im- 
 periousness of the one was very prudently and com- 
 mendably submitted to by the other ; for the very good 
 reason, that, to have been in the least degree refractory, 
 might have proved the literary death of the one who 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 23 
 
 4'lit ab(»ul ; 
 (' wilh the 
 dii'h latlici 
 ) liJippcncii 
 ■us on tlic 
 'iition, and 
 )ul(l be at 
 
 tlio very 
 liting-niiiii 
 
 tin's cc'lc- 
 ' was S(j()ii 
 rncd ; for 
 iiid an ar- 
 l^c, every 
 >itit)n will 
 god-send, 
 ig oi' the 
 
 outfit for 
 fame and 
 
 •air coni- 
 •y >vf silk 
 
 nng men 
 iiid gen- 
 ;"ratify- 
 i'lit, per- 
 VVii&on's 
 ' the im- 
 id cuni- 
 ry good 
 ractory, 
 >iie who 
 
 vvonid most keenly liave felt the stroke that ent uiX lur- 
 t'vcr his brightest hopiis. His mental and moral tuition 
 ; and restraint had, doubtless, a lifelong inlhu-ncc on 
 J'vonjiir Wilson's mind, as it so far removed all the 
 I rouglier asperities of his nature, and smoothed down tluj 
 "2 iiicqiKilities of his naturally ardent temperament, that 
 he ever after continued one of the most docih; of men. 
 ■ Hnt, as a first-class education is not considered complete 
 without two years' travel on the continent of Europe?, 
 at the close of his studies at college, this joung noble- 
 man commenced his journeyings, and chose his fellow- 
 student as his CO panion. Here again young Wilson 
 -\ considered himself favored by fortune in being selected 
 as the travelling companion of his college associate. 
 At the termination of their travels, it was the pur|)OS(> of 
 
 Lord II to place his son as an (jfficer in the British 
 
 army, and it so happened that the regiment selected for 
 that purpose was the one now before us. In his inti"o- 
 (Inctit)n to the regiment, this son of noble parentage was 
 receivaid an<l treated with great and marked respect, 
 and high deference, befitting his powerful connections, 
 was paid to him ; yet he felt isolated and alone, all the 
 ofticers being utter strangers to him. He, perhaps for 
 the first time in his life, inwardly experienced the want 
 of a familiar face, and a longing for an associate-, even 
 should his position be somewhat lower than that held by 
 himself Who should be so naturally suggested to his 
 mind as the young literary companion of his college 
 life and travels? Though not his equal in position as 
 l<» birth or wealth, he might be raised to respectability 
 by the influence of his father, by becoming the chaplain 
 of the regiment to which he belonged ; and thus tlic 
 
^ r 
 
 24 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 It 
 
 sacred ofiice would at once g'ivc him soiuotliing' like 
 e(iuality, thai woidd be tacitly acknowledg-ed on all 
 liauds. The young- officer, turning this subject over in 
 his mind, was not long" in acting on the suggestion ; 
 and the first expression t)l' his wish to his noble and 
 indulgent parent, was promptly responded to by him, 
 and joyfully acceded to by this sprig of divinity. 
 
 The reader may b}' this time be supposed to be suffi- 
 ciently acquainted with the antecedents of the Rev. 
 Jame:j Wilson, M. A., chaplain of the regiment, who was 
 consequently an acknowledged member, ex ojficio, of the 
 regimental mess-room. He had been very remarkable, 
 from his early youth, for his staid and demure deport- 
 ment ; but, since the sacred character of clergyman had 
 been added to that of student, it had seemed to add a 
 proportionate degree of stiff, consequential dignity to 
 his general bearing. His words were few, cold, and 
 formal ; his dress was "without a wrinkle, and (dose- 
 fitting ; his coat had the military-clerical cut, and was 
 buttoned close up to the chin; and, with his stiff-starcluMl 
 white cravat, it appeared as though he had completely 
 lost the use of that beautiful appendage of nature in his 
 neck, the universal joint, for if any object presented it- 
 self to him, either on the right hand or the left, the head 
 could not by any possibility make an independent move- 
 ment — the whole frame had to go simultaneously with 
 it. It could not but appear to the close observer that 
 there had been one grand radical defect in his educa- 
 tion — his head had been cultivated at the; expense of 
 ins heart ; in fact, he seemed to have no heart, no affec- 
 tion, no sympathy, while, at the same time, the sacreil 
 office which he had assumed was continually making 
 
 ing 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 25 
 
 ling- like 
 (1 on all 
 t over in 
 •g-cjstion ; 
 oblc and 
 by him, 
 
 r 
 t • 
 
 be sufB- 
 tlie Rev. 
 who was 
 io, of the 
 iarkal)h', 
 3 deport- 
 nian had 
 U) add a 
 ig'nity to 
 old, and 
 id elose- 
 uid was 
 starched 
 inpletely 
 re in his 
 nled it- 
 he head 
 jt move- 
 sly with 
 *^er that 
 8 educa- 
 )ense of 
 o affec- 
 sacreii 
 making- 
 
 demands on his lieart for sympathy and commiseration. 
 But the wounded, the diseased, the sick, tlie <lyin<;-, 
 were all treated in a cold official manner ; and in his 
 pastoral visits to such, having read his prayers accord- 
 ing" to the prescribed ritual, he would feel a self-satis- 
 faction, and depart, persuaded that lie had fully done 
 his duty. He appeared to be totally unaware that his 
 patients had understanding, that they had feeling, 
 or tiiat they had any thing like a conscience, let alone 
 an awakened conscience ; for these things were far be- 
 yoiid his depth, beyond his reach. And then the 
 training that he had nnd(>rgone, undcM' the imperious 
 sway of the young nobleman, at college, when and 
 where it was considered more than his soul was worth 
 to reprove any thing like sin in his case I We may 
 just mention one circumstance, that proved to be the 
 turning point, and controlled him in all their after actions 
 in their intercourse of college life. It occurred at the 
 commencement of their residence there. There had been 
 something connected with the conduct of the young 
 lord that called forth the sharp reprehension of Wilson ; 
 when this scion of noble birth assumed a very grave 
 and dignified air, approached him, and said, in a sub- 
 dued tone of voice, and with slow and measured terms, 
 something like the following : 
 
 " Now, my sweet and lovely boy, and my very ami- 
 able monitor, let us understand each other, and !)(.' sure 
 that there is no mistake on your part ;" and looking 
 very earnestly at him, as though the more completely to 
 rivet his attention, he added, "Do you take in my mean- 
 ing, my boy ?" 
 
 Young Wilson, who stood before him, quite thunder- 
 

 26 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 .struck at his attitude and manner, and the tone of voice 
 in whicli this was uttered, seemed to assent by a gentle 
 inclination of the head. 
 
 " Well, good, so far," said his lordship. " Then it is 
 properly understood that this is the last time you will 
 attempt to lecture me on my conduct while we are to- 
 gether in this college; and," he concluded, "let it be 
 further understood that, should you possibly so far for- 
 get yourself as to oifend again in this particular, then 
 and there I will give you such an infernal thrashing as 
 your loving and affectionate father never gave his dar- 
 ling son." 
 
 After this these two h()p(3ful young gentlemen parted ; 
 the one chuckling over the victory he was certain he 
 had gained, and the other in utter consternation. Wil- 
 son submitted without question, and the lesson he had 
 received completely cowed his spirit for the remainder 
 of his life. Subsequently, when thrown into the midst 
 of a number of fiery spirits similar to the one which had 
 gained such a mastery over him, he appeared to lose 
 what little of personal and independent identity re- 
 mained, lie was reduced to the character of a mere 
 machine. His duties were all routine — the same dull 
 round each week, the year through. Whether lie read 
 his one sermon per week, accompanied by the beautiful 
 church ritual, which he was sure to spoil by the " mouth- 
 ing" manner of his reading, or the occasional perform- 
 ance of the funeral service over a deceased member of 
 \\n) regiment, the whole was done with the most aston- 
 ishing listlessness, and delivered in a drawling, monot- 
 onous tone of voice. He was a man of no moral weight 
 whatever in the regiment. If he ever had the least idea 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 27 
 
 midst 
 ch had 
 to lose 
 ty re- 
 niere 
 le dull 
 e read 
 autiful 
 iioutli- 
 rform- 
 ber of 
 astoii- 
 loiiot- 
 'oi<^lit 
 idea 
 
 of reproving sin in any of the officers of the mess-room, 
 one glance of his patron was always sure to seal his 
 lips, and was sufficient to cause his tongue to cleave to 
 the roof of his mouth. But we must say that he always 
 Kubmitted with the best possible grace, and even an ap- 
 })roving smile was never reluctantly given when he 
 thought that it was required of him to sanction any 
 of the coarse jests of the mess-room. Thus he led a 
 kind of smooth and quiet life, as he had no very stern 
 or strict moral principles to disturb the equanimity of 
 his mind. But when, by any chance, a person gave 
 expression, in the most distant way, to any remark that 
 was likely to lower the character of the Church, his mind 
 would at once take the alarm. Under such circum- 
 stances his blind zeal knew no bounds ; his language 
 would be strong, pointed, and virulent. On such occa- 
 sions his disposition would display unmitigated rancor, 
 as though he had been nursed on double-distilled acetic 
 acid, and his features became wrinkled and puckered up 
 into such sharp points and acute angles as to induce 
 the impression on the beholder that thoy would be ad- 
 mirably adapted for a nutmeg-grater ; while the thcmght 
 would inevitably suggest itself. Can it be possible that 
 tliis man is a true follower of the meek and gentle 
 Saviour, and a teacher of that gospel whose very essence 
 is love ? As a general thing, he was one of those soft, 
 unmeaning characters who find especial favor with a 
 certain class of antiquated maiden ladies ; and in their 
 company he spent most of his time. 
 
 At the place we commenced our sketches, and onward, 
 thus far, we have taken a kind of general glance at the 
 members of the regimental mess-room. And perhaps 
 
i 
 
 !l 
 
 28 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 th() rcadei' may liavc surmised our opinion oi' thoir 
 morals to be not of the most favorable cast. But we do 
 not wish for a moment to be charged with being" indis- 
 criminating, )r haishly censorious. Tiiere may, in the 
 judgment of many, be offered a very strong plea in pal- 
 liation of their manners. We have already stated that 
 they had been raised under the strong and controlling 
 influences of high family associations — of political, reli- 
 gious, and social ties carried down from generation to 
 generation ; while the time of which we are now 
 writing may perhaps be justly considered as one of the 
 most corrupt periods of English history. The king 
 fickle-minded and imbecile, the queen shrewd, designing, 
 and intriguing — for all that may be truly said of old 
 Queen Charlotte — the sons of this royal pair, with only 
 (me exception, quite naturally stood in the very front 
 rank of moral depravity ; and the influence of their ex- 
 ample on the morals of the nation was far more disas- 
 trous than that of the corrupt court of King Charles. 
 
 Thus, the youth of the land, being surrounded, and as 
 it were tied down by the chains of a strongly controlling 
 evil example, riveted fast by their own impulsive nature, 
 seemed to be almost beyond the reach of a reclaiming 
 religious influence. But notwithstanding all this, they 
 were, almost to a man, stanch advocates of, and stern 
 sticklers for the Prayer-book and the national Church. 
 But, instead of this proving any restraint to their 
 actions, it appeared to steel their hearts against simple 
 gospel truth ; to build them up in their self-righteous- 
 ness ; and to close their minds to the approach of aught 
 of an evangelical tendency. All their vices were of a 
 fashionable grade, and, according to their own code, 
 
 nie 
 
 lie 
 
 for 
 
 tlia 
 
 Imv 
 
 as 
 
 tiin 
 
 ous 
 
 8'* 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 29 
 
 ature, 
 iniiiig 
 
 [lught 
 
 oi' ti 
 
 code, 
 
 liicflilv meritorious. Tiioy would claim it as a kind of 
 merit, to be able to drink tlic greatest number of bot- 
 tles of wine, Tlieir amours were an especial theme 
 lor tlieir boasting' ; and every additional female heart 
 that any one of them might have been the means of 
 breaking, was as much a cause for their self-gratulation 
 as would be to the callous-hearted Indian a fresh vic- 
 tim that might yield another scalp to his already numer- 
 ous trophies. 
 
 If thus much might be said of the officers of the regi- 
 ment, much more, and perhaps of even a more degrading 
 character, may be said of the eight or nine hundred jni- 
 vate men of the regiment. This being the case, it may 
 be truly said, as a general thing, that the quartering of 
 a regiment in any neighborhood is fraught with mischief, 
 and might prove one of the most disastrous curses that 
 could possibly be inflicted upon it. Lewd women and 
 debauchery of every kind follow in its trail, the direful 
 influence of which, on the young and middle-aged of tiie 
 locality, it is not possible to measure. Happy, thrice 
 happy that time, when nations shall learn war no more, 
 and when regiments will be unnecessary for security 
 against an external foe, or for the assurance of internal 
 peace and prosperity ! 
 
 Now let us enter the regimental mess-room, and take 
 our seat, so as to be silent but close observers of all 
 tliat may be said or done. We shall soon perceive that 
 we are in the company of highly-educated and polished 
 gentlemen, by the free interchange of lofty thought and 
 classic sentiment, and that careless abandon that cannot 
 by any possibility be assumed by the uninitiated or un- 
 lettered. Their correct quotations from ancient and 
 
 3* 
 

 tl 
 
 30 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 ni(j(lcrn aiitliors 
 
 lii 
 
 questions of logic ; 
 
 tlicir familiar discussions of abstruse 
 their extensive reference to incidentK 
 of history, and the copious tiow from their lips of fine 
 thoug'ht selected from the best popular authors of the 
 day ; the keen wit that is, at will, thrown sparkling in 
 every direction and in the richest profusion, that gives 
 the impression that the source whence it springs is 
 actually exhaustless ; the biting, stinging, and barbed 
 repartee, that is hurled back as with a giant's hand ; 
 and yet all this with a boisterous merriment and an 
 exuberance of good feeling, that plainly tells that the 
 fire of high intellect has the power to light up, and to 
 warm, but not the capability to burn. In fact, it seems 
 the very arena of fun without frivolity ; of frolic with- 
 out aimless childishness. And this continues with a 
 high, geutlemaidy, dignified bearing, until the deep po- 
 tations from the bottle circulate far too long, and are 
 partaken of too freely. For then a wild and bewildered 
 rant spoils the whole scene : the polished gentleman 
 merges into the drivelling and jabbering maniac, and the 
 ripe scholar is lost in the untutored boor ; and at 
 length the whole company " issue forth as sons of 
 Belial, fraught with insolence and wine." 
 
 lill.llll! 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 31 
 
 abstruse 
 incidents 
 8 of fine 
 •s of tlx; 
 rklinjj: in 
 at gives 
 ii'in<xs is 
 [ barbed 
 's hand ; 
 and an 
 that the 
 ), and to 
 it seems 
 lie with- 
 ; with a 
 deep po- 
 and ar(» 
 tvildered 
 tieman 
 and the 
 and at 
 sons of 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 We would now request tho reader to accompany us 
 to where we shall witness a scene of quite a dillerent 
 and opposite character to the one described in the pre- 
 ceding chapter. 
 
 It is the Sabbath morning. Entering the gate of tlie 
 barrack-yard, opposite the river St. Lawrence, inclining 
 to the left, we proceed in a diagonal course across the 
 yard to the angle in that direction. Entering the door- 
 way, we ascend the flight of steps, at the top of which 
 we find a door right opposite. On entering tiiis room, 
 we sec a kind of rough desk, made of unpainted boards, 
 on which lay a Bible and hymn-book. The entire re- 
 maining space of this room is occupied bj' a number of 
 benches or seals, corresponding with the desk ; the 
 whole thing appearing as though it had been fitted up 
 in a temporary way to acconnnodate quite a number of 
 people. At a little after 10 o'clock, on looking through 
 the room- window, we shall see the whole of the regi- 
 ment, officers and men, mustering in the barrack-yard 
 in response to the call of the drum. The men are with- 
 out muskets, and only with their side-arms : they are 
 neat, clean, and prim. After going through all the 
 necessary preliminaries, they are marched out of the 
 yard, led by the regimental band. They are going to 
 the English Church in N6tre-Dame street, to listen to a 
 
82 
 
 THE J3LACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 Burmoii delivorud by the t'loqueiit He v. Jaines Wilson, 
 M. A., cluipliiin of tlie rcgiiiieiit. 
 
 But after the call of the roll, and before the departure 
 of the regiment to the English ehureli, \vc see quite a 
 number of men step out of the ranks — full liberty of 
 conscience being allowed every man to worship God 
 according to the dictates of his own judgment. A num- 
 ber of these men make their way to the room already 
 described. They come in with a serious, thoughtful 
 countenance, and with a marked, steady deportment. 
 With becoming reverence they bow the knee, and, with 
 covered face, appear to enter upon the duties of the mo- 
 ment with devotional fervor. And not only were there 
 the men who left the ranks, but there came in quite a 
 large number of women, so that the room was well filled. 
 And among the rest, came Captain Walters and Mrs. 
 Walters, who, without the least appearance of assump- 
 tion on account of their rank, took their seats the same 
 as the rest. 
 
 The company Mrere not kept long waiting before a 
 sergeant of the regiment made his appearance. He 
 walked up with measured step and stately deportment 
 to the desk, and after a few moments spent in silent 
 comnmning with, and commending himself and his work 
 to God, in a pleasing, mellow, full, though subdued tone 
 of voice, gave out one of Charles Wesley's beautiful and 
 spirit-stirring hymns. Then, in a vocal response led 
 by the remarkably fine and cultivated voices of Captain 
 and Mrs. Walters, the whole audience joined with a 
 hearty good-will, — so that, what with the sentiment of the 
 hymn, the soul-stirring tune, and the spirit in which it 
 was sung, the whole in strict harmony with the highest 
 
 "" the 
 praj 
 
 I"" 1 
 
 :|' wasi 
 
 worj 
 to ij 
 heal 
 ash a 
 
 mg 
 
 are 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 88 
 
 tore a 
 He 
 tment 
 silent 
 wurk 
 tone 
 1 and 
 e led 
 iptaiu 
 ith a 
 )f the 
 ich it 
 :lieat 
 
 and purest devotion, it seemed to vie witii the choir before 
 the throne. This was followed by an extemporaneous 
 prayer, of deep, powerful, searching confession, suppli- 
 cation, praise, and adoration ; after which another hymn 
 was sung', and then the text was enunciated. 
 
 Sergeant Johnson was evidently a man mighty in 
 word ; and the very intimate acquaintance he appeared 
 to have with the scriptures of truth, exhibited to his 
 hearers that he was a workman who needed not to be 
 asliamed, — rightly dividing the word of truth, and afl\)rd- 
 ing to each a portion of meat in due season. At the 
 conclusion of these services, Mr. Johnson announced 
 that brother Captain Walters would address them on 
 the following Sabbath morning. 
 
 It may be remarked, that, at the time of which we 
 are now writing, which was in the latter part of the 
 year '83 of the last century, there were but very few 
 people who spoke the English language in Montreal 
 except those belonging, to the British army, and iu the 
 government oflSces ; and scarcely an individual who 
 made a public profession of attachment to the cause of 
 God — that is, who enjoyed personal religion. Conse- 
 quently, there was no regular and stated evangel- 
 ical ministry, in accordance with the revival movements 
 that were witnessed in England. So that it may be 
 supposed that the few persons who had attended the 
 heart-searching ministry of Whitfield and the Wesleys, 
 in England, would feel the want of social, spiritual inter- 
 course, when they were in a foreign land. And such 
 Montreal must have been considered at that early date : 
 although it was then, and indeed had been for some 
 time, under the British rule, its people were foreign in 
 
34 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 'li 
 
 ! 
 
 their habits, their feelings, and in tlieir most clierishod 
 opinions. Tiiis being* tlie case, wliut so natural as that 
 the truly enlightened and spiritually-minded should seek 
 each other out, and so make arrangements whereby they 
 might be mutually ediiied, and, in fact, maintain a firm 
 standing in their Christian character and experience ? 
 
 We have just been made acquainted with the manner 
 and spirit in which this association was formed and 
 their meetings carried on ; and it must have been per- 
 ceived that a more than ordinary degree of fraternal 
 good-feeling subsisted among them. It was an under- 
 standing among them, that while they were in their 
 social capacity together, as worshippers of their one 
 God and common Father, all distinctions of office and 
 rank should merge in that of brother and sister in the 
 Lord. Hence it was usual, in their social gatherings, to 
 greet each other as Brother Walters, Brother Johnson, 
 Sistei; Walters, Sister Johnson ; and so of all the rest, 
 to the lowest brother or sister who was an acknowledged 
 member of their little band. And every fresh or new 
 disciple would be greeted with a right hearty good-will, 
 if they gave clear and decided evidence of their Chris- 
 tian sincerity. But when once outside of their humble 
 but highly cherished and consecrated spot, where, they 
 held sweet counsel, it was properly understood that all 
 the general routine of regimental salutes should be 
 scrupulously observed. 
 
 But then it must not be thought that Captain Wal- 
 ters, or his very kind-hearted lady, assumed any thing 
 like a cold, still' sanctimoniousness, or frigid formality ; 
 no, their manners and address were free, open, easy 
 and aflable to all, yet tempered by a dignified de- 
 
 nu'l 
 
 vo\ 
 
 ThJ 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 35 
 
 licrishod 
 I as that 
 iild scfk 
 L'by tlioy 
 ti a firm 
 (311 ce ? 
 
 manner 
 led and 
 uen per- 
 Vaternal 
 1 under- 
 in their 
 leir one 
 fice and 
 r in the 
 •ings, to 
 ohnson, 
 he rest, 
 fledged 
 or new 
 jd-will, 
 
 Chris- 
 lumble 
 e. they 
 
 lat all 
 
 lid be 
 
 Wal- 
 thing 
 ility ; 
 
 easy 
 de- 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 mcanor which won tlie praise and tli(! blessing of the 
 roiii^hest and the most rugged warrior in the ranks. 
 There was not a female connected witii th(5 regiment, 
 whatever might be her need, from sickness or otherwise, 
 but was sure to find Mrs. Walters in the right place at 
 the right time. Her purse, lier larder, her conserves or 
 preserves, yielded up their contributions in no scanty 
 measure : in fact, like her Divine Master whom slie 
 served, she went about doing good. 
 
 Mrs. Walters had been one day out making purchases 
 at one of the drygoods stores in St. Paul street, for the 
 supply of clothing that was needed by a female, wife of 
 one of the men in the regiment, who had just brought 
 into the world a bouncing boy. As she was walking 
 along the street at a rapid pace, with the bundle of 
 tlamiel and other small articles under her arm — for she 
 was not ashamed to carry a bundle along the street, and 
 especially when it was for a charitable purpose — it being 
 just when the dusk of evening was drawing its sable 
 mantle over the heavens, she was accosted, close by the 
 corner of one of those dark, narrow streets, that lead 
 down to the river from St. Paul street, by an old woman, 
 who was closely muflied up in a dark-colored cloak, and 
 who handed her a small package. It might have been 
 seen in a moment that a more than ordinary degree of 
 emotion agitated her whole frame ; and on receiving 
 the package from the old woman, she at the same time 
 made a most desperate effort to seize the hand that 
 gave it to her. But just at that instant, a roughly 
 dressed man was passing, who, trying to push past the 
 ^tvvo, from some cause fell down, and in his fall was 
 nearly the cause of Mrs, Walters meeting with the same 
 
36 
 
 THE BLAC^ phantom; OR, 
 
 misfortune. The man, in the bewilderment of the mo- 
 ment, seemed to be as mucli confuted as was Mrs. Wal- 
 ters : quickly gatherin<^ himself up, he looked around, 
 and seeinf^ tlie bundle and small paekage on the path- 
 way, picked them up and clumsily handing them to her, 
 said : " I'm mighty sorry, ma'am, but hope you isn't 'urt ; 
 may be them's yours." 
 
 She appeared not at all to notice him or his speech, 
 though holding out the articles in his hand towards her ; 
 but soon recovering herself a little, said : " Oh, did you 
 see the way that person went?" 
 
 He, with a kind of vacant look, and in an uncouth 
 manner, said : " Oh, you's frightened, ma'am ; maybe 
 you'll soon cum to ;" and so saying, went hastily on his 
 way. 
 
 With agitated manner and unsteady step Mrs. Wal- 
 ters went her way, and arrived at her home in no very 
 calm state of mind. She found Captain Walters waiting 
 for her, to whom she related all the circumstances of 
 the case just as they occurred. After she had completed 
 her narration, she exclaimed — 
 
 " Oh, my dear Robert, what can all this mean ? This 
 is the fourth time that I have met this same person un- 
 der similar attendant circumstances, but at far distant 
 times and at far distant places. The first time that I 
 saw her was in the north of England, when about to 
 leave school, where I had been from childhood — in fact, 
 from a time earlier than my recollection extends. The 
 next time, as you may recollect, was when we were at the 
 watering-place in Leamington, soon after our marriage ; 
 and the third time was just after the death of our two 
 dear children, and you were away from me and lay sick 
 
 an 
 (h' 
 
 (Ic 
 
 an 
 to 
 
 IIIUI 
 
 thif 
 
 III.! 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 37 
 
 This 
 ;on 1111- 
 [istaiit 
 [that I 
 lout to 
 In fact, 
 The 
 at the 
 f-iage ; 
 Ir two 
 sick 
 
 (intl wouiulcd ainoiif^ ntranj^^crs in a Htraiige land. My 
 dear Kobert, tliere has always appeared to me to be a 
 (ieej) mystery haiii^iMng" over my birth, my parentage, 
 and, in fact, all my history, that I have in vain attempted 
 to unravel. Oil, my dear, what shall I do ? This is too 
 much for me — it is more than I can bear !" And after 
 this a violent paroxysm of grief shook her whole frame. 
 
 Tiiat woman, generally so calm, so self-possessed, so 
 resolute, appeared to shake and quiver like a leaf in 
 tlie wind, or like the pliant willow bending before the 
 passing storm. All the eflforts of her husband appeared 
 to be lost while endeavoring to calm down her agitated 
 spirit, and the wonted 80(>Lhing influence of his voice 
 had ceased to charm. So he concluded that it would be 
 tlie best to allow her inward sorrow to spend its own 
 force, and which was, in a little while, greatly relieved 
 by a copious flow of tears. Then, after sitting in silence 
 for some time, he gently approached her, and, drawing 
 her to his bosom, softly whispered in her ear — 
 
 " My own Eliza, your husband is by your side ; is not 
 be more tlian all the world to you ?" 
 
 These expressions, like a talisman, touched the secret 
 springs of her woman's heart, and, with a vehemence 
 prompted by a pure and ardent affection, she threw lier 
 arms around his neck, and, smiling through her tears, 
 said — 
 
 " My dear Robert, am not I a foolish being ? I have 
 been prying after a secret that might perhaps bring sor- 
 row instead of affording joy, while I have been lightly 
 esteeming those richer blessings that have been so abun- 
 dantly clustering around my path all through life, and 
 never more so than at this moment." On the utterance 
 
"*'»,•.» 
 
 38 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 of wliicli, with a fond em])racc, a lovely and loving 
 smile, and a profusion of kisses, she seemed to be her- 
 self again. 
 
 After sitting for some time in silence, her husband 
 inquired — 
 
 " But, my own Eliza, what about the small package 
 that you say this mysterious being handed to you ?" 
 
 " Oh, yes," she said ; " the thought of that had gone 
 from my mind," and, on taking the package from her 
 pocket, she exclaimed — " See, here it is." 
 
 Captain Walters took it from her, and began to open 
 it ; but he had to remove wrapper after wrapper, string 
 after string, before the contents were disclosed. At 
 length he found a slip of paper upon which was written 
 the following words, in a remarkably handsome female 
 hand : " Jehovah rcigneth ; let the earth rejoice !" and, 
 ** What thou knowest not how, thou shalt know here- 
 after." After unfolding several more wrappers, he found 
 a nearly new Bank of England note, of the value of five 
 hundred pounds sterling. As soon as Mrs. Walters 
 saw the writing and the sterling bank-note, in a kind 
 of wild frenzy she exclaimed — 
 
 " My dear Robert, what shall I do ? Tliey are the 
 exact resemblance of the other three. My dear Robert, 
 what can all this mean ?" 
 
 In the early history of Montreal, and especially of 
 that period to which this part of our narrative refers, 
 the inhabitants were few in number ; consequentl3'' very 
 extensive acconmiodations were not required for the 
 I)arties who then came to town to supply the people with 
 farm and garden produce. It was not required then 
 to have such large and elegant stone edifices as the 
 
 m 
 
 ag<l 
 
 lj: 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 39 
 
 [•e the 
 lobert, 
 
 k of 
 
 [•efers, 
 r very 
 |r tlie 
 with 
 tlieii 
 Is the 
 
 city can now boast of as tlieir market-places. It may 
 be in the memoiy of many now living' in the city of Mon- 
 treal — not to mention that ubiquitous personage, tlie 
 oldest inhabitant — that there was a building- of not very 
 pretentious appearance standing on the same, or nearly 
 OL' the same site whereon the Montreal custom-house 
 now stands. It was the old market : though it had 
 been new sometime, it must have been a long while 
 aero, At the time to which we have reference it was in 
 full operation, as it was the chief if not the only place 
 of resort for the town and country people, as of all par- 
 ties in any way connected with the garrison, and where 
 all the delicacies of the season were sure to be found. 
 But it is not the old market with which we have now 
 specially to do, any further than to place the reader's at- 
 tention on the locality. 
 
 It may be remembered that there was a row of old- 
 fashioned, dark-looking houses, built in the old French 
 style, standing between the old market-place and the 
 river-front, with entrances from the river-side as well 
 as from the market side. One of these old buildi'igs 
 was at that time a tavern. 
 
 Into one of the rooms of the centre house of the row 
 already alluded to, and on the «ame night on which oc- 
 curred the encounter of Mrs. Walters with the person in 
 St Paul street, there has just entered an apparently 
 old woman, muffled up in a large dark cloak, but alert 
 in her movements and light of stop. 
 
 On taking a look into that roon , we discover, instead 
 of the old woman just observed to enter it, a ladj ' i ^ le 
 prime of life, arrayed in the richest attire and in tlie 
 very height of fashion ; and what appears to be a nlack 
 
 n 
 
 ■3 4 
 
40 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 ll 
 
 i'' 
 
 u 
 
 cloak, is lying on the table. Taking hov seat in the large, 
 old-fashioned armchair, she anxiously looks towards the 
 door, seemingly expecting some one. Soon there is heard 
 a gentle rap at the door : the lady answered the call, and 
 requested the visitor to enter. The door opened, and 
 a man made his appearance, dressed as a livery servant, 
 holding over his left arm what appeared to be an old, 
 soiled, and ragged coat, and a pair of pantaloons of the 
 same character ; and he held an old misshapen hat in 
 his right hand. On his entrance into the room he stood 
 at a respectful distance from the lady, who soon opened 
 the conversation by saying — 
 
 " Well, Thomas, how do you consider the thing was 
 carried out ? I hope you acted all through according 
 to my instructions." 
 
 " Yes, my lady, in every particular," was the answer 
 the man made. 
 
 " Are you sure that she got the small package safe ?" 
 
 " Yes ; in the hurry and confusion of the moment she 
 let the package fall to the ground, with something else 
 that she had in her hand, a small bundle, both of which 
 I picked up and handed to her, for she seemed scarcely 
 to know what she was doing ; but I kept my eye on 
 the package, and saw her put it in her pocket. In a 
 rambling way she asked me who that person was, and 
 where she was gone ; but I said just what you told me 
 to say, and then left her. That is all that I know or saw 
 of her." 
 
 " Well done, Thomas !" said the lady. " That was 
 all right. I must give you a little praise for your 
 adroitness. I suppose, Thomas," said the lady, " that 
 you sometimes consider my conduct and proceedings a 
 
 littll 
 
 is nj 
 
 hav^ 
 
 thin] 
 
 peiH 
 
 Pro^ 
 
 far-ol 
 
 I by/ 
 
 but * 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 41 
 
 was 
 
 your 
 
 I' that 
 
 ligs a 
 
 little erratic, governed by vag-ary or whim, or prompted 
 by wuriiuu's waywardness, and for wiiich you think there 
 is neitiier rhyme nor reason ?" 
 
 " Well, my lady," said ihe man, " I must say that I 
 have often thought your conduct a little strange in some 
 things ; but knowing, as I do, your shrewdness and 
 penetration, and your firm reliance on a superintending 
 Provid'Mice, I cannot but suppose that you have some 
 far-off object in view. With this conviction on my mind, 
 I liavo no wish or inclination to pr^ into your secrets, 
 1 lit to ;. sist you in the accomplishment of your purpose, 
 whatever that may be ; and I am pleased to find that 
 my present conduct meets with your approval." 
 
 " That is all right, Thomas, and this is as I have al- 
 ways found you ; and I trust that my past injunctions 
 will at all times be strictly observed by you — that is, 
 that all these things shall be kept profoundly secret 
 between us. And as you place such confidence in me 
 and my judgment, you are perfectly right in saying that 
 I have a firm reliance and implicit confidence in a su- 
 perintending Providence. I feel something like the an- 
 cient Israel o;' God, when they were requested to stand 
 still that the} »rught see His salvation, and anon the 
 enemies of Goo .vnd His chosen people were over- 
 whelmed, while they themselves were placed safe be- 
 yond the reach of their crafty and vengeful foes. It 
 sometimes takes long, as men call long, for Jehovah to 
 work out his purposes : but be assured that He sees the 
 end from i\" beginning; and as the immutable princi- 
 pies of jr.s «.^ and truth cannot be finally subverted, 
 the wicked b;n)l eA?entually be taken in their own craft- 
 iiieas. The wisdom, the love, as well as the justice 
 
 4* 
 
42 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM: OR, 
 
 1. 
 
 of God, must triumph, and all men shall cither adore 
 Him in their deliverance, or fall beneath the crushiiiL; 
 vengeance of His judgments. As the ancient heathen 
 said, * The mills of the gods grind slow, but they grind 
 exceedingly small."' 
 
 witli 
 Wal 
 well 
 char 
 tioi) 
 it wi 
 I of al 
 - irnpui 
 i coiitii 
 I this t 
 I the p( 
 I [)artK 
 Siif 
 
 mo 
 
 were 
 pariuj 
 clarec 
 termi] 
 Rritis 
 indou] 
 An 
 the ca 
 who 1: 
 tlie ri 
 
 '11 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 43 
 
 ler adore 
 
 crushing 
 
 ; Ijeatlicii 
 
 ley grind 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 In order that the reader may be better acquainted 
 with a very important portion of the life of Captain 
 Walters, and also that of his very estimable wife, as 
 well as to open up a fair view of very peculiar traits of 
 character which were called into exercise by their posi- 
 tion and the circumstances through which they passed, 
 it will be necessary for us to refer back for a period 
 of about three years, as they cover a very stirring and 
 important chapter in the history of the North American 
 C(^ntinent. It is not our intention to give any more of 
 this than is essentially necessary to the development of 
 the personal history and moral character of the principal 
 parties in our narrative. 
 
 Sulfice it to say, that, at the latter part of the year 
 nt9 and the beginning of the year 1780, all parties 
 were busily employed, in the city of Montreal, in pre- 
 paring for a grand and (as some of the leading men de- 
 clared and fully intended that it should be) a final 
 l(!rmination of the "truggle then going on between 
 British rule, on the one side, and a determined and 
 indomitable spirit of freedom on the other. 
 
 An imposing force was collected, luid all the plans of 
 the campaign were duly considered ; for the wise heads 
 who had then the full direction of affairs concluded that 
 the rebellion, as they termed it, must and should be 
 
1!!^ 
 
 U 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 }il 
 
 crushed. On the completion of these phms, the cohorts 
 were led forth in all tlie pomp and circunistance of 
 j^lorious war, the brains of the commander busy with all 
 the modes and mancjuuvres of field tactics, as they were 
 then practised between the contending armies of Europe, 
 where the generals had large masses of troops under 
 their ccjntrol, and extensive and open plains over which 
 to move them ; where the skilful commander could cope 
 with a wary and wily foe on something like equal 
 terms ; and where, if any original movement should be 
 made that was not included in the general code of mil- 
 itary warfare, it would be sure to be criticized, and 
 praised or blamed, according to its success or failure. 
 Hence, as a general thing, the commanders were very 
 careful not to step out of the acknowledged routine of 
 the school in which they had received their instructions. 
 But, on the occasion now before us, all the old routines 
 were completely at fault ; for, instead of wide and ex- 
 tensive plains, they found dark, silent, and vast forests, 
 where there was no room to move or to form their well 
 and systematically drilled forces. To think of moving 
 in mass or solid squares would be madness, let alone 
 their deploying to form an extensive line, or, if in line, 
 to change their front either to the right or left. They 
 had to march through narrow defiles, or through pas- 
 sages that had been cut through the dense forests by 
 the axe, to open up a pathway to connect distant local- 
 ities. 
 
 Vast preparations had been made for their reception 
 by throwing every impediment in their way, such as 
 destroying what temporary bridges there were, sinking 
 deep trenches across their path, and felling the huge 
 
""mf^. 
 
 woman's endurance. 
 
 45 
 
 trees to impede the progress of man and horse, and 
 especially to entangle the artillery. In fact, every ob- 
 stacle that skill and ingenuity could invent or suggest 
 was thrown in the way of the advance of the British 
 army. 
 
 No foe appeared in large masses to contend with the 
 British, unless quite sure that they had them inextri- 
 cably fixed in some well-laid snare, when a continual 
 fusilade was kept up from unseen parties, from e/ery 
 quarter, — from the right, the left, the front, the rear , 
 and night or day was all the same to them. 
 
 One universal spirit appeared to inspire the breasts 
 of the sons of freedom and to nerve their arms, for, at 
 every discharge of their trusty rifles, one less remained 
 of those they considered the instruments of their op- 
 pressors. Hence the British soldiers were perpetually 
 JKirassed and distressed, their oflBcers perplexed, and 
 tiieir commander completely bewildered. Every tree 
 proved to be a covert for a foe, and from behind eve 17 
 large stone or projecting rock the unerring marksman 
 sent a special leaden messenger, with a full and free 
 discharge from the British service of some officer or 
 private. 
 
 Engaged in' this contest was the regiment to which 
 Captain Walters belonged ; and we may believe that, as 
 a general thing, it would act with as much heroism, and 
 suffer with as much fortitude, as any other regiment of 
 the line. There is, however, one incident of special hero- 
 ism to which we must necessarily refer, as it is connected 
 with the main features of our narrative ; and we will en- 
 deavor to be faithful in its recital. 
 
 Several desperate attacks had been made on the 
 
46 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 camp. It was noticed that the parties who made these 
 fierce onslaughts generally came from one direction, 
 and it was concluded to send a detachment to oppose 
 the next approach of the foe that might be made, and, 
 if the resistance should prove successful, then to follow 
 up the party, and, if possible, break up their rendez- 
 vous. It so happened that Captain Walters was the 
 oflhjor who was selected for this hazardous and impor- 
 tant enterprise, with permission to make his own selec- 
 tion of such men from the whole regiment as, in his 
 judgment, were the best fitted for the object. Captain 
 Walters felt the full weight of responsibility of the 
 commission, and well knew how deeply his standing and 
 reputation were involved, as well as that of the regi- 
 ment and the army at large, and, therefore, in selecting 
 his men and making preparations to resist the attack, 
 he exercised all the care and skill that human prudence 
 could suggest. 
 
 When all was ready, taking advantage of the dark- 
 ness of night, they sallied forth from the camp. Wa- 
 rily, and with cautious and stealthy step, they threaded 
 their devious way through the tangled brushwood of 
 the forest, with a skilful pilot or scout a little way in 
 advance of the main body, ever ready to give warning 
 of the least intimation of an approaching foe. They 
 had advanced some distance when the scout discerned 
 an obiect advancing with the same stealthy caution that 
 lie hii..oelf observed. But ho, believing himself as yet 
 unseen, which proved true, lay down, so as to allow the 
 one approaching to pass him a little to the left ; then, as 
 he lay, quickly taking aim, sent an arrow through the 
 body of his victim, penetrating his heart — causing him 
 
 I 
 
 to si)r 
 This a 
 sign a 
 made 
 wakef 
 
 I at lian( 
 
 I Here 
 
 - on slai: 
 
 ; eastern 
 
 . be in tl 
 
 I the con 
 
 1 his me 
 
 "4 
 
 I word ol 
 
 I alter pc 
 
 1 tain W 
 
 I which 1 
 
 i Inimedi 
 
 that ap] 
 i in scare 
 
 I 
 
 men. 
 
 I might I 
 
WOMAN'S ENDURANCE. 
 
 47 
 
 rhey 1 
 rned | 
 
 .A 
 
 that t 
 
 yet i 
 r the 1 
 
 n, as i 
 
 the i 
 
 him 1 
 
 to spring upward and then fall heavily on his face, dead. 
 Tliis action of the scout proved to his party a sufficient 
 .signal of the approach of danger, and they at once 
 made preparation for an onslaught. But other eyes as 
 wakeful as their own had vvitnessed the deed, for the 
 American party had taken the precaution to double their 
 scouts, — one on the trail of him who was shut, who as 
 quickly gave his own party notice that foes wore near 
 at hand. 
 
 Here, then, these prowling parties, each sternly bent 
 on slaughter, just as the gray dawn began to tinge the 
 eastern horizon, met face to face, so far as that could 
 be in this dense forest. But the opposing party, seeing 
 the compact array in which Captain Walters had formed 
 his men, who, with fixed bayonets, awaited only the 
 word of command to charge them, made a hasty retreat 
 after pouring in a deadly volley from their rifles. Cap- 
 tain Walters then ordered the volley to be returned, 
 which had as fatal an effect on the retreating party. 
 Immediately ordering a rapid advance in pursuit, he soon 
 came up with the enemy in an open space, or large clear- 
 ing in the woods, in which was a large frame-building 
 that appeared to be the rendezvous of which they were 
 in search. With perfect coolness and consummate skill 
 lie made his dispositions, and his company, both men 
 and officers, seemed inspired with the same cool ardor 
 as himself. But there now opened up before them a 
 sight that might well shake the courage of these heroic 
 num. A company'' of the enemy, surpassing them- 
 selves in number, armed to the very teeth, and under 
 the command of an able mind, drew up before them. It 
 might be seen, by the fixedness of every muscle in each 
 
!P 
 
 48 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 couTitonanco, that tlioy posscssod the spirit both to 
 (liirc and to do : every musket was <^raspcd witii a rip;i(l 
 firmness, every foot seemed locked to the ground. Had 
 they been so many marble statues they could not hav(; 
 appeared more stern and invulnerable. Every man fixed 
 his eye with steady look on his commander, and their 
 every movement seemed under the control of his stern 
 will. There might be seen, also, that mutual confidence, 
 the leader in the man and the man in the leader, that 
 goes far to secure the success of an cnterprisf?. 
 
 Now, when troops such as these are placed in hostile 
 position, awaiting the word of command to attack; sus- 
 pense is associated with something akin to awe ; and 
 at length, when the charge is sounded, quick as the 
 flash of lightning the shock and tumult of battle begin. 
 The clash and clangor of steel, the shout, fury, and con- 
 fusion of the combatants make the woods ring again. 
 As the cries of the combatants rang out in the death- 
 struggle, it was as if the infernal host had escaped 
 from the lower regions, and were then and there holding 
 high carnival. It seemed, indeed, as though the future 
 well-being, if not the very existence of their respective 
 nations, might have depended on their endurance, their 
 firm nerve, and their strong will, so determined and 
 vengeful was the strife. 
 
 In the general mHee, Captain Walters had been very 
 severely wounded in the left shoulder and the left thigh ; 
 but still, with praiseworthy coolness and self-devotion, 
 he was always to be found wherever duty called him, or 
 danger seemed most imminent ; and thus it happened 
 he came in contact with the commanding oflBcer of the 
 opposing force, and each, with drawn sword in hand 
 
woman's endurance 
 
 49 
 
 (l)()tli as true as the steel they bore), demanded of the 
 other to surrender. Neither seemed willing' to comply, 
 and both assumed a posture of defence. It was soon 
 (liso(;rnibIe that neither of them would prove a novice 
 in the art of self-defence. Their swords were soon 
 crossed, and with celerity and consunnnate tact every 
 thrust was parried, every cut dexterously guarded, and 
 every lunge adroitly thrown aside. And such was the 
 effect of this cool, masterly exhibition otscience, that 
 the attention of the other combatants w4| irresistibly 
 drawn to them, they actually forgetting for the moment 
 that they themselves had been in deadly conflict. All 
 this time the wounds of Captain Walters were bleeding 
 profusely, and he began to feel their ill eflects upon his 
 whole system. From the loss of blood, his movements 
 were growing unsteady ; his countenance became pale 
 and livid, and gave indication of exhaustion. The keen 
 eye of his opponent saw all this, and soon discovered 
 that he h:id the advantage, and that he might have dis- 
 patched Walters with comparative ease. But, lowering 
 his sword in token of his purpose, he placed it in his 
 left hand, and, at the' same time stepping forward with 
 his right hand extended, said — 
 
 " Sir, I am not a dastard, thus to take advantage of 
 a brave man. You and your companions in arms have 
 fought nobly, and won undying laurels." • 
 
 But before he liad finished speaking, the excitement 
 ceasing, from loss of blood Captain Walters swooned 
 away. The generous action of the American captain 
 hiid its effect on his followers, and soon melted all those 
 stern warrior-hearts, causing them to vie with each 
 other in acts of kindness, and especially in their atten- 
 
w»»n,. 
 
 50 
 
 THE JJLACK rilANTOM; OR, 
 
 
 tioTiH to the wonndcHl and tlio dyiiiff. Tho largo bnildiiip^ 
 alnjady alluded to was soon put in requisition, and those 
 who had so liitely levelled the musket and wielded the 
 sword were now found to Ix; the kindest and tendrrest 
 of nurses. Tlu^y had nu^t at the first with the dark side 
 of humanity towards each other ; hut now a brighter 
 sid(; was seen, thus forming a heautifid contrast. " Oh, 
 that kings would know that they are men, and men that 
 they ai-e brethren !" But Captain Walters received the 
 special care and most markcnl attention from the Amer- 
 i(;an captain, wiiose name was Baldwin. 
 
 It so happened tliat tin; residence of Captain Baldwin 
 was but a few miles 'distant, and there he at once de- 
 cided to have Captain Walters conveyed, where he would 
 be surrounded with home comforts, be attended with 
 greater care, and have the benefit of his own family 
 physician. This arrangement was speedily carried into 
 effect, and Captain Walters was received anci attended 
 to with as much kindness, and even affection, as he could 
 desire. His woinids proved of a far more serious nature 
 than was at first supposed. On examination it was dis- 
 covered that he had be(!n wounded by a musket or pistol 
 shot in both the thigh and shoulder. The balls still re- 
 mained, and that there would be much difficulty in ex- 
 tracting them, giving excessive pain to the patient, 
 seem(d evident from their being firmly imbedded among 
 the muscles. 
 
 Altlui'igh Captain Walters was so highly favored, 
 considering the circumstances that had brought him 
 there, — appearing in the first instance as an enemy, now 
 treated as a friend, and cared for in every possible way, 
 — still there was one absent for whom his soul yearned, 
 
 i 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 51 
 
 and }io was licurd to softly inciitioii her namo and to cx- 
 prcHS a wisli that his wifo ini'-'ht be informed of his 
 |)ies('nt condition. Tiio desire was no sooner uttered 
 tlian it was caught at by Captain Baldwin, witli the 
 full and hearty assurance that liis wish should be 
 promptly coniplied with, at all hazards. 
 
 It was now more than four months since Captain 
 Walters had left his family at Montreal — that family 
 that was more than all the world to him, every member 
 (if wliich was closely entwined around his heart by the 
 tcnderest of all eartlily ties. But now he was far away 
 from them, severely wounded, conrnunl to his IkmI, and 
 among strangers, if Ik; might not justly say in an en- 
 emy's country ; and although thus cared for, and at- 
 t(Mided to with sympathy and kindness, and <'very wish 
 or desire anticipated, still he was often heard uttering, 
 in an almost inaudible voice, "Eli/a, my own Eliza 1 and 
 my own dear litthi pets I" 
 
 But his Eliza, though not wounded in body or laid 
 on a bed of sickness, was still more deeply wounded in 
 her heart, and grieving under torn and huierated aflec- 
 tions. She had mourned her absent lord with a true 
 womanly affection ; her prayers had daily ascended in 
 his behalf ; his very image had attended her in her 
 sleeping as well as her waking hours. In that absence 
 slie had been buoyed up by the encouraging hope that 
 he would return to bless her with his presence, to soothe 
 her with his words, and to cheer her by his wonted 
 smile ; but she was now mourning for the absence of 
 those who were lost to her, without the palliating 
 thought that they would ever return to her fond mater- 
 nal embrace. 
 
52 
 
 thp: black phantom; or, 
 
 W. 
 
 Captain and Mrs. Walters had been blessed with the 
 birth of two beautiful, lovely, and loving children, a 
 boy and a girl, who had been the means of cementing 
 their hearts, if that could have been at all possible, still 
 more closely, and more completely moulding their souls 
 into unison. At Ihe time that Captain Walters had 
 started with tlie military expedition from Montreal, they 
 were at the respective ages of four and three. The 
 eldest was a little girl, Elizabeth, generally called the 
 " black-e3'ed beauty." She appeared like an angel 
 enshrined in clay, her form was so sylph-like and 
 agile, and so graceful was she in all her movements. 
 With her merry laugh, which was peculiarly her own, 
 she was the very life and centre of joy to the whole 
 household, indeed to the entire neighborhood. The boy, 
 Robert, was more tlioughtful and taciturn. Young as 
 he was (three years old) he would astonish by his re- 
 marks, and ver}' often puzzle by his questions. To say 
 that these children were charming, the loveliest of the 
 level}'', would be only a reiteration of the universal senti- 
 ment expressed by all who saw them. Early trained to 
 the culture of refinement by their excellent mother, to- 
 gether with their own sweet dispositicms and aptitude to 
 learn, th(!y were at once objects of admiration as well as 
 of love ; and it was a pleasure of no ordinary character 
 to listen to them as they joined in their evening hymn 
 of praise, 'ed by the mother's sweet, full, and mellow 
 voice, and accompanied by her on the pijino. 
 
 Was it any wonder, then, that these two lovely young 
 cherubs should be esteemed as their mother's pride and 
 their father's ])(,'ts ? It would, indeed, rather have been 
 a wonder if it had been otherwise. But, in about a 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 53 
 
 lung 
 aiul 
 icon 
 it a 
 
 month after tlicir father left them, th(;n blooming in 
 health, the little boy sickened with the smallpox, which 
 soon appeared to be of a most virulent tjpe. Every 
 remedy was promptly administered that the physician's 
 skill or a mother's affection could suggest, but all to no 
 purpose. On the advice of the physician, the little girl, 
 Elizabeth, was removed from the infected house, and 
 sent to reside with a family in the neighborhood, to 
 prevent, if possible, this very contagious disease being 
 connnunicated to her. But this very prudent precaution 
 proved to be of no avail whatever ; for she, in a very 
 short time, sickened with the same dire complaint, and 
 was brought home to the sorrowing and heart-stricken 
 mother. It would be in vain for us to attempt to de- 
 scribe the unremitting labor of that mother, whose pure 
 aflection supported her in her toils and watchings, both 
 day and night, during those sad weeks, amidst these her 
 accumulated and k(;en sorrows. But all her labor, her 
 affection, and her unwearied attention were of no avail. 
 The demand had been made upon her liousehold, and 
 the contribution, however painful, had to be submitt(^d 
 to ; she had to render her quota to help fill up the shin- 
 ing ranks before the throne of God. The precious de- 
 posit that had been placed under her charge had, niost 
 certainly, been watched over with a care and assiduity 
 befitting their priceless value and their high destiny. 
 She had, at the first, received them, as comparative 
 blanks that had to be filled up — as rcmgh blo(;ks from 
 the (juarry of nature ; but she had filled them up, had 
 polished and beautified th(!'n, and had delivered th<,'m 
 back to their Owner as gems of the first water. Though 
 thus stricken down with deep sorrow, she at length 
 
54 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 Hi 
 
 submitted witli true Christian fortitude ; consequently, 
 there was none of tliat loud, boisterous, raving, outside 
 grief, that rather shows its shallowness than its depth 
 and })()wer — more like the noisy ripple of tiie tiny rivu- 
 let, than the broad, deep, iind even ilow of the noble 
 river. It is true that, when they were carried forth and 
 deposited in the grave, — or, as it may be termed, th 
 Christian's night-room, where the body, the outwai, 
 dress of the spirit, is laid by until it will be required 
 again at the morning of the first resurrection, — she did 
 feel the loneliness of her situation in all its blank, dark 
 dreariness : but she well knew that there was One 
 whose eye was ever over her for good, and whose ear 
 was open to her every plaint : and persuaded that she 
 had now close relationships above — that up there were 
 safely housed her darling little ones, that they were now 
 safe in the bosom of her heavenly Father — she had ever 
 a celestial halo around her sorrow. 
 
 But there was one thing that was calculated to give 
 point to all her other sorrows, and that was, that her 
 husband had not faithfully carried out his promise that 
 he would write, at the very furthest, once a week. To 
 all the letters that she had written to him, she had not 
 as yet received one in return, and she could not unravel 
 the deep and afflictive mystery. She knew that his love 
 was true, and that his ailcction was firm and pure. She 
 h(!rself had been breathing out her very soul upon paper ; 
 lier full breast had found relief in narrating her sorrows 
 with her pen ; and she often asked herself, why was 
 there no response ? She hoped, she feared, and at times 
 she was led to dread that there might . be something 
 wrong ; some fatal mishap might have befallen the ob- 
 
 sol 
 Sill 
 
woman's p^ndurance. 
 
 55 
 
 joct of her solicitude. And this state of suspense, in 
 her case, was hard to bear ; for slie was of a hiu'hly 
 sensitive nature, and, keeidy alive to both joys and 
 sorrows, could fully appreciate the one, but at all times 
 suffered most keeidy under the other. 
 
 But, if it will not be anticipating a part of our narra- 
 tive, we will just mention here, to avoid any unpleasant 
 misgivings in the mind of the reader, that Captain Wal- 
 tej's had most scrupulously, in every sense of the word, 
 been faithful to his promise, and had perhaps written 
 as many, if not more letters than his wife ; but none 
 had ever reached their destination, so that there was 
 mutual disappointment. This was owing to the letters 
 being intercepted by ])arties who had completely cut 
 off communications with the headquarters of the British 
 army and the city of Montreal. 
 
 hat 
 
 .0 
 
 loi 
 
 Lve 
 
 Jie 
 
 ler 
 
 KVS 
 
 as 
 
 les 
 
 nj 
 
iiiir 
 
 6Q 
 
 TTIE lUiACK phantom; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 On the promise of Captain Baldwin to Captain Wal- 
 ters, that he would promptly make arrangements to con- 
 vey information to Mrs. Walters, he at once sent Lieu- 
 tenant Wyndham, the officer next in command under 
 Captain Walters, — he having given his parole of honor, 
 with a polite note to the commander of the British 
 forces, stating his wish, and the ardent desire of Captain 
 Walters' to see his wife. And, as there were at that 
 time no regular post-roads, or any stages to convey 
 parties from place to place. Captain Baldwin generously 
 placed at the service of the lieutenant his own carriage 
 and span of horses, with the understanding that if it were 
 the desire of Mrs. Walters to return with him, she was 
 at perfect liberty to do so. 
 
 So far so good. But it was essentially necessary that 
 a pass, or permit, should be procured from both the 
 American and British authorities, to allow this arrange- 
 ment to be consummated. Such was the high estimation 
 in whicii both Captain Baldwin and Captain Walters 
 were held by every individual in their respective armies, 
 that a statement of the case was no sooner made than 
 the pass was granted. 
 
 Thus fully prepared to carry out the wishes of all 
 parties interested, Lieutenant Wyndham at once started 
 on his mission of love. But between three and four hun- 
 dred miles to travel was not so pleasant and easy a 
 
 tal 
 
 boi 
 
 aii(| 
 
 liisi 
 
 as 
 
 the! 
 
 tliel 
 
 waf 
 
 eve 
 
 fron 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 57 
 
 illl 
 
 [ted 
 
 uri- 
 
 tiisk at that time as at this day of raih'oad and steam- 
 boat communication through the same district of coun- 
 try. Suffice it, iiowever, to say, tiiat after a wearisome 
 and toilsome travel of nearly two weeks, he arrived at 
 his destination in Montreal, and, as gently and kindly 
 as his own rough nature would allow, broke by degrees 
 the whole state of things to Mrs. Walters, who received 
 the news with something like a calm resignation, that 
 was quite unexpected on the part of the lieutenant, and 
 even perplexing. This might partly be accounted for 
 from the fact that this information in some measure 
 quieted the worse fears that had of late been agitating 
 her mind, for she now learned that her husband was 
 alive ; and then, of late her mind had been schooled to 
 sorrow, and therefore not so liable to be urged into a 
 sudden gust of grief as it otherwise might have been. 
 
 But there was communicated to the lieutenant news 
 that for the moment completely unmanned him. He ap- 
 peared to be in a state of consternation on being told 
 of the death of his little favorite, Elizabeth, and of his 
 romping pet, Robert : and, greatly moved at the start- 
 ling announcement, exclaimed — 
 
 " Alas ! what will Captain Walters say and do when 
 he hears all this ?" 
 
 Ah ! this touched a tender chord in the heart of Mrs. 
 Walters. " Yes,'- she said, " what will Walters say 
 and do, indeed ?" at the same time seeming in a musing 
 mood, and with a look on vacancy. But she was soon 
 brought back to her self-possession, and in a calm man- 
 ner and subdued tone of voice said — 
 
 " I wish I could go to him and be with him in his 
 sickness." 
 
 '6* 
 
58 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 The lieutenant then oxpreased to her that that was 
 tlie one object of his mission, and that he only waited 
 her commands, and her desires siiould be implicitl}' com- 
 plied with. 
 
 She was told that Captain Walters had g'iven ntter- 
 i.iice to the arilent wish to have her with him; and in 
 obedience to that desire he had come to inform her. On 
 learning this she could not hesitate for a moment, but 
 commenced preparations for her departure, which were 
 soon completed. And as she had not any tender charge 
 to detain her at home, or even to divert her thoughts, 
 there was only one grand absorbing thought that swayed 
 her mind and her woman's heart, and that was her hus- 
 band. Now that she had placed her mind on him so 
 intensely, time and distance seemed to lengthen indefi- 
 nitely, as the one passed, or as the fleet horses short- 
 ened the other. Her impatience was on several occa- 
 sions almost on the pc^'iit of leading her to the use of 
 indiscreet expressions, by complaining of the sleepy 
 driver and the lazy horses. But at the same time 
 there was enough to try the skill and patience of the 
 driver, and to test to the utmost the strength of the 
 horses, by the almost insurmountable difficulties of the 
 road. 
 
 At length, however, her ardent desires were realized, 
 and she was once more beside her husband. But that 
 first meeting tongue or pen would utterly fail to por- 
 tray : it was the looks of love ; it wtus pa.ssion without 
 words ; it was the soft but silent embrace of puve affec- 
 tion. But, oh what a change a few months had wrought 
 in those so lately blooming forms ! Pain and sorrow of 
 heart — yes, deeply wounded affections — had changed 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 5li 
 
 lat 
 )r- 
 ^ut 
 
 ill 
 loi' 
 id 
 
 the one ; and severe wounds and bodily pain had surely 
 reduced the other. 
 
 Ahnust tlie first question that was asked by the lius- 
 biiud and father, wheJi tiie ebullition of aifection had a 
 little subsided, was: "But how an; my darling- little 
 pets, Eliza ?" 
 
 She, with an averted eye and an assumed calmness 
 of manner, replied : " They are well, and perfectly 
 happy." 
 
 But he, in the excitement of the moment, kept plying 
 her with all "kinds of questions ; and in fact every con- 
 ceivable shade of a reason was urged by him for her to 
 inform him all about his children. But evading all his 
 questions with shrewd womanly tact, she urged him to 
 keep quiet, as his extreme weakness unfitted him to 
 c(jnverse long ; that she had told him they were well 
 and happy, and when he was more able to talk, she 
 would then answer all his questions : now that she was 
 with him, he had nothing to do but to get well ; which 
 she trusted a few days or weeks at furthest would fully 
 accomplish. 
 
 There was one subject that required an explanation 
 between Captain Walters and his wife, and that was, 
 why no letters had passed between them. This was 
 explained according to the statement already made, that 
 although the letters had been written and sent, accord- 
 ing to the word mutually pledged, yet by some mys- 
 terious cause they- had failed in being delivered. 
 
 We would here state, that after Captain Walters had 
 been placed under the care of Captain Baldwin's family 
 pliysiciaii, the latter had used his utmost skill in his treat- 
 ment ; but notwithstanding all ids attention, there was 
 
^ 
 
 60 
 
 THE BLACK phantom; OR, 
 
 excessive suflfering on the part of the patient. The ball 
 had ir'ibedded itself so firmly among the muscles of the 
 left shoulder, that it proved a most difficult procedure to 
 extract it ; and it re(|uired no less dexterity to treat 
 that in the left thigh. Tlie result proved most satis- 
 factorily that Dr. Smith was fully equal to the task ho 
 had undertaken ; but notwithstanding all this skill and 
 tenderness, he could not prevent nature from pursuing 
 her\own course. Serious inflammation ensued, and a 
 llpneral prostration of his whole system, followed by 
 fever of a most malignant type ; so that for some time 
 his life appeared to be trembling in the balance : and his 
 noble mind, too, so suffered from the shock as to drift 
 from its moorings. 
 
 It was well for Mrs. Walters that all this had been 
 gone through before her arrival ; but still he was suffer- 
 ing from the effects of illness, and it required all her 
 skill to insure his recovery. But we must say that 
 no one coulcf, from all appearances, be better qualified 
 than she was for this purpose — quick in all her per- 
 ceptions, ready in her movements, tender in her appli- 
 ances, yet firm in her command over her own suscepti- 
 bilities. There was nothing morbid or mawkish in her 
 mind or manner ; every thing was quite natural, easy, 
 and graceful, — so much so that the physician compli. 
 mented her by saying that it was really a great privi- 
 lege to be sick, where the patient could be blessed with 
 the attendance of such a nurse. 
 
 At length, every thing seemc^d to be progressing, as 
 regarded the health and strength of Captain Walters, 
 as favorably as could be reasonably expected. 
 
 But still there was often a great restlessness about 
 
 \v| 
 
 lick 
 th 
 
 alt 
 liiil 
 
 SU( 
 
 wil 
 
 gre 
 
 \ 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 61 
 
 per- 
 ,pU. 
 
 jpti- 
 her 
 
 ipli- 
 fivi- 
 ith 
 
 )Ut 
 
 In'm. He would frequently inquire about his little pets, 
 where their mother had left them, and Ikjw was their 
 liealth when she came away — did they often tallc about 
 their father, and liad they grown much since he left — 
 and, as he often looked in the glass, seeing his own 
 altered appearance, he wondered if his pets would know 
 hi in when he returned to them — and many questions 
 such as these, that often put to a very severe test his 
 wife's ingenuity' to evade their force ; and they made 
 great demands on her resolution, to enable her to sup- 
 press her emotion. 
 
 One day, as they sat by themselves, each had re- 
 mained some time silent, apparently musing on some 
 absorbing subject, in regard to the present or the past, 
 when the captain said : " My dear, you never mention 
 our children except when I ask you a question concern- 
 ing them ; and even then you answer me evasively." 
 
 " Well, my dear Robert," said she, " if I do not say 
 much about them, I do assure you that I think a great 
 deal about them — my sweet little angels." 
 
 At this the captain started, exclaiming : " Angels I 
 what do you mean, my dear ?" 
 
 "Now, my dear Robert, my dear love, I see that you 
 are so very nervous that you cannot bear at present to 
 refer to any thing that will have the most distant ten- 
 dency to excite ; and to quiet you on this one topic, I 
 tell you once for all, that they are perfectly happy now, 
 as I have said so many times before," 
 
 He again seemed agitated as before : the emotion was 
 strong within, and, with an attempt at suppression, he 
 muttered to himself the words, " Happy now — happy 
 now — what does that mean ?" 
 
02 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OH, 
 
 I 
 
 i*! 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Time sped onward ; but he left the marks of his ad- 
 vancing footprints, ineffaceable in the stirring period to 
 which we are now referring. Freedom had erected her 
 standard, and it was floating in the breeze : her sons, 
 too, had drawn the sword, and had thrown away the 
 scabbard. And that sword was destined never to be 
 idle ; but to do deeds of daring worthy of fame, so long 
 as tliere is to be found a single tyrant on the face of 
 the earth, who shall be foolhardy enough to attempt to 
 stay its onward progress. 
 
 When Captain Walters had sufficiently recovered to 
 be able to converse freely, witliout danger, the above 
 and kindred topics engaged mucli of their attention, 
 and he found in Captain Baldwin a spirit somew^hat con- 
 genial with his own, — a man who liad seen much of the 
 world, and a close observer of human nature, he had 
 read intelligently things, times, and circumstances, as 
 well as men and b(joks. He was a ripe scholar, having 
 won liigh academic honors in one of the famed universi- 
 ties on the continent of Europe ; and then, t(^ crown tlio 
 whole, he was a very pious man. His most excellent 
 and amiable wife was a helpmeet indeed for liim. So 
 tliat, from what we have already seen of Captain and 
 Mrs. Walters, it may very naturally be supposed thai 
 there iiiust have grown up among them all, something 
 more than an ordinary attacliment. And then Captain 
 
 I will 
 ledii'e 
 
woman's endukance. 
 
 63 
 
 i ad- 
 3d to 
 i her 
 sons, 
 y the 
 to be 
 loiift- 
 of 
 
 ice 
 
 ipt t 
 
 <) 
 
 ed to 
 
 Above 
 
 itioii, 
 
 cou- 
 
 .f the 
 
 had 
 
 :S, US 
 
 Lving 
 
 rersi- 
 
 |n the 
 
 dlcnt 
 
 So 
 
 aii'l 
 
 thai 
 
 thing' 
 )taiu 
 
 Baldwin, like liimsolf, ever nianifoHted an open, iipriglit, 
 and straightforward candor, tiiat completely banished 
 all reserve. 
 
 One day they had b(M'n talking qnite freely upon a 
 niunb(n' of subjects of a general nature, and relating in- 
 cidents of their own lives, and circumstances with which 
 
 had 
 
 ited or had 
 
 th 
 
 become acquainted or naci seen 
 wlien, after a short lull in the conversation, Captain 
 Baldwin rather abruptly exclaimed : 
 
 " Oh, by-the-by, Walters, I have often wondered how 
 it was that you got hohi of that system of sword-exer- 
 
 ciee ; — do let me know." 
 
 Captain Walters responded by remarking : " To tell 
 you the truth, Baldwin, I have as often had the same 
 idea haunting my brain as to how, and where, you came 
 by that same system, when I was under the impression 
 that 1 v/as the only one on this continent who had ever 
 learned it." 
 
 "Well," said Captain Baldwin, "as I w^as the first to 
 ask the question, after you have given me your relation, 
 I will in return inform you how I attained the know- 
 ledge and practice of the same system." 
 
 With this understanding between them, Captain Wal- 
 ters made the following statement. " At the close of my 
 college studies, my father intended that I slumld take a 
 two years' stroll over the continent of Europe, to enable 
 me to gain a more familiar knowledge of the world 
 before seriousl}^ settling down to my profession, which 
 lie wished, as indeed was my own choice, should be that 
 of the army. Being fully equipped with a supply of 
 the 'sinews of war' in my purse, and a great iiuniber 
 of letters of introduction to som<> of the first families 
 
64 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 rcKidino- on tli(! ronto that it was intended I should 
 tiik<', and witli a licart as bu(jyant as that of a now- 
 llcd^"(!d (!ag'le, I set out upon my journey. And us 
 then.' was a season of comparative peace at that tinii! 
 ill Europe, I found no JiOiculties to iuipede my onward 
 l)r()j^ress. 
 
 "As is usually the case at the early opening of sprin.i^-, 
 all the highways of travel on the continent of Europe 
 were throng-ed witli the very elite of 8(jciety ; and you 
 may su])pose that a young man of my flattering pros- 
 pects would feel himself perfectly at home in such com- 
 pany. But, as it was my destinati(jn to be a soldier, I 
 suppose a little pardonable pride, as well as a good 
 degree of ambition, induced me to select for my asso- 
 ciates gentlemen of the same predilections. And it so 
 happened, that as I was on the point of leaving Ger- 
 many and entering the eastern frontiers of Switzerland, 
 I fell in company with a noble-looking gentleman and 
 his son, a fine, intelligent youth, and I suppose some- 
 where about my own age. It required very little cere- 
 mony for two young men so circumstanced to form an 
 intimacy, and especially' as we were bound nearly on 
 the same course in our travels. And then it would take 
 no very long time, and still less labor, for two ardent 
 young minds, just entering upon the great world, 'n' »n' 
 assimilation of tastes, to form an intimate frieni (. ; 
 and, in short, we did become devoted and inseparable 
 companions for the entire of our future continental 
 travels. And this close intimacy with the son, of course 
 brought me in constant contact with the father, a Prus- 
 sian oiHcer, and a special favorite of Frederick the 
 Gj'eat. At that time, this gentleman was considered 
 
 the 
 
 (.'Ulll 
 
 scllis 
 Htte 
 
 th(! u 
 
1 
 
 WOMAN'S ENDURANCE. 
 
 65 
 
 
 
 iiropu :l 
 
 d you i 
 
 pros- 
 
 com- 
 
 dicr, I 
 
 good [ 
 
 T asso- , 
 
 d it so 
 
 p Ger- 
 
 (rland, 
 
 n and 
 
 soine- 
 
 cere- 
 
 ■111 an 
 
 ■ly on 
 
 I take 
 
 .r(l<Mit 
 
 ken 
 
 tal 
 
 lourse 
 IPrus- 
 
 tl 
 
 10 
 
 lie rod 
 
 (lui beHt swonlsnum in the Pit s;..:i army, if not on ilic 
 c'oiitin<!nt of Europe. 
 
 " It lias Konietimes HUg-^'ested itsid*' lliat a little 
 scirishiiess niift'lit have prc:^ » V d t!ie t'atlier'8 KoduloUH 
 attentionH to me; for while \u .as instructing me in 
 tiie art of self-defence, he wa'. also completing his own 
 son's education in the mas* jrly i se of the sword. After 
 imparting his instructio' .s, he w* uld then leave us to 
 put in practice the theo y that he 1 id laid down. Inde- 
 pendent of the cuts, th( guards, an 1 the parries, he was 
 always very emphatic i requiring Jie firm grasp of the 
 suord, the rigid arm, v 'th at the same time the free, 
 (It'xible, and unrestrained ;^lay o^ the wrist, the steady 
 and fixed gaze of the eye placed on the eye of one's op- 
 ponent. These, with an unswerving nerve, were a few 
 of the instructions that were considered of prime impor- 
 tance by him, and to be observed like the laws of the 
 Modes and Persians. It was not long before each of 
 us became completely infatuated with this exercise, and 
 entirely oblivious to all other pursuits ; while the father 
 would often stand for hours, and gaze in raptures as we 
 were each trying to catch the other off his guard. 
 
 " But, at the expiration of the time allotted for my 
 "ivels, you may be very sure that we parted with 
 many lugrets, and with sincere protestations of undying 
 fric Iship ; and many promises were plighted to con- 
 tinue our correspondence by letter. For some short 
 time we were faithful to our pledges, and quite a num- 
 her of epistle of a highly interesting character passed 
 iit'tween us. Owing, however, to the troubles that 
 sprang up on the continent of Europe, as well as in 
 this country, I have for some years entirely lost sight 
 
66 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 both of father and son ; but have often thought that I 
 should nuicli like to liear of Colonel Schwartz or his 
 
 V 
 
 Son. 
 
 At the mention of this name Captain Baldwin started 
 witli extreme surprise ; and seizing with great energy 
 the arm of CaJ.^ain Walters, in stentorian voice cried 
 out, " What name was that?" 
 
 At the violence of this movement Captain Walters 
 was completely bewildered ; and Mrs. Walters, who was 
 sitting at a small table with her sewing, and listening 
 to the conversation in silence, struck with a kind of 
 amazement, with one bound was by the side of her hus- 
 band. Her small stand Hew in one direction, her sewing 
 in another, her scissors here, her thimble there — all was I 
 in a state of perfect confusion. 
 
 Captain Baldwin on looking around him ana seeing 
 what he had done, with a hearty laugh said : " n<nv 
 ridiculously I have acted 1 how could I have so far for- 
 gotten myself! But all this wants explaining: and 
 then you may judge for yourselves v.'hether it was nol 
 natural for me to feel a little excited under the circum- 
 stances." 
 
 " Well," said Captain Walters, " let us have the ex- 
 planation, for there must be something very remarkable 
 and well worth the hearing, and I am all impatience to 
 have it." 
 
 <( 
 
 Hold on a little," said Captain Baldwin 
 
 1 think 
 
 that it would be' as well for me, in the first place, to give 
 my version as to tiie way in which 1 obtained the know-' 
 ledge of that system of sword-exercise, and then I shall 
 perhaps be found to be killing two birds with one 
 stone." 
 
 A 
 
 Wal 
 J I Kite 
 
 ,S(!iltS 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 67 
 
 lergy 
 
 cx- 
 
 ico to 
 
 liinl 
 
 give 
 luuw- 
 
 UllO 
 
 And so, all parties being cooled down, and Mrs. 
 Wultei's liaving" collected her scattered apparatns and 
 iiuiterial, and tlic company having again taken their 
 seats, Captain Walters said : 
 
 "Now, }3aldwin, have the kindness to favor us with 
 your narration ; for, since your last flare-up, I am nM)re 
 curious than ever. There appears to be some deep 
 mystery involved, and I am waiting to hear it unrav- 
 elled." 
 
 Captain Baldwin at once commenced : 
 
 "Then," said he, "you must know that my father was 
 a merchant in the good old city of Boston, and quite 
 unlike your English aristocracy, for he was the maker 
 of his own fortunes. He began life with little more tlian 
 a good stout heart, a clear head, and a pair of ready 
 and willing hands. By strict integrity, and untiring 
 industry and patience, he succeeded in accumulating 
 quite a handsome property. Thus, finding that circum- 
 stances were so propitious, and fortune smiling upon 
 his honest labors, he concluded that I. his eldest son, 
 should be fully qualified, so far as mental culture was 
 in question, to join him in his general enterprise, x^nd 
 even in the alternative of a long and prosperous life or 
 an early death, I was destined to succeed him as princi- 
 pal in his extensive commercial engagements. To this 
 end, the best seats of learning that this country then 
 afforded were selected for my tuition. 
 
 "As our house had very extensive connections on tiie 
 c'untinent of Europe, as well as in other parts of the 
 world, my fifiher lu'd been obliged to rVq)end f(U- much 
 of his correspondence to the faithfulness of foreigners in 
 translating the letters. Determined that 1 should not 
 
68 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OE, 
 
 be subjected to the Hume inconvenience, or be liable to 
 sufler the same losses to which he had been exposed 
 throup^h the want of a liberal education, he decided, after 
 mature deliberation, to send me to tiie celebrated Uni- 
 versity at Bonn, in Westphalia, Prussia, where I would 
 be able to acquire a thorough general knowledge, and 
 proficiency in all the languages that I might need in 
 my future commercial transactions. 
 
 " Nothing could have been more congenial to my own 
 tastes and inclinations, or more gratifying to my ardent 
 thirst for knowledge, than was this arrangement. It 
 was in full accordance with my then impulsive nature, 
 and I promptly made up my mind that my father's 
 highest hopes and best wishes should meet with a com- 
 plete response on my part. 
 
 It would be at once tedious and unnecessary for me 
 to state minutely all the preparations for the voyage, or 
 to narrate the incidents that occurred while on the pas- 
 sage itself, which, dear knows ! was long and dreary 
 enough. Suffice it to say, that after many a toss and 
 tumble in one of the diminutive vessels of those days, I 
 arrived in Liverpool. From there I again started uii 
 my journey, and, after many stoppages and delays, I 
 was at length pleased to find myself at my destination. 
 You may be sure that I had a good deal of the 'cute 
 Yankee about me, and that I set myself to my studies 
 with a will. AVhile many of my classmates were merely 
 dragging along to kill time with the study of only a few 
 subjects, I resolved to take a wide raiige in my pur- 
 suit's, with a full determination, at the same time, to 
 thorouglily understand whatever came under my notice. 
 I had not been long at college before I gained a reputa- 
 
 tion 
 
 and 
 catio 
 thin 
 be in 11 
 
 genci 
 neig 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 69 
 
 or 
 
 a f(!W 
 |)ur- 
 10, to 
 
 lotice. 
 Iputa- 
 
 tioii for great indiiHtry, and romio of the proiossors wore 
 pleased to point to me as an example to the more lazy 
 and tlioiig-htless students, on account of my close appli- 
 cation and proficiency in learning. There was another 
 thing that appeared to bo in my favor, and that was my 
 being an American, For this reason, my company was 
 generallj^ acceptable in most of the best families of the 
 iieighl>orhood. Among the rest, I was often invited to 
 spend whatever spare time I might have at a gentle- 
 man's mansion, a few miles distant from tlie college ; 
 and, as the invitation was a general one, I, as often as 
 I possibly could, took advantage of the gentleman's 
 kindness, as it proved the means of relieving the ennui 
 of college life. To tell you the truth, there was another 
 great attraction ; for he had two fine, blooming, beauti- 
 ful, and highly educated daughters, and three intelli- 
 gent and active sons. I am not going to say whether 
 it was the daughters or the sons that proved to be the 
 main inducement for my frequent visits, or in whicii I 
 felt the deepest interest. But, allow me to say that the 
 sons always seemed to be the very pride of their father, 
 and on whose education ho had bestowed the greatest 
 attention ; for tiiey were each of them destined to the 
 same profession as himself, which was that of a soldier. 
 When I first arrived at college, the eldest son had al- 
 ready been in the Prussian army for some years. The 
 other two were then at college, and the elder of those 
 became my college chum and my constant companion. 
 Every spare moment of our college life was spent in the 
 practice of the sword-exercise, of which the father ap- 
 peared to be a most consummate master. He would 
 occasionally take the sword himself, to test our skill, 
 
il^ 
 
 70 
 
 THE BLACK P II A N T O M ; O li, 
 
 ' t 
 
 W 
 
 iind to see for liirnself that all our movements were 
 accord ing- to rule, or, as he would often say, his own 
 perfect system.- And then the eldest son often paid a 
 visit to his home, and he would be sure to have nie 
 practise with him at the same sport, for such it seemed 
 to be to us all ; and I can assure you that those were 
 some of the most pleasant hours of my life. The eldest 
 son appeared to be deeply interested in my accounts of 
 America. His curiositv was so far excited, that lie 
 would, on every occasion that nn'g-ht offer, be makiii.t^^ 
 all kinds of inquiries. As the political sky appeared to 
 be rather lowering, he would very often throw out a 
 hint that it might prove to be a field where laurels 
 could be gathered hi his line. And so, by the time that 
 my college course was completed, he had fully made up 
 his mind that he would accompany me back to my 
 native shore. He found but little opposition in procur- 
 ing the necessary leave of absence from his regiment, 
 through the povvtsrful and prevailing influence of his 
 father. And thus, with the necessary outfit, wlu'n all the 
 other arrangements were made, we start(Ml on our lon^- 
 and p(M-ilous journey, and, after all its incidents and ad- 
 ventures, safely arrived at the port of Boston. On our 
 arrival, finding that the political atmosplu're was in such 
 a state of dire; confusion, and portending storms of more 
 than ordinary magnitude, I, for one, determined to throw 
 myself into its very midst, and take a hand in the cause 
 (»f my suifering and bleeding country. Having been, 
 i'or the last few years, much in the company of military 
 men in Prussia, and being of a naturally inquisitive 
 turn of mind, I had gained a good d(\al of information on 
 the subject of military tactics ; and concluding that I 
 
 t'j^. 
 
 ^sst. 
 
Woman's endurance. 
 
 71 
 
 should be of most service to my country as a fig'hting 
 man, I at once joined the patriot army. 
 
 " Now," said Captain Baldwin, " I have g-iven you a 
 somewhat rambling- account of the way in which I be- 
 came acquainted with that system of sword exercise." 
 
 "But," said Captain AYalters, "yon have not told us 
 the name of the Prussian officer, or of the sons." 
 
 "Well," replied Captain Baldwin, "if you promise 
 me not to lose your wonted equilibrium, I will tell you 
 their names." 
 
 " Oh, yes !" said Captain Walters ; " but, after the 
 startling evidence that you have just now given us, 
 what a remarkable example you are of that patience 
 you are so zealously preaching up I But at all events 
 let us have it, and I will be all attention." 
 
 "Well, then," said Captain Baldwin, "that same 
 Prussian officer is none other than your noble-looking- 
 Switzerland traveller, and his son, the youthful com- 
 piinion of your continental rambles. Thus is explained 
 what proved so great a mystery to both of us — how 
 we learned tlu; samcj system of sword-exercise, each 
 having been instructed l)y the same master. It will 
 liTatify you to learn that I expect that same youthful 
 companion of yours to paj'- me a visit in the course of 
 ♦his week or the next." 
 
 At this announcement Captain Walters seemed to be 
 almost frantic with delight, and impatient for the arri- 
 val of his old friend. His inqtffi'ies were put in all the 
 f'nriiis that his excited imagination could suggest, — so 
 much ao, indeed, that his wife w\as obliged to again and 
 again suggest to him that his nerves W(^re as yet far 
 too weak to bear further excitement. 
 
72 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 At about this period of our narrative tliere came on a 
 visit a sister of Mrs. Baldwin, Tiiese two ladies were 
 natives of one of the New England States, and of the 
 pure stock of the Pilj:^rim Fatliers. They were both of 
 them prim and precise in all their movements, and very 
 metliodical in tlieir words and actions ; but, when the 
 outside crust of their apparently cold, formal manners 
 had been broken through by a little familiar conversa- 
 tion, and this supported by entire, honest confidence, 
 it was then found that they had the kindest hearts and 
 the most genial and amiable dispositions. They were 
 perfect patterns of thrift and frugality. There were no 
 bits or odds and ends lost in their housekeeping ; but 
 each of these had its appropriate use and place, and 
 every such trifle contributed to swell the general savings 
 of the year ; and it might be seen that all their in-door 
 ari'angements were formed with a single eye to com- 
 fort. 
 
 Their moral sentiments, and their views of the pro- 
 prieties of life, liad such a oneness with the whole of tlio 
 commum'ty in which tKoy had been reared, that any 
 deviation from the general type would have been con- 
 templated with something like horror. In fact, the 
 sharpness of the manners, and the sternness of the moral 
 sentiments of these ladies had, from their uniformity and 
 
 rigid! 
 
 iron ; 
 
 ligiou 
 
 had ii 
 
 sent 1 
 
 cast-st 
 
 all Ihi 
 
 cradle 
 
 Englai 
 
 mothei 
 
 deeply 
 
 virtue. 
 
 Now 
 
 an ent 
 
 Mrs. W 
 
 the ver 
 
 both hJ 
 
 general 
 
 with un 
 
 put fori 
 
 peared 
 
 accompl 
 
 keeping 
 
 had resi 
 
 wealthy 
 
 ship she 
 
 all the a 
 
 course \ 
 
 could po 
 
 hil and ^ 
 
 allection 
 
 pious fen 
 
woman's endukance. 
 
 Y3 
 
 but 
 and 
 
 -door 
 com- 
 
 rjcridity, somewhat of the general character of cast- 
 iron ; bnt, when we contempUite tlieir tlicoh)gy, their re- 
 litrious viewK and sentiments, and the inlhience tlicse 
 had in the formation of tlieir whole clnn-acter, they pre- 
 sent to our view somewhat of the characteristics of 
 cast-steel. But we cannot bring ourselves to think that 
 all this was meaningless, or without a purpose, m tlie 
 cradle of the great American nation. No ! These New 
 England dames were to be the nursing, the foster- 
 mothers of the young Republic, and to give it a start 
 deeply imbued with the very spirit of unswerving 
 virtue. 
 
 Now, it may be supposed that all this would present 
 an entirely new phase of life and of luiman nature to 
 Mrs. Walters. She had been brought up in the midst of 
 the very cream or upper class of polished society, and 
 both her manners and her mind had been formed on that 
 general model. She could use her needle or her pencil 
 with unsurpassed skill ; the charms of music, when she 
 put forth her powers, either witli fingers or voice, ap- 
 peared with surprising brilliancy ; but witii all these 
 accomplishments, and more, in the department of house- 
 keeping she was a novice. Notwithstanding that she 
 had resided for a few years in the city f)f Paris with a 
 wealthy lady acquaintance and companion, whose friend- 
 ship she had formed when at school, so that she had liad 
 all the advantages which weiXlth and an extensive inter- 
 course with the highest grades of fashionable society 
 could possibly confer ; yet there had always been a care- 
 ful and watchful eye over her, and an almost maternal 
 affection for her, in the person of a very prudent and 
 pi(uis female, who had been born to wealth and station, 
 
74 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; O [i, 
 
 but who, through reverfies, hud found it iiecossary to 
 occupy tliis subordinate position ; and then, lier ex- 
 penses had at all times been defrayed in some very 
 mysterious way that she had never been fully able to 
 comprehend. 
 
 Added to all the advantages of high position and 
 thorough mental culture, she had a true woman's per- 
 ception, which often proved a safeguard, and which 
 enabled her to see almost at a single glance the real 
 character of parties into whose company she was thrown ; 
 and she had, in a high degree, woman's apt facility in 
 accommodating herself to the whims and wayward 
 wishes of others, without in th« least compromising h(;r 
 own mild dignity. 
 
 There appeared to be a mutual recognition, on the 
 part of Mrs. Walters and these two New England 
 ladies, of those higher and nobler traits of character with 
 which they were so abundantly endowed ; though it 
 must, in candor, be acknowledged that each of them 
 soon discovered that there were discrepancies of opin- 
 ion between them on many subjects, both national and 
 religious. They had the sterling good sense to waive all 
 allusion to those comparatively trifling points of differ- 
 ence, and to meet on those broad, grand truths that 
 mainly aflfected their common humanity. They could, 
 and very often did, pray with each other at a common 
 throne of grace, and talk sweetly over those precious 
 truths that related to their personal salvation througli 
 Christ alone. 
 
 It does not, however, come within the range of our 
 purpose to moralize on detached incidents, but to give a 
 faithful narration of the lives of the individuals before 
 
 I 
 
 ua, 
 voli 
 ill t 
 A 
 wee 
 slioii 
 ei-Iy 
 and 
 stanr 
 so fai 
 wonI( 
 scnce 
 state 
 made i 
 aflbcte 
 Th(^ 
 
 08ts M 
 
 Xature 
 
 with th 
 
 continu 
 
 plotion 
 
 of Mrs. 
 
 nule he 
 
 brought 
 
 At th( 
 
 matter ■ 
 
 forests i] 
 
 to he w( 
 
 ^'Piy unc 
 
 meet wit 
 
 or sly ar 
 
 roving Ir 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 75 
 
 na, in orrlor that we may illiistratu a grand principle ii 
 volved in the moral gf)vernmont of the world, as well as 
 ill that of individnals. 
 
 After the sister of Mrs. Baldwin had been about a 
 week on her visit, it was arranged tliat Mrs. Walters 
 should return home with her. That homo lay in a south- 
 erly direction, somewhat more than fifty miles distant, 
 and not very far from where the city of Albany now 
 stands. It was considered that Captain AVa1t(n's, now 
 so far recovered, and still gaining- strength every da}'', 
 would not suffer very seriously from his wife's short ab- 
 sence ; but he had now been more than six months in a 
 state of extreme suffering from his wounds, which had 
 made serious inroads upon his system, and, indeed, much 
 fiffocted his noble manly appearance. 
 
 The 1(" g and severe winter was now past ; the for- 
 ests were again clothed in their beautiful foliage ; 
 Nature had put on her holiday dress, and was now vocal 
 with the song of birds, the bark of the squirrel, and the 
 continual hum of unnumbered insects. On the com- 
 pletion of the arrangements for the homeward journey 
 of Mrs. Brewster, accompanied by Mrs. Walters, the 
 rude home-made wagon, with its wooden springs, was 
 brought to the door at very early dawn. 
 
 At the time of which we are writing, it was no trifling 
 matter to go on a journey of fifty miles through the 
 forests in that sparsely settled country. The party had 
 to be well armed, both male and female, as it was no 
 very uncommon occurrence for travell(M-s of that day to 
 meet with most unwelcome foes in the pnjwling wolf 
 or sljT- and savage panther, if not the equally dreaded 
 roving Indian. 
 
76 
 
 THE BLACK P 11 A N T O M ; O R, 
 
 Notwitlistiiiidiiig* all the obstaclos that impeded tlu^ir 
 })ro^-reHs, from the abominably bad roads or otherwise, 
 thanks to the span of sturdy horses and a skilful driver, 
 they wen; fortunate enough to arrive at their destina- 
 tion a little before the sun had set in the west. 
 
 Mrs. Walters found the comfortable farm-house of Mr. 
 and Mrs. Brewster almost the counterpart of the one 
 that she had left — every part so clean, so neat ; every 
 thing in its place, and a place for every thing. It was 
 no difficult matter for her to feel herself perfectly at 
 liome, and especially after the warm and right hearty 
 greeting that she rec(3ived from the cheerful and open 
 countenance of Mr. Brewster. 
 
 Although Mrs. Walters appeared to be a silent ob- 
 stu'ver, she was none the less a watchful student. She 
 was laying in a large store of frugal maxims, and tak- 
 ing those lessons in housekeeping which might prove no 
 very great burden to carry, even should they never be 
 required in practice ; but, if ever she should be thrown, 
 by the revolving wheel of time, and by the possible 
 changing of circumstances, into a position that might 
 "call them into rec^uisition, she would then be able to 
 turn them to good and profitable account. And where 
 is there a daughter, a sister, a wife, or a mother who 
 can so scan the future as to say with confidence what 
 they may or may not require ? 
 
 After Mrs, Walters had gone, and her husband was 
 left to the free exercise of his own thoughts and actions, 
 he felt excessively lonely. Ho could not rest, for five 
 minutes in succession, in any one place or position. He 
 would sit down in his easy-chair, then as hastily start 
 up ; would walk to the window, whistle or hum a tune. 
 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 77 
 
 le to 
 mere 
 
 I wlu> 
 kvhat 
 
 was 
 
 lions, 
 
 five 
 
 He 
 
 tiike ii walk in tlu) giink'ii, or talk nons(ni.se to tlio 
 cliickons. If lie mot any of tlic family, ho would ask 
 for tlio linndrcdtli time when iii«y tliou^'lit Oiiptaiii 
 Scliwartz would arrive, and wliicli way he would Ix; 
 likely to come ; or if they tliouglit, w(M'e he to take a 
 walk in a certain direction, there would be any prohii- 
 bilitv of his meetinuf- him. In fact, he was a torment to 
 liimself, and a perfect bore to all who came near him ; 
 such had been the enervating* intiuence of the very try- 
 wjC season throuy^li which he had come. 
 
 And then he had no congenial company to divert his 
 mind or engage him in conversation ; for Captain Bald- 
 win, as was his custom, had been away for some days 
 on his professional duty, and was not expected back for 
 some time to come. 
 
 Quite unlooked-for, Captain Baldwin arrived at home 
 after Mrs. Walters had been gone about four days. On 
 his arrival, he went straight to the room of Captain 
 AValters, and, «fter a very warm greeting, presented a 
 small paper package to him, saying — 
 
 " Walters, here is something that may prove interest- 
 ing to you. It came into my possessi(m a few days 
 ago. Although we have now rather warm work on hand, 
 I thought that I would just run away for once in my 
 life and bring it to you. I have not time to say much to 
 you, but I see that you are getting along bravely, and 
 it is my impression that you will be able to stand a 
 pretty tough tug with the sword by the time that your 
 old friend Captain Schwartz is here, which cannot now 
 be long." 
 
 After about three hours' stay, allowing just sufficient 
 time for his horse to feed and rest himself a little, Cap- 
 
78 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 tiiiii Hiildvvin Uf^'iiiii vaulted into his saddle, and was 
 soon l(jKt to tile .si<;lit ol' Ills anxious but lieroic and 
 [)atriotic tainily. 
 
 Captain Walters, on the reception of the paekag-e 
 from Captain Baldwin, wondering what it could con- 
 tain, sat down in his chair, and, with a small table be- 
 fore him, began very impatiently to untie and unfold 
 it ; when, lo and behold ! he discovered that there was 
 every letter that he had written to liis wife from tlie 
 day when lie first started with the army from Montreal, 
 
 And to his astonishment and joy, there too was every 
 letter that had been written to him by his wife ; and all 
 these placed in the package in the exact consecutive 
 order in. which they had been sent. To his delight, not 
 one t)f them had been opened ; for their contents were 
 of too sacred a character for idle, prying curiosity to 
 see. 
 
 With eager though anxious nind, and as far as he 
 could with steady eye, but with a trembling hand, he 
 began to read the first letter — in ft^jt to devour the very 
 words and thoughts. His !"ps quivered ; the color of 
 his cheeks rapidly came and went ; there was a flutter 
 at his heart — yes, at his heart — but tiiere was a rich 
 and delicious feast to his soul, while he scanned over 
 these gushings forth of affection from the full, pure heart 
 of a loving woman. He read on and on — one, two, 
 three, four — but at the fifth letter, it appeared as though 
 there were whispered fears from the lips of tender affec- 
 tion that all was not right witii the health of their dar- 
 ling little Robert. In the sixth letter, there was some- 
 thing very ominous in the guarded, cautious selection 
 of terms. What was the matter with him, he could 
 
«'0M*AN'S ENDURANCE. 79 
 
 >K>t «e« cleaHy. lie n,bbo,l i.i.s cvo, • f*- , 
 
 of the physician f ^^"'''^ ^''^' "tiuost .skill 
 
 -S« of his wife's dpi;:;"' ' '"" ."'<^ '•■■"«« l-routl,. 
 
 H-a« it really so-wastl Tn^T °"" ""''"' -"■'■<• 
 *" Slaclden Lis darkened d!" '"-' "" ^"""" "'' ^'SH 
 «'■■« ; perhaps the nex t'tt, -'T' '""' '' "' ^-"''M 
 — i»^l.t afford so,nc ntu V"'" ;' """^^ '"•«-■ -ws 
 t» deep for tears lis a;:;::;""*';'"- ^i'" -rrow 
 twee,, hope and fbar hetakeltl '' " '"''''"'"y ''e- 
 
 «P-s it-he reads-Uf r™ r- "^'^'"^'^ 
 " ""P'^t^d ■■" every feature: bod vtfd ^J'T^~^<^^P-'^ 
 prostrate. ^> '""' mind at once lay 
 
 Prom the readinir of th.> 1 , * 1 . 
 I'^'d witi. the force a'd'/u k t S'''/."; ''""^" '™'" 
 '■■oke upon his rai„d-| e was liW ''«^''""'"Sf'» "-^l- 
 '■;-' f-thfully and n^-n";,:. ; S:!'/-' '-" there 
 stages of the sickness of h;„ . , ^^'^ recessive 
 K"-^"-' and his ElSeth-L ir '"■''■""^ ^'""i'on-his 
 ""■""to of their death. ^'*''"' *'"^ 'he hour and 
 
 Wiien he came to hinKnIf „ ■ , 
 '"-■ It was well f!r r Lf '"' ''" ""^ '-^ -^'-''fe'"" 
 ""8''t bo no witness o Lc ," ""^ "'""'•' ""•« thtre 
 ""■«'« be left to spend If ?' sorrow, that nature 
 
 of ki"<i, omciou:'";L'^^r' TT '"■ '■'"^•*-'-' 
 
 h I 
 
80 
 
 THE BLACK PUAN'TOM; OR, 
 
 be asKuag-cd by kindness from others ; therefore let 
 it sorrow in silence, and ah)ne ; for it is a hixnry 
 that the stoic, llu^ nnreileeting, and tlie nnfeehng* know 
 iiot of. The rough and eoarsely constituted mind may 
 look askanc(!, and wonder, if not even sneer, at the deep 
 sorrows or tiie lolty joys of the refined and sensitive 
 soul, neither of which can they understand : their very 
 nature and afdnities lead them to seek other associa- 
 tions, and exhibit far diflerent manifestations. 
 
 After Captain Walters had remained for several hours 
 in a state of complete prostration, the full realities of 
 his situation, in all their breadth, certainty, and dis- 
 tinctness, seemed to loom up before him. In a more 
 calm and self-possessed state of mind, with clasped 
 hands and uplifted eyes, he breathed forth : " Oh, my 
 Father, help me 1" 
 
 This one short simple petition was enough. A num- 
 ber of precious promises exactly suited to his state, 
 came crowding over his mind : his eye of faith saw 
 these as he never saw them before — and he felt their 
 force. He now thought that he could see the hand of 
 God in all these trials, and that they were designed by 
 his Heavenly Father to bring him to himself. And he 
 could now fervently and sincerely say, and pray with a 
 contrite spirit : " Oh ! my Heavenly Father ! I pray 
 thee to sanctify all these my heavy afflictions to my 
 spiritual well-being, and enable me to glorify thy name." 
 In this chastiuied and humble frame of mind, he took the 
 remainder of his wife's letters, as well as those that he 
 had already read, and perused them again and again. 
 And their words, dictated as they had been by the 
 sweetness and the breathings forth of a pure and di- 
 
 novv 
 
ROMAN'S ENI,U„^.^,^_ 
 
 • , . - 81 
 
 Tinely instructed soni to 
 
 l"«!y. «<'ul. a,Kl spirit "' '""'"^ «P"-'^. fledicatc l,i,„self 
 
 •■-1--«1 that tin's l.yi,,„„f,"'%"'"^'«« of I,is heart, he 
 "«■-'' of God, and ll ? ,^,f "f >" *'- --"tar :,AgH be 
 conscence by tlie blood of the f '/"''' '"''^'"^ "''"'■ i'io 
 , Ever after tins, the sol e,- I ''''""*^ "^^<^"""*- 
 hecame a bold and devoted oil; '!"«""''>' monarch 
 He was indeed a new ll" t'' '■''' "^''^^ '''■ ^'''™t- 
 '■""-.-"deed, his whole wa"k a^ I ""7' '"'« ""'-^'■-- 
 ™d unmistakable evidence lu, rf,'"'-^'"''' ^'e--"' 
 I"- this ever after appc'ret to "l' l\ ^'"' "''"' •^'^--• 
 -i"fi' e delighted to die , I '": '" "'"y "-me on 
 "s chddren, with fervor of sol f H """"^'' '>« """"'-d 
 r «hall go to them, but they J, """"'' '^''^ = " 0'' I 
 
 He would often <,.v * ? "•"'"' ''o''"'" to me " 
 
 '>-Eii.amig,:rwrs; ;:r:r "°"'^-' ™Tow„ 
 
 "--• <•";• thoy are, indeed, .'•".r'.r"""-"'""^^ 
 
 ^lom that time forth he b," '"^ ''"S'^'s I" 
 
 -<i -ad of all men. n tl M "" ".'"'"^^ ^'P'-^""'. «««" 
 '""■» spirit, he was cent n if """''"'"■"'■'"■« "ow- 
 »^'" to .eek an interest if ^'^'"^ '" *■'""" ''c c'an.e 
 ^'^ -•" the holy aspi a il ' V'""''' '" "'^' «-■-• 
 "" »«"-'-«t for the min .„ °"'" «°"'' '"•■ ^''^med 
 
 ""«? ?-'aim in the l: .:"! ■" «!'■■-• He won 
 
 "fte" exclaim in ti e . ''"' '■" •^''"'"f- H 
 
 f-^ fo.. me thatth f E 'ly"; f-"»"-«tr ^^uZ 
 '«■•!'•" f'y statutes." B„t .2, f f ' "'■■" ^ '"'g^t 
 ""'«^-. ""thing boisterous In ' """'" ^^'"^ "ot''^- 
 
 '""' '•^■g''l''te all hi« actions! """-' "" '"'» ^vordj 
 
 4* 
 
82 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 Mrs. Walters had spent the time at the home of Mr. 
 and Mrs. Brewster, comfortable as they could possibly 
 make her ; for they thought and made much of their 
 guest, and saw clearly that she was a person of no ordi- 
 nary character. When the time came for her to return 
 to her husband, there was a feeling of mutual regret. 
 She had become acquainted with true, genuine American 
 character, as seen within the domestic circle ; and she 
 knew how to appreciate the beautiful in virtue, though 
 clothed in a rustic and homely garb, and buried in the 
 backwoods, far beyond the ken of the gay and fashion- 
 able world. She had learned lessons of real utility, that 
 could never have been gained in any other direction on 
 the face of the globe. For necessity, with the New Eng- 
 land dames, had indeed been the mother of invention ; 
 and this might be seen in the entire routine of domestic 
 labor. 
 
 She had now seen a fair sample of a people new, 
 as it were, in their origin, and unique in their individ- 
 uality, but who were destined to give form and shape 
 to a mighty nation, if not eventually to have a power- 
 fully controlling influence on the social and political 
 state of the world at large. She mourned within her 
 own heart that there ever should be a desire in any 
 quarter, or in any way, to oppress such a sterling and 
 noble-minded people ; or that they should ever b(? visited 
 by war — that greatest of all national scourges and 
 curses. But she felt that all that she, a feeble woman, 
 \;ould d(j under the circumstances, was to pray that men 
 anight be led to cultivate the principles of peace, and 
 learn war no more : that peace might yet reign between 
 people so nearly allied as those who were then engaged 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 83 
 
 d 
 kl 
 
 ill such a deadly, and on one side she was sure, aimless 
 and useless strife. 
 
 But the time came for her departure, and on each side 
 there was given a few trifles as mementoes of an undy- 
 ing friendship. Though, as they expressed themselves, 
 severed for a while on earth, they were sure to meet 
 again where there would be no war's alarms, and no 
 regrets of parting friends. 
 
 There were no special events to notice in her homeward 
 trip, other than the general ones of jolts and jars, the 
 thr(3ading of the intricacies of forest paths, and perils 
 from the crossings of bridgeless brooks. She had not re- 
 ceived up to this time any information of the train of cir- 
 cumstance s v/hh which the reader is already acquainted., 
 and of the reception by her husband of all the letters 
 which she had written to him from Montreal, and the 
 very pleasing result. Upon the arrival of the vehicle 
 at the door of Captain Baldwin's house, the first person 
 who hailed her appearance was her husband — his coun- 
 tenance all radiant with smiles. 
 
 With an adroitnes that, for the moment, completely 
 surprised her, he handed her down, and her quick eye 
 soon detected that there was something more than 
 usual to be observed in his manner and behavior. And 
 then her ear caught something that was Very peculiar 
 in his voice : so subdued, yet clear and sweet, that she 
 looked at him intently, but said not a word on the sub- 
 ject. He seemed to have all the vivacity and l)uoyaiicy 
 of spiiit of his younger days ; but this was seasoned 
 with the steady gravity and wisdom ot ag(?. Slie won- 
 dered, and pondered in her heart the caus^^ of tin's great 
 change. She saw, too, that his conduct was (juite easy 
 
84 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 and natural — iiotliing" assumed for effect's sake. He 
 could talk with her, but his speech was seasoned witli 
 grace, and there was even a warm emotion in all tiiat 
 he said 
 
 She concluded that there was only one thing that 
 could by any possibility produce, in so short a time, 
 such a clrjTng'e as she saw in her husband. But, as a 
 prudent woman, she awaited the development of circum- 
 stances in their own time and way. He himself was 
 not at all hasty in his explanation, but went about the 
 matter coolly and cahnly. At length he brought the 
 bundle of letters which he had received from Captain 
 Baldwin, and placing them in his wife's hand, said : 
 " My own dear Eliza, here is every letter that you wrote 
 to me from Montreal. I have read and re-read every 
 word of them." 
 
 All this wac done and said so calmly, and with such 
 self-possession, that she now actually felt alarmed ; and 
 while he was thus cool, she was soon ever whelmed with 
 her feelings, and gave vent to them in a flood of tears. 
 He thei drew her to his bosom, and in a gentle whisper, 
 said : " My (nvn, and my ever dear Eliza ! you were 
 correct in what you said ; for they are perfectly happy 
 now. They are hideed our — yes I our — sweet little 
 angels !" 
 
 "But, my dear," said Mrs. Walters, "they are not ac- 
 tually lost to us. No, for we shall again fondle them in 
 our arms, and press them to our bosoms." 
 
 " I am sure of all this, my dear," said Captain Wal- 
 ttn's ; " ior, after reading your hitters, and somewhat 
 imbibing your spirit, my Heavenly Father so clearly 
 and fully revealed himself to mv, that then; is not now 
 
 " 
 
 a 
 
 ki 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 85 
 
 I'O 
 
 LC- 
 
 liii 
 
 a doubt upon my mind, or the faintest cloud to dim my 
 spiritual sky. Let us praise His holy name I" 
 
 And this so lately sorrowful couple fell upon their 
 knees, and were soon so deeply engaged with God in 
 prayer, that they appeared to be lost to all outward 
 things. When, at length, they arose from their knee.^ 
 it iiiiglit have been seen that they had indeed received a 
 full baptism of the Spirit. And now they plighted their 
 vows to spend and be spent for God. 
 
 In a few days after the occurrence of the circum- 
 stances above narrated, Captain Baldwin was brought 
 home — carried by six men on a litter. He had been 
 engaged in a severe contest, and been wounded by a 
 niusket-ball, that had entered between the collar-bone 
 and the joint of the right shoulder. All hands were at 
 once on the alert to render all the aid they could to the 
 wounded man ; but, in the hurry and confusion of the 
 moment, some appeared to be at a complete loss what 
 to do for the best. Captain Walters, however, was from 
 the first as cool and collected as though nothing more 
 than ordinary had happened : not that there was any 
 want of feeling on his part, for he at once laid the pa- 
 tient in bed, and dressed the wound with as much skill 
 as a practical physician, and with as much tenderness 
 as the most feeling mother would have shown to a sick 
 babe. He was never for a moment from the bedside ; 
 every breath was noticed ; every whisper attended to ; 
 every want promptly supplied. In ftict, every relief was 
 iilforded that the necessities of the case requinjd. If 
 Captain Walters had been brought n\) from his early 
 youth in a hospital, he could not have felt more at hcjme, 
 tu all appearance, than when attending to his sick 
 
■ i^f, 
 
 v^»^^ 
 
 86 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM;. OK, 
 
 1 
 
 friend. He was indeed unremitting and unwearied in 
 his attentions. 
 
 When the family physician arrived, he declared that 
 skill and kindness could not have been more judiciously 
 employed, and he (piestioned whether he could have 
 done as well himself. On examining the wound, he said 
 there were no bones broken ; and ho thought, when the 
 inflammation had subsided a little, the ball might be 
 extracted without much difficult}', and with compara- 
 tively little suffering. Thus they were led to put the 
 most favorable construction on the case. 
 
 Captain Baldwin himself had from the very first ex- 
 hibited the greatest equanimity of mind. But for the 
 faintness which he felt from loss of blood, and the 
 excessive pain that he endured from the inflammation of 
 the wound, no person would have supposed that there 
 had been any thing very seriously the matter with him. 
 He had always been remarkable for a high flow of 
 generous and noble feeling, and this had placed him far 
 above the reach of petty annoyances. And now that he 
 was called upon to suffer a little confinement, there was 
 nothing like fretfulness or a repining spirit manifested, 
 but rather a merry, happy buoyancy of mind. 
 
 About a week after Captain Baldwin had been placed 
 on the sick-list, and just as the day was drawing to a 
 close, it was announced that there was a stranger ap- 
 proaching the house on horseback. It was soon seen 
 by his dress and accoutrements, as well as by the trap- 
 pings on his hoi-se, that he was a military man. It wiis 
 not long before he was recognized as the long-expected 
 Captain Schwartz. The greeting was at once cordial 
 and confidential between him and Captain Baldwin. It 
 
 nig 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 87 
 
 
 ho 
 
 '■as 
 
 id 
 
 ip- 
 lip- 
 
 as 
 
 ial 
 
 lit 
 
 had been arranged beforehand, between Captain Bald- 
 win and Captain Walters, on the suggestion of the 
 former, that there should be no mention made of the 
 presence of the latter, in order to increase, if possible, 
 the agreeable surprise that this would prove to Captain 
 Schwartz. So that, after the introductory ceremony of 
 tlie two friends already in the secret. Captain Baldwin, 
 in a kind of ofi'-hand way, said : " Oh ! by-the-by, 
 Schwartz, I have a gentleman here with whom I wish 
 to make you acquainted." 
 
 On the presentation of these two. Captain Schwartz 
 eyed Captain Walters as though there was a kind of 
 recognition going on in his own mind, that very visibly 
 betrayed itself both in his looky and conduct ; and, turn- 
 ing to Captain Baldwin, he said in a kind of half-medi- 
 tative way : "What did you say this gentleman's name 
 was, Baldwin ?" 
 
 " Oh," said Captain Baldwin, " that is a friend of mine 
 — his name is Walters." 
 
 Captain Schwartz, looking still more puzzled than 
 before, said : '' Walters ! Walters I" and looking him 
 full in the face, he inquired : " Have you, or had you 
 ever, a brother ?" 
 
 Captain Walters, imitating the New England twang 
 in his speech, replied : " Well, I guess I had once." 
 
 Captain Schwartz hung down his head and muttered 
 something to himself, part of which was : " The same 
 name, that is sure ; and as like as two peas," 
 
 The parties who were in the secret enjoyed this 
 amazingly, and were not at all backward in posing Cap- 
 tain Schwartz as to what he could be thinking about — 
 insinuating that he was bewitched. 
 
88 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR 
 
 ) 
 
 ii 
 
 Captain Baldwin, with great apparent candor, coming 
 to his relief, requested that he would explain to him th(i 
 difficulty under which he appeared to be laboring. 
 
 " Well," said Captain Schwartz, " sorpe eleven or 
 twelve years ago, as I was travelling on the continent 
 of Europe with my father, we fell in company with a 
 young Englishman of the name of Walters, the same as 
 that of your friend ; and I do declare, that if I had met 
 him in any other place, and under other circumstances, 
 I should have had no hesitation whatever in saying that 
 this was the same person." 
 
 " Yes," said Captain Baldwin ; " but you see how 
 easily we may be deceived. And I have no doubt that 
 you, as well as myself, have seen individuals whom we 
 supposed very like each other ; yet if we could have 
 seen those same persons stand together, we should have 
 been able at once to discover our mistake." 
 
 "Well," said Captain Schwartz, "after this I shall 
 never place any reliance on my own perceptive powers ;" 
 at the same time scrutinizing the features and person of 
 Captain Walters, and again saying : *' Well, I am com- 
 pletely- deceived this time, I must acknowledge." 
 
 On this declaration being made by Captain Schwartz, 
 Captain Walters, thinking that this scene of deception 
 had gone far enough, stepped forth with extended hand, 
 and assuming his own natural voice, said ; " Well, my 
 old friend Schwartz, how do you do ? I am so glad to 
 see you I" 
 
 On this sudden transition of affairs, the confusion of 
 Captain Schwartz appeared to be still more confounded. 
 He looked at Captain Baldwin, then at Captain Walters, 
 and he actually seemed for some moments to be unable, 
 
W0MAN3 ENDUKANCE. 8<) 
 
 with any thin^. like certainty, to roali.e i,iH ,,„e ,„,Hi- 
 t,o„ .s to wl,etho,- he was in a .Irean, o,- ivally vi,h. 
 
 uwake But atW Captain liaWwin ha,l en.joy,.,! :. „ , 
 
 -rtylauj,!, at n» expon.se, an,l a .shovt „ph.naUon 
 had been given, the two old fri<.,ds ^eve warm in their 
 amsrat„lau,,ns, and qnito overjoyed at tl,is unexpected 
 
 I '1 
 
90 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR 
 
 i 
 
 CHAPTER YIII. 
 
 It may very naturally be supposed that three such 
 men, who had so extensively seen the world, and from 
 so many standpoints studiously contemplated it in the 
 mass, as well as in the individual character, could not 
 be long in want of congenijil subjects for conversation. 
 And so rapidly the time wore away, that it was far past 
 the hour of midnij^ht before they separated, each be- 
 taking himself to his couch, though sleep proved reluc- 
 tant to be wooed to their relief. 
 
 Among the many topics that came under liieir notice 
 for future discussion, it may be supposed that one very 
 fruitful subject would be — and to which they would 
 often allude — the principles of liberty that were then 
 animating the breasts of American patriijts. On this 
 theme Captain Baldwin was a perfect enthusiast ; yet 
 he was always careful to nse no language that might 
 wound, or in the least interfere with the views or feel- 
 ings of Captain Walters. Captain Walters would listen 
 apparently with great interest, but said little or nothing 
 on these subjects ; though on one occasion he did make 
 the remark, that he was a subject and a soldier of the 
 British crown, and could not conscientiously interfere 
 with tliese opposing national politics, as it would ill 
 become him to exhibit any thing like dereliction to his 
 oath of allegiance. " But," said he, " I am fully con- 
 
it 
 
 lel- 
 
 <0 
 
 Kj 
 
 TO 
 
 ill 
 
 lis 
 )n- 
 
 I 
 
 WOMAN'S ENDURANCE. 
 
 91 
 
 viiicotl that those principles must have a most astouiid- 
 iii«^- iiiliiicMce on th(3 governments of Europe." 
 
 " Inlluence 1" said Captain Schwartz, with vehemence, 
 " wiiy, tlioy will spread over Europe like wildfire ; and 
 will inaugurate quite a new state of things. This pe- 
 riod and these circumstances will prove another start- 
 ing-point in the world's great and grand drama. Men 
 will awake as from the deep sleep of ages ; they will 
 begin to think for themselves ; and they will see and 
 feel that they are a power in the world : they will assert 
 their claims and demand their rights. But my mind is 
 deeply impressed with the most fearful forebodings ; for 
 ill the first awakenings of men who have been so long 
 kept in the dark, and so heavily oppressed as the people 
 of Europe, the fiery spirits that will be evolved by cir- 
 cumstances, will act upon and urge onward the indis- 
 creet, and will let loose the unbridled passions of the 
 masses to deeds of blood and wrong the direst and the 
 darkest ; and all this will be done in the name and for 
 the cause of liberty." 
 
 " Why, this has not been the case with us," said Cap- 
 tain Baldwin, " It is true that there have been, as 
 might have been expected in a civil war, isolated cases 
 of brutal butchery on both sides of the contestants ; but 
 the people, as well as those who have been the leading 
 minds in the movement, have from the very first had a 
 definite object in view, and they have never for one mo- 
 ment swerved from that path which was sure to bring 
 them eventually to the desired goal." 
 
 " Ah, 3''es," said Cap' .lin Schwartz ; " but you must 
 remember that your leaders and your people had been 
 schooled to just thinking and right acting. The prin- 
 
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 92 
 
 THE BLACK phantom; or, 
 
 ciplcs of tlio IMlgrini Fathers liad inouldod tlio natioiiiil 
 S(.'i»liin(Mit, and sliapcd tlioir morals. It was love of "^-ruc; 
 iiatiojial liberty tliat at tli(; lirst bron.^'-ht your fathers 
 and niotiiers to the shores of New Eiiurlaiid. And they 
 brouglit witli them the open Bible, that palladium of 
 civil and religious freedom. 
 
 "The descendants of those fathers and mothers have, 
 from their cradles, breathed the air of liberty, and been 
 nurtured in its principles, while at the same time they 
 have been reared in a state of society characterized by 
 almost primitive simplicity, far away from those old 
 systems that had so long corrupted, cramped, and ener- 
 vated all the native energies of man. It was, therefore, 
 contrary to the very nature of things to suppose that 
 such a people, and so circumstanced, would long brook 
 the restraints and oppressions of despotism. Hero 
 you had a people fully prepared and every way wortliy 
 of the freedom which they demanded ; and it has been 
 the potency of the public will that has wrenched the 
 rod from the hand of the oppressor. But, at the pres- 
 ent moment, things are far otherwise in Europe ; the 
 masses are there purposely kept in ignorance, that the 
 will of the ruler may sway them to suit his own sinister 
 purposes ; and if the peophj once get a glimpse of the 
 llinisy barriers that hold them in restraint, those bar- 
 riers will prove but as the merest cobweb before the first 
 general uprising. The popular fury once fully aroused, 
 will, in its frenzy, blindly strike friend and foe alike, and, 
 in its mndness, may eventually even destroy itself. So, 
 when casting its horoscope through the coming century, 
 the mind shudders at the prospect it reveals to the peo- 
 ple of Europe 1" 
 
 Th 
 
 I • 
 
wo MANS ENDUKANCE. 
 
 
 " But," said Captain Baldwin, " would you rather that 
 tiling's whould continue as they are — that the people 
 should be kept in ignorance, and be considered only as 
 the vassals and drudges of those who are pleased to 
 entitle themselves the upper class, or the higher orders, 
 and so avoid that state of things which your imagina- 
 tion has portrayed ?" 
 
 " Why," said Captain Schartz, " I am fully persuaded 
 things cannot continue in their present state p for I, very 
 early in life, learned a sentiment from my mother that 
 has had a controlling influence on my own opinions and 
 actions, and by which I have been able to judge of those 
 of other people. It is this — * Jehovah reigneth ; let the 
 earth rejoice.' " 
 
 On the utterance of these words Captain Walters 
 gave a start, and looked most intently at the speaker. 
 The reader will have little trouble in divining the caus« 
 of this, when he recollects that the above are the words 
 always found in the letters received by Mrs. Walters 
 from the Black Phantom. 
 
 But Captain Schwartz continued : " It is and ever has 
 been deeply impressed upon my very heart, that the 
 present state of things among men is an infraction on 
 the laws of the universe. Every thing appears out of 
 joint — the guilty great are triumphant, and the virtuous 
 poor are oppressed. There is only one way by which I 
 can reconcile this state of things with the thought that 
 God still holds the reins of government in Ilis own 
 hands ; and that is, that He is now allowing the guilty 
 rulers sufficient time to fill up the measure of their ini- 
 (piity. And it is my firm conviction that the governors, 
 both in Church and State, in Europe, have iwjarly ar- 
 
f 
 
 94 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 rived at that point. The principles that are to consum- 
 mate all this are those that are now working in the 
 minds of you A.merican8 — principles that must rai.s(; 
 your nation to a high point of greatness and prosperity. 
 Other nations and people, seeing your wealth and 
 power, will emulate your conduct and follow your exam- 
 ple. This must be so ; for men, like children, are imita- 
 tive. The course of principles is ever onward. Man is 
 a progressive being, and nations must advance, unless 
 kept back b}'' selfish rulers and unwise laws. 
 
 " There is one great and crying evil in Europe, that 
 must, while it lasts, render almost futile the exertions of 
 the poor man to secure a homestead for himself and 
 family, while it retards the material prosperity of na- 
 tions.. I refer to monopoly of the land. Surely the day 
 Cfinnot be far distant when the landless will assert their 
 claims to a portion of this, as the indisputable right of 
 every man who has the means to purchase. Tliis cen- 
 tury is far in advance of the last in many points, and 
 yet people at this day only see men as trees walking ; 
 but your people have made a grand move in advance, 
 that must give accelerated speed to the world's progress. 
 And so, from this starting-point, tlie wildest fancy may 
 not be able to picture forth the degree of light and 
 knowledge that will actually blaze forth and spread 
 over the world in tiie coming century ; and the man who 
 is a lover of his kind cannot contemplate the future, after 
 the present threatening clouds have cleared away, with- 
 out the most exultant feelings — for freedom, and her 
 twin-sister, knowledge, must spread over the nations, 
 and draw all men within tlieir kindly grasp." 
 
 " Then," said Captain Walters, " you suppose that 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 95 
 
 the capacity of man will onlargc with favoring circiiin- 
 Btances ?" 
 
 " No, not by any means," said Captain Schwartz ; " for 
 it is not within the power of man or of circumstances to 
 give intellect. They may, and very often do, foster it, 
 but never confer it. The will of man has no control in 
 the case whatever. You may prepare your ground, and 
 use your own judgment in the selection of the kinds and 
 quality of the fruit-trees that you intend shall form your 
 orchard ; and you may, to a very great extent, control 
 and mould your flocks and herds, by careful sehictions 
 and prudent crossings : but where is the man who shall 
 say and determine, at the connnencement of his domestic 
 life, I will have so many sons, and beforehand make a 
 selection from the intellectual or sensible arts that they 
 shall pursue, irrespective of the mental provisions of 
 nature ? But he may train the whole of his family to 
 virtuous habits, and start them in useful and honorabh- 
 pursuits ; and these will prove of more sterling value, 
 both to themselves and to the community in which they 
 reside, than the most brilliant endowments of genius. 
 Tlie spirit of genius is a coy vagrant ; man has no bait 
 to lure her to his embrace, or to induce her to do hia 
 bidding. She is erratic in her movements : now she 
 may make choice of a region in the sunny south, — at an- 
 other time in the frozen clime of the ucjrth. She eludes 
 the pampered sons of sloth and the effeminate circle, 
 and often selects for her favorite the obscure and the 
 [)oor. Men of might or of power cannot claim her pres- 
 ence or command her obedience. Constantino might, 
 by his authority, make choice of the beautiful site on 
 the shore of the Bosphorus on which to build the city of 
 
96 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; C R, 
 
 I 
 
 ConRtantiii()[)Ic ; but, with all the resources of the 
 Roman eiii{>ire at his command, ho could not evoke tliu 
 spirit of genius, or infuse the talents of a Phydias into 
 any of his numerous subjects to adorn it. The increase 
 of wealth, and the conse(iuent corruption of manners, 
 has driven the spirit of genius from those places whicii 
 aforetime were her favorite haunts. And all men are 
 now more or- less practical sophists ; they reason falsely, 
 and they act still worse. The clergyman, by continually 
 poring over his dogmas, influenced b}'' the contracted 
 views and principles of sect, contracts his own intellect 
 The physician, by spending his time and having his 
 Attention all absorbed in prescribing to the pliysical ne- 
 .'^essities of his patients, too often circumscribes the ex- 
 tent of his own mental vision. The lawyer is often so 
 one-c;ided and technical as to warp his judgment ; for, 
 assiduously intent in his study of statute and common 
 law, he foregoes those higher ranges of thought that 
 would warm, and cheer, and elevate his soul. Thus it 
 may be said that all men arc walking in a vain show, 
 for their very professions, without great care, have a 
 direct tendency to clip the wings of their fancy and cir- 
 cumscribe the range of tlieir imagination, 
 
 " And then it is my impression," continued Captain 
 Schwart2f, " that there never will be an intellect able to 
 produce works to surpass those of Homer, so far as in- 
 vention and the pure spirit of poetry are in question 
 And again, as to a knowledge of the secret workings of 
 the human heart — and, indeed, of that microcosm, man 
 — none of the modern autliors as yet have equalled, let 
 alone surpassed, the ancients ; and it is a question with 
 me whether future writers will accomplish more. But 
 
W O M A N's E N D U H a N C E. 
 
 97 
 
 iiidcHMl it matUn's little, so far as the real happiness of 
 man and tlic well-being of sixMety are to be intlueneed. 
 But what T wisli to say is, that tliat knowledge; and all 
 that freedom which are now confined to a favored class, 
 will then be so equ.'illy diffused over the general coni- 
 niiinity, that every unit in society shall count for its 
 full value, and every individual feel his full weight and 
 
 nnpor 
 
 tance, and, well instructed to that (Mid, have his 
 
 say on all questions of public import : that there shall 
 be no one single privilege claimed by an}' portion of the 
 coMununity that shall not be equally and alike the in- 
 lieritance of all." 
 
 "Then, is it your opinion," said Captain Walters, "that 
 to possess all the privileges of a member of the body 
 politic, and the unrestricted exercise of freedom of 
 speech on all subjects, and to hiivo all the avenues of 
 knowledge open to his inspection, and his acquirements 
 in proportion, — that these will constitute the ciiief well- 
 being of man and of society ?" 
 
 " No, I would not be understood to mean that," said 
 Captain Schwartz ; " but this I will say, tliat oppression 
 and ignorance were never yet known to f(;ster the kind- 
 lier feelings and sentiments of the human heart, or the 
 virtues of e very-day life, for both the oppressor and the 
 oppressed equally suffer. And these virtues, after all, 
 are the true and solid basis, as well as the strong bonds 
 of human society, and mow. likely to be cultivated in 
 that community where there is the r(}C()gnitioii of mutual 
 rights in the governor and the governed. Where there 
 is the want of virtue on the part of either, there will be 
 found the sure indications of public decay ; and if not 
 arrested, the destruction of the whole fabric of society 
 
r 
 
 V 
 
 98 
 
 T HE BI. A C K IM I A N T O M ; O R, 
 
 and of its well-bcinj^, wooiun' or later, is Tiioiully certain. 
 But when; virtue roigjis, and tlie people ar(.' well in- 
 structed in their duties, — where there is a heallliy and 
 active public sentiment, a wise government, and a 
 thrifty and industrious people, — there national prosper- 
 ity, and general as well as individual happiness, must 
 be secure. And let me add to this, that where every 
 man's heart and afiections are schooled to virtue, these 
 will prove of more sterling worth in the ultimate re- 
 sults than if every man were a Homer, a Virgil, or a 
 Milton." 
 
 " Yes," said Captain Baldwin, " those are the grand 
 principles advocated by some of our leading men, and 
 which have animated us in our long and severe struggle : 
 and it appears to me as thougn Providence has most 
 signally interposed in our behalf ; for, though in com- 
 parative poverty, poorly clad, and scantily equipped for 
 the fearful contest, still, witii a firm and unswerving 
 trust in the God of battles, victory has at length perched 
 upon our banners, and success come in answer to our 
 prayers." 
 
 " That is perfectly correct," said Captain Schwartz ; 
 " God has indeed vindicated his own truth. And h(jw 
 could it have been otherwise, with such a people and 
 with such leaders ? for they were at once faithful to 
 their country and their God. And then the world has 
 never seen associated in one company sucii a number of 
 wise heads, warm hearts, and such disinterested patriots 
 us the signers of your Declaration of Independence. 
 Surely the God of providence must have had something' 
 to do in the raising u}) of such inen, at such a time, and 
 for such a purpose. And then the one man, the one 
 
 I'l'onipt, 
 t'ley ha 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 99 
 
 ur 
 
 on I' 
 
 groat and good man, the noble VVasliint^ton — empliali- 
 cally the Father of his country — long- may lie live to 
 enjoy the laurels he has so honorably and triumphantly 
 won !" 
 
 " I am pretty well convinced," said Captain Walters, 
 " that Providence has indeed fought your battles ; for, 
 while there have been wise counsels and prudence on 
 your side, with a paucity of the essential materials of 
 war, we have had all the necessary equipments and a 
 more than ordinarily well-drilled army. But there has 
 been confusion in our councils and bewilderment in our 
 aims, and our actions have been without results ; as 
 though it were ordered, by a power above that of man, 
 that you should succeed in your purposes." 
 
 " You may rely upon it," said Ca tain Schwartz,/ 
 " that though God may appear to be long and often 
 mysterious in working out His own purposes, either in 
 national or individual cases, yet nothing is more certain 
 than that the results will at length vindicate llis power, 
 wisdom, and goodness ; and, as I have remarked befcn'e, 
 it has been, under God, the strong arm and stern will 
 of the people, influenced by the pure principles of })a- 
 tri(;tism, that have not only succeeded in conquering 
 their own freedom, but in winning from all true lovers 
 of their kind the meed of praise and admiration that 
 will be echoed and re-echoed through all time. Next 
 only to the devotion and worship we owe to the Su- 
 ineme Being', the sentiments and feelings of true pa- 
 triotism are perhaps the strongest and the purest that 
 can sway the human breast ; and when these have 
 prompted to the defence or support of one's C(Mintry, 
 they have produced I ho highest and noblest oh;ii;u ters 
 
f 
 
 100 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 that have over adorned the liiHtory of our race. How 
 iiiih'ke tli(; mercenary, who slng^^-islwy and mechanically 
 buckles on his armor, or takes his place in the ranks, 
 l()okin<]^ more at the paltry pittance that may be doled 
 out to him, than to those invigorating principles that 
 actuate the soul and nerve the arm of the true citizen 
 soldier I The latter feels that he is fighting for the 
 country that he loves, though he may not own a single 
 acre of its soil, — to which he is bound by ties dearer and 
 stronger than all others that bind him to the world and 
 to life. He holds his personal ease and comfort, his 
 propcnty, his blood, his domestic relations, yea, and even 
 life itself, at a cheap rate, if he supposes that by such 
 sacrifices he may aid in saving and perpetuating his 
 beloved country, with all its cherished institutions. 
 How patiently and submissively will he submit to the 
 hardest labor, to the tiresome drill, the long and toil- 
 some march ; how firmly stand in the ranks under the 
 hottest fire, and with unfaltering courage dare and do 
 in the fiercely-contested battle ! And how emphatically 
 do these remarks apply to your noble American citizen 
 soldiers in their late national contest ! Never has tlicre 
 been in any conflict, in all this world's history, so much 
 to call forth all that is pure, and good, and holy in the 
 great national heart. You have been placed before 
 earth and high heaven, as it were, by a train of associa- 
 tions, that have exhibited you as one of the best speci- 
 mens of social beauty and personal independence." 
 
 " But, after all," said Captain Schwartz, " it is to be 
 hoped that the people will not be led to say in their na- 
 tional voice, ' Mine own arm hath wrought out this great 
 deliverance ;' and, in their pride,, forget the arm that 
 
WOMAN'S ENDURANCE. 101 
 
 tli.it their (lisroo-anl f ,7 i "^ *'"''' ("••'■«""«i<'n 
 
 are unnotii: ' f It rj^^.^"' -''•- -" """'-ity 
 
r 
 
 102 
 
 THE HIiACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Such were the themes that frequently occupied the 
 attention and employed the hours of these men, and 
 few in that day were better able to discuss those, us 
 well as other kindred subjects. But the time now drew 
 near for them to part company, Tlu^y had been brought 
 together by a train of remarkabh;, if not indcH'd myste- 
 rious associati(jns, but each of them had done his duty 
 from conscientious motives, although they had taken 
 quite op])osite sides in the late national contest. Cap- 
 tain Walters had fought under the banners of him 
 whom the others considered as a despot, and their op- 
 pressor ; but the brave and intrepid opponents in arms 
 had merged in the gentleman, the scholar, and the Chris- 
 tii*n brother. A friendship had been formed and ce- 
 mented between them, that was, to all appearance, d(!s- 
 tined to continue for life, and which they had lull assur- 
 ance of being renewed in a better world ; and although 
 eaclt had to take his different and widely divergent road 
 in life, yet their sympathies were so entwined, that they 
 ft'lt. and warmly expressed, a deep interest in each 
 other's well-being. So much so was this the case, that, 
 as the day approached for their departure, it appeared 
 painfully too soon, and the parting itself was more like 
 the s«'paration of loving brothers than of stern warriors 
 who had so lately exhibited their prowess in deadly con- 
 Ilict on the battle-field. 
 
 sugar, fl 
 
^\ ( ) M A N S E N J) L R A N ( ' K . 
 
 l():j 
 
 Brfdrc llicy pju'tfMl, Captain liaMwin said to C'lplniu 
 Wiiltoi's, " that, altlion^li lie and liis |)(m»j»I(' had Ixhmi 
 entranced in wa^iii^- war aji^aiuHt tlio Kii,t;'Iisli p-ovfrn- 
 inciit, he, for Ills j)art, was enabled to diwtincfuish \)v- 
 twoeii tliat g:ov('rnnicnt and tlio En<;"lisli poojjU' : that 
 tlio Tory aristocracy liad far too long- hnhl the undis- 
 jmtcd control of that g'ovornment, and had most cruelly 
 oppressed their own peoj)le, as well as exhibited a de- 
 tcrjuination to oppress the Americans ; but that thevo 
 liiui not been wanting noble exam[)les of Mien who ...id 
 dared to brave the ire of those despots, and in their 
 very te<'th, in both iioUvSes of the Britisti I'arlianicMi, 
 had dauntless. _^ vindicated the Americans and their 
 cause : that the very names of Barro, of Wilkes, of the 
 elder Chatham, and other kindred spirits, wer(\ Jind 
 would be forever, cngra,ven on the hearts of all true 
 Americans. And," said he, " I believe the time will 
 come when the people of England themselves will assert 
 their own claims to political, civil, and religious enfran- 
 chisement. In their struggles, peaceable or otherwi.se, 
 to that end, they most undoubtedly will have the sym- 
 pathies of the entire American people." 
 
 The parting of the women was characteristic of fe- 
 male friends. There had been made great prejnxrations 
 for this most important event. Mrs. Baldwin was de- 
 termined to show her appreciation of the character of 
 Mrs. Walters by the largeness of her contributions for 
 her comfort while travelling. She had made a collection 
 of every kind of fruit produced on their farm, and these 
 were in every conceivable way of preservation. She 
 had selected a large cake of the best white maple- 
 sugar, and a quantity of honey in the comb, as well as 
 

 .i^:l!'>f: ' , ■■« 
 
 " 
 
 104 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 some in a piinTuHl state. She had cakes and sweet- 
 meats, got np in lier own peculiar way. Tfiese, sht; 
 said, would be so nice for Brother and Sister Walters to 
 eat on their journey North. 
 
 But it would be useless to enumerate all the articles 
 with which Mrs. Walters was loaded ; suffice it to say, 
 that all was done with true American munificence. But 
 we must not (^mit to mention that there was included in 
 this general outfit, a roll of written receipts in her own 
 handwriting, and embracing information in almost every 
 department of frugal housekeeping. And then, as a 
 finishing stroke to all, there was carefully folded up 
 with the written receipts a copy of the celebrated " Poor 
 Richard." 
 
 There were many little mementoes of a more imper- 
 ishable nature given on both sides — intended to keep 
 alive in their memories, in all their after-days, the very 
 agreeable association that had subsisted among them 
 for so many months. Of these, the most highly prized 
 on all sides, perhaps, were admirable portraits of these 
 friends, painted in oil-colors by the accomplished Mrs. 
 Walters. Thus, Mrs. Walters took along with her the 
 likenesses of Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin and their little boy 
 and girl ; those of Mr. and Mrs. Brewster and their little 
 girl ; and also that of Captain Schwartz. She left with 
 each of the families, portraits of herself '. nd husband. 
 All were earnest in their declarations that these paint- 
 ings should ever be esteemed as the most sacred and 
 valued of their possessions. 
 
 The day at length arrived for the separation — the men 
 with hearty shaking of hands, and the women and chil- 
 dren with ardent and affectionate embraces — all, by 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 105 
 
 their tearful eyes and sad counteDaiices, exhibiting" more 
 distinctly than words could have done, the inward pangs 
 under which they were laboring. They did not separate, 
 however, until they had, in a season of devout prayer, 
 most fervently committed each other to God, and to tlio 
 word of His grace, which was able to build them up in 
 their most holy faith, and to give them inheritance 
 among those who are sanctified. 
 
 It would, perhaps, be useless to attempt to give any 
 account of their journey northward, to the city of Mon- 
 treal. The roads thitherward had not been improved 
 since their last travel over them. Suffice to say, that 
 they successfully surmounted all difficulties, and arrived 
 pretty well used up with the fatigues of the journey ; 
 and especially Captain Walters, who suffered sevoi'ely 
 from his wounds, which were not yet quite healed — the 
 jolting of the wagon, from the roughness of the roads, 
 causing excessive pain. 
 
 6* 
 
lOG 
 
 THE BLACK PUANTOMI OK 
 
 > 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 It 
 
 It may be remembered that we left Captain and Mrs. 
 Walters in a state of bewilderment in tlieir own dwell- 
 ing in Montreal, after the adventure of Mrs. Walters 
 with an aged female in St. Paul street ; and the reader 
 has not forgotten our proposal to turn back in our nar- 
 rative for about the space of three years, that we might 
 have a more perfect view of the main characters in our 
 history — developed by a train of very remarkable cir- 
 cumstances, in which they were called to suffer, and by 
 wliich their piety and trust in God were put to a severe 
 test, but out of which they came like gold purified. 
 
 We will now again take up the thread of our nar- 
 rative where we left it as noticed above. 
 
 It is late in an evening of the very early spring of 
 the year 1784. Mrs, Walters had been waiting very 
 anxiously, and longer than usual, for the return of her 
 husband. He at length was heard to approach the front 
 door by his expectant wife, who was promptly ready as 
 usual to admit him. 
 
 After tlie first affectionate salutation, the keen eye of 
 the loving wife saw that all was not right with the mind 
 of her husband. She drew lier chair close to his side, 
 and taking iiis hand in her own, and looking him affec- 
 tionately in the face, said : " My dear Robert, what is 
 it that is giving your mnid so much uneasiness ?" 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 107 
 
 With seeming reluctance he replied : "Not mucli, my 
 dear ; or rather, nothing more than nsual." 
 
 She responded kindly : " Now I know there is, for I 
 see clearly that you are ill at ease. Will y^ou not inform 
 your wife, my dear, that she may grieve with you, or 
 else join in laying your plaint before the mercy-seat?" 
 
 " Oh ! my dear love, my only love ! that is indeed the 
 only place to which you and I should carry our sorrows 
 — the only place where we shall meet with genuine 
 sympathy — where we are sure not to meet with the 
 ribald jest or sarcastic jeer — where we shall not have 
 our purest motives maligned, our judgments impugned." 
 
 ** Oh ! my dear Robert, I think I know now what 
 oppresses you. Has not the Rev. Mr. Wilson been 
 again stirring up his partisans against you ?" 
 
 " Yes, he has, my dear ; and is it not passing strange 
 that the most recklessly wicked may go to any lengths 
 in their conduct before him without rebuke? Tlio mo- 
 ment, however, that one becomes in earnest for the sal- 
 vation of one's soul, not only the men of the world, but 
 members of the Church, set up a hue-and-cry after him, 
 as though he were not fit to live. I know that you, as 
 well as myself, have often suffered most severely from 
 his malignant and pn;judiced spirit." 
 
 "Sure the hands of Ciirist have been wounded in the 
 house of His pretended friends," said Mrs. Walters. 
 
 "Yes, that is so," said her husband; "and seeing 
 that his remarks are received by the members of the 
 mess-room with such zest, he allows no opp(jrtunity to 
 pass without throwing them out. It is the same with 
 his companions of the mess-room. If by a look or a 
 word I indicate an indignant resentment of their inso- 
 
108 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 leiicc, I am met with the remark : ' Oh, Walters, you 
 know that you are converted — j'^ou should bear these 
 things like ii saint, to maintain the cluiracter of yonr re- 
 li<^ion !' I have seen the day that I would have resented 
 this sort of conduct — when they would not have dared 
 to take these liberties ; but now they know that I am 
 bound over to keep the peace by the Prince of Pe?ice, 
 and they are dastardly enough to take advantage of one 
 who is governed by the mild spirit of the gospel, as I 
 profess to be." 
 
 " Well, my dear," said his wife, " you know that he 
 who will live godly in Christ Jesus must sufifer perse- 
 cution. We have only to connect the present with the 
 future, and commit our cause into the hands of our 
 heavenly Father, who will eventually see to it that full 
 justice is done to all parties." 
 
 " I do indeed know all that," said her husband, " oth- 
 erwise I should certainly sink under the evil spirit of 
 resentment. I sincerely believe that there is not on 
 this earth such another place for unblushing sin arid de- 
 pravity as a regimental mess-room, and often wish that 
 I were well out of it." 
 
 "So do I, my dear Robert," said Mrs. Walters, with 
 vehemence, " but I do not at present see how that can 
 be accomplished. We are not like any other people I 
 know of. We have neither of us any place on this wide 
 globe that we can call our home but this our own 
 dwelling. At least this is the case with me, for I never 
 had a home — no place where I could enjoy the dear 
 relationship of father or mother, brother or sister, and 
 this has ever made me feel lonely and disconsolate 
 indeed." 
 
'T 
 
 woman's endurance. 
 
 09 
 
 " That is emphatically so, ray dear," responded her 
 husband. ** In my own case, too — my eldest brother, 
 who inherited the family title and entailed estate, lias 
 been living so extravagantly that he will soon be so in- 
 volved that it will be utterly beyond his power to assist 
 me in any way. Neither he nor I has influence with 
 tlie Government, we not agreeing in our political views 
 with the party in power ; and so I can look for nothing 
 from that quarter. And as you say, then we have no 
 place but this our dwelling, and I have no home but 
 with my own loving wife. In fact, I have no depen- 
 dence but what arises from my profession, and that is 
 doubtless the cause of my treatment by the members of 
 the mess-room — they, without exception, being very 
 wealthy or in expectation of being so ; and to be poor 
 and religious, in their estimation, is to be undeserving 
 of respect. Although not one of the officers of the regi- 
 ment is more attentive to his duties than I am, and have 
 always been, I am overlooked ; while those who have 
 no claim to it make rapid advancement, simply because 
 they have influential friends at headquarters. I have 
 no doubt that the vain coxcombs annoy me for some 
 supposed excellence they think I possess, and in which 
 they feel themselves deficient. Such, however, is poor 
 human nature, and I can well aiford to pity them, and 
 do so with all my heart. But seriously, my dear, I have 
 of late had thoughts of selling out my commission and 
 of leaving the army altogether. I have pictured to my- 
 self a way of life that I thirk would be far more con- 
 genial to my tastes and feelings ; but there is one great 
 obstacle that stands in the way, and at present appears 
 to me insurmountable." 
 
110 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 li 
 
 " Well, my dear, what is this way of life ? Yon know 
 j'our wife would gladly do her part tc assist in any way 
 that would be congenial to the tastes and fi^elings of 
 her husband, and no one would be more willing to sec- 
 ond your endeavors to overcome an obstacle yon deem 
 insurmountable." 
 
 " My dear," said her husband, with a pleasant smile, 
 *' it is this : I am afraid that you would not be willing 
 to become a farmer's wife." 
 
 " And," said Mrs. Walters, " has my husband serious 
 thoughts of becoming a farmer ?" 
 
 " Indeed he has," said the Captain, " and has had for 
 some time past ; but I have been afraid of mentioning 
 it to you lest I should bring you uneasiness. But I 
 have thought over this subject, and have concluded that 
 it would be more quiet and independent than the disa- 
 greeable life I now lead." 
 
 " Well, well 1 to tell you the truth, Robert," said his 
 wife, at the same time clasping her hands together, 
 with a hearty laugh, " I, too, have had the same thoughts, 
 but did not like to mention them to you for fear of un- 
 settling your mind ; but now that the truth is out, let 
 me tell you that I shall prove one of the best-managing 
 and most industrious of fanners' wives you can find, ex- 
 cepting, perhaps, the New England dames. Let me 
 tell you that I served quite an apprenticeship under 
 that very excellent housekeeper, Mrs. Baldwin, and can 
 assure you that I was more than a casual observer. 
 Indeed, I have often thought that it was a mysterious 
 Providence that led me there, to prepare me for a more 
 useful and active life ; for you know that the whole of 
 my education tended anotlrr way, though I often feci 
 
"^" 
 
 WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 Ill 
 
 thankful that my heart was not neglected, while my 
 feet and my fingers, my tongue and my brain were in- 
 structed." 
 
 " Well, wife, this conversation is at once new and un- 
 expected to each of us ; and as you have so candidly 
 spoken your mind on this subject, the sooner we set to 
 work the better, to place matters in proper train for the 
 undertaking." 
 
 " I say amen with all my heart, Robert," said Mrs. 
 Walters, " and shall be highly pleased on your account, 
 for you will then be free from the harassing circum- 
 stances which now annoy you." 
 
 From this mutual understanding, and perfect agree- 
 ment in their sentiments, it might naturally be expected 
 tliat there would be unity of action between them. 
 And it was so, for whatever one proposed the other was 
 sure to approve. This eventful evening, that was to be 
 the turning-point in their lives, was closed by committing 
 themselves and all their plans to the God and Father 
 wliom they served. 
 
 The following morning found them more determined, 
 if possible, in their purpose, and more firmly fixed in 
 their resolution. They were, infatuated with their new 
 scheme, and set to work with a right good-will. Ex- 
 tensive purchases were made of ;>uitable material for 
 clothing. A selection was made of domestic utensils 
 proper for a large and respectable farm-house, and these 
 of sufficient variety and of the best make and material. 
 Scarcely a day passed without numberless suggestions 
 being made as to what would be necessary — this would 
 be so nice — that would be wanted for such and such a 
 purpose. If there had been at their elbows an old dame 
 
112 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 from tlie backwoods — who, with her scanty supply of 
 household utensils, had been using one and the saiiu' 
 thing for half a hundred different purposes — her risihlo 
 muscles would have been brought into play at this man- 
 ifestation of extreme simplicity, and at what she would 
 have deemed sheer extravagance. But they were in 
 earnest, and meant to do as they thought right — often 
 saying that it was to no purpose to sufler inconvenience 
 when, by the expenditure of a little money, it could be 
 avoided. 
 
 They had already made choice of a locality where they 
 intended to make their future home. A detachment of 
 the regiment had been sent with a number of the ** Uni- 
 ted Empire Loyalists" (or, as they were generally called, 
 U. E. L's.) to Upper Canada. This party had returned 
 with such glowing descriptions of the beauties of the 
 district o^ country surrounding the Bay of Quinte, as to 
 induce Captain Walters to select that neighborhood for 
 his intended residence. Consequently, he had procured 
 a government grant of one thousand acres of land, that 
 being the allowance to an officer of the British army 
 who wished to make his home in Canada. The distance 
 was upwards of three hundred miles, and at that time 
 the roads, if that name could be given to tracks through 
 the woods, were of the roughest kind : nor was there any 
 regular mode of conveyance. But these were difficul- 
 ties that could, in part, be surmounted, for horses would 
 be required on their farm, and they might as well pur- 
 chase them in Lower Canada, where, as the Captain said, 
 were to be found horses of the pure Normandy breed. 
 He was loud in his praises of the Canadian horses, ex- 
 tolling their many excellent points — their short neck, 
 
Woman's endurance. 
 
 113 
 
 small head and cars, keen clear biifj^ht lively eyes, (nil 
 deej) chest, strong clean limbs, and their great endur- 
 ance either in harness or nnder the saddle ; while a very 
 important consideration in their favor was, that they 
 coidd be kept in good condition on very little food. 
 These horses would take them all the distance, and they 
 would thus avoid the knavery and imposition of trickish 
 teamsters on the road. And then wagons would be 
 wanted ; but where to get them was the question, as 
 there was scarcely such a thing to be found in all Lower 
 Canada, the French habitants all using unsightly and 
 primitive-looking carts. They hoped to procure these 
 from some one of the Americans who occasionally 
 brought articles to Montreal for sale; and this they did. 
 
 So intent were they on their proposed undertaking, 
 that it fully occupied their hands and minds by day, and 
 very often was the subject of their dreams at night. In 
 a little more than a month all their arrangements were 
 completed. Captain Walters had sold his commission 
 to an aspiring lieutenant in the regiment, who happened 
 to have the ready cash by him. This of course would 
 have to be ratified by the authorities at home ; but that 
 was a matter easily arranged under the circumstances. 
 
 When the time came for Captain Walters to bid fare- 
 well to the members of the regimental mess-room, there 
 appeared to be an exhibition of sincere regret on the 
 part of a majority of the oflBcers, — some of them declar- 
 ing that, after all, Walters was a fine fellow, a, good 
 soldier, and a brave man. But others, who were not 
 inclined to be ou friendly terms with him, while appa- 
 rently approving the compliment, accompanied their 
 approval with a sinister smile ; — " Yes, a pretty fair 
 
r 
 
 lEP" 
 
 114 
 
 TIIK HLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 sort of })oy, if it wore not for his qnoer notions of roli- 
 ^•ion, und liis sulmiission to ])ettic()at f^overnrnont." 
 This hist remark was nuts for tiie 1{(!V. Mr. Wilson, 
 wlio was th(! same cold impassive being as usual, and 
 who scarcely deigned to return the hearty shake of the 
 hand, and the cheerful farewell of the Captain. He 
 merely said, in an almost inaudible tone, " Good-by, 
 Captain Walters," and then sharply and abrujitly turned 
 on his heel away. It might have been seen that Cap- 
 tain Walters observed, and indeed felt pained at this 
 indecorous conduct, so utterly unbecoming the sacred 
 character of the reverend gentleman. But, although he 
 felt the gross indignity, his own amiable disposition, 
 independent of his Christian spirit, led him to look witli 
 compassion on the frailities of one who ought to know 
 and do better. 
 
 What most afflicted the Captain and his wife was, 
 parting from the little loving company with whom they 
 had so often taken sweet counsel ; but this had to be 
 done, however painful it might prove. 
 
 At lengtli, on the Sabbatli morning, with many a 
 heavy heart, sorrowful countenance, and tearful eye, 
 they met in their little room for the last time. The 
 service, conducted b}' brother Sergeant Johnson, in 
 his usual acceptable way, was solemn and impressive, 
 appropriate to the occasion. Such was the feeling that 
 pervaded the meeting, that the speaker's voice was fre- 
 quently almost lost amidst the loud sobs of the sorrow- 
 ing company. After the address of Sargent Johnson, 
 the brethren and sisters had an opportunity of breathing' 
 forth their aspirations in prayer to their God and Father 
 in behalf of Brother and Sister Walters. And, ohl such 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 115 
 
 piaycrs! One who had previously visited the Englisli 
 cIhucIi, and listenetl to the service as conducted hy tlie 
 diaphiin of tlie regiment, assisted by tiie grand music 
 oil the organ, and tlien had joined this little secluded 
 band of heavenly-minded and ardent worshippers of 
 God — if he had any thing like spiritual perceptions, or 
 were capable of appreciating the good, the lovely, and 
 tlie holy, would have needed little time to decide; in 
 which place were the acceptable worshippers. But, 
 however that may be, God saw and listened, approved, 
 blessed, and favored the meeting with his special pres- 
 ence : their hearts were indeed melted into union with 
 each other, and with their living Head ; while the room 
 appeared to be filled with His glory. 
 
 Not the least touching part of this highly Interesting 
 interview, and that which affected Cap*"'.i and Mrs. 
 Walters personally, was the eagerness of all present to 
 give some token by which they desired to be remem- 
 bered. It migiit have caused a smile in a disinterested 
 spectator to have noticed how this was carried out, and 
 tlie little trifles that were brought and presented. They 
 liad nothing greater or better to give. Yet each was 
 received with a lovely grace by Mrs. Waltere, and the 
 very smallest acknowledged with as much feeling as if 
 it had been a diamond of priceless value. But what 
 appeared most to touch the heart of Mrs. Walters, was 
 a mother, neatly dressed, and holding in her arms a 
 lovely child, who, approaching her with great modesty, 
 presented a small paper, and, as distinctly as she was 
 able, through her sobs and tears, said that there was a 
 lock of hair she had just cut from the head of her baby, 
 for which she had been so kind as to provide its first 
 
116 
 
 THE BLACK TIIANTOM; OR, 
 
 outfit of clolliin^'. Slio would htivo it riJiiiUMl aftor licr, 
 8ho said, mo thai in future, uiicu looking at tliat lock of 
 liair, k1i(» would Im; reminded of her little Eliza. Airs. 
 Walters drew her purse from her pocket, and wishiiin' 
 to make it appear as if only depositing- the j)aper in it 
 for safekeeping', at the same time took from it a silver 
 crown-piece. Then, taking the baby from its mother, 
 she slipped the piece into her hand, and tenderly kissing 
 the little beauty, returned it to its mother, with the most 
 earnest injunctions to bring it up for God. Thus, after 
 many a ])r()mise given, and many a wish expressed to 
 meet each other in heaven, the parting moment at 
 length arrived. 
 
 After the above trying scene was over — when every 
 tie that had held them in Montreal seemed to be broken, 
 and, like a vessel loosened from its moorings, they were 
 about to drift away upon the wide world — they appeared 
 to act with greater freedom in making their prepara- 
 tions for their long and perilous journey. The spirits 
 of Captain Walters were buoyant and hopeful, for he 
 felt that he was now freed from the traiimels of mili- 
 tary espionage. He felt that he was now on the high 
 road to independence, peace, and comfort. He was 
 going to occupy a farm of a thousand acres, wheic i e 
 would have a chance of sliaping his fortunes — where he 
 would stand high among his neighbors, and be at liberty 
 to select his friends and acquaintance. 
 
 1^ 
 
WOMANS KNDURANCE. 
 
 n: 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 The morning of thoiv departure at len<jftli arrived, and 
 it nuiy not be aniisa lo take a glance at tlie external 
 appearance of things. We nay external, for we will not 
 attempt an enumeration of the boxes, trunks, and piu'k- 
 agcK, and their contents. 
 
 In the first place, we may mention the two heavy, 
 strongly-built wagons, with the best of canvas covers to 
 secure their contents from the weather, and to serve as 
 shelters cither by day or night. These wagons, loaded 
 to their utmost capacity, were each to be drawn by 
 four choice Canadian horses ; and we must say that 
 Captain Walters had exhibited good taste and sound 
 judgment in their selection. One team was composed 
 of four blacks, and the other of four beautiful browns. 
 We must not forget to mention that, as the Captain 
 often prided himself on havhig been in his younger days 
 a crack English sportsman, he had provided himself 
 with four high-bred sporting-dogs — two fine hounds and 
 two spaniels : these, with his trusty and favorite Man- 
 ton, were deemed essential to the outfit of a gentleman 
 farmer, and might assist to while away his leisure 
 liours. The Captain had also an eye to his future want 
 nf laborers on his farm. There happened to be two 
 men in his Company who had been born iind brought 
 up in a rural district in England, and who had from 
 
I'p 
 
 ... m 
 
 1 1 itii 
 
 MS 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; UK, 
 
 II 
 
 ciu'ly cliildliood bocii acquainted with tiio ruiitino and 
 toil of fanii-labor. The name of one was Joseph Brown, 
 that (jf the other William Jones. The education of these 
 men had been neglected in their youth, for they had not 
 been a single day at school ; and had never been within 
 a church or chapel in their native land, before they 
 were marched there according to the regulations of the 
 British army. There had been a great sameness in 
 their modes of life, but there was a difference in their 
 ages at the time they now come under our notice. 
 Brown was about thirty-eight — Jones was eight ycar.s 
 younger ; both were strong and firmly-built men, of 
 exuberant spirits, and in fine health. They had been 
 for some years humble and consistent members of the 
 little Christian society that had been formed in the regi- 
 ment. And although at their first union with that small 
 Company neither of them was able to distinguish one 
 letter of the alphal^et from another, yet, by very close 
 and patient study, Jones had become able to read the 
 Testament, as well as the hymn-book. Brown was not 
 quite so proficient a scholar, and had t(j spell many 
 words, and skip others, that were be^^ond his comprehen- 
 sion. Both had charmincf voices, and had been noted 
 from tlieir boyhood for singing the love-ditties of their 
 native land. 
 
 It must be admitted that these men were but too true 
 a type of a large class from the same grade of society 
 in the country that gave them birth ; but where the 
 fault of their ignorance lay we are not going now to 
 investigate. Our purpose now is not so much with their 
 antecedents as with their present personal history. Cap- 
 tain Walters had proposed to them t(» purchase their 
 
W O M A .\ S E N DURANCE 
 
 Hi) 
 
 (lisclii.ir<^o from the British wervicc, if thoy were willing- 
 to accompany him as assistants and hiborers on his 
 farm. The subject was no sooner broached than it was 
 acceded to by them, with protestations of ever being 
 faitliful to his will and wishes. 
 
 These men had wives, and we must not pass them by 
 witliont notice, for each was quite a character in her 
 own way. Mrs. Brown, as is often the case, was more 
 liighly gifted than her iuisband. She was keen, pru- 
 dent, circumspect, and withal remarkably neat in her 
 person, highly industrious, always on goods terms with 
 herscdf and every one else, generally with a good-natured 
 smile on her fine open countenance, and of a really gen- 
 erous disposition. Slu; had always a good word for 
 everybody, save one who intenti(jnally insulted her, or 
 (lid her some serious injury, in Vkdiich case her keen 
 and cutting sarcasm made th(jm cautious in their future 
 intercourse with her. She restrained the rude or un- 
 inamierly ; but inspired with respect those who could 
 appreciate proper womanly independence. Siie had 
 made and saved a considerable sum of money by wash- 
 ing and mending for the men of the Company. Pru- 
 dent in her general management, she could make a little 
 money go a great way. A favorite with the whole regi- 
 ment, she was spoken well of by all, and highly es- 
 teemed by Captain and Mrs. Walters. Mrs. Brown 
 had a remarkably intelligent boy, six or seven years 
 of age at the time his parents started with Captain 
 Walters. 
 
 Mrs. Jones was a person of but few words, very pious 
 in her way, and apparently st.) in her own estimation. 
 She could not see how some people's consciences allowed 
 
120 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 them to talk so freely, or to be so loose in tlioir conduct 
 before others. She was apt to form a too rigid opinion 
 of persons and their actions, and thus to the most trivial 
 word or act, was often given an undue importance 
 Judging, or rather misjudging others, she became fret- 
 ful, peevish, and irritsible in temper. Always disquiet- 
 ing herself about trifles, she was unfitted to form friend- 
 ships ; consecjucntly she was destined to travel througii 
 life solitary and sad. But notwithstanding all this, she 
 was ever honest in purpose, trustworthy in her dealings, 
 and in every sense of the word, pure-minded. She was 
 fully aware of her imfirmities — of the unevenness of her 
 temper — and would often speak of them with sorrow 
 and contrition of spirit. Mrs. Jones had a daughter of 
 about five years of age, very pretty, and very shrewd 
 and intelligent for her j^ears. 
 
 There was another individual cotmected with the es- 
 tablishment of Captain Walters, that we must not over- 
 look on any account, as he is destined to occupy a prom- 
 inent and highly important part in our narrative. This is 
 Jean Baptiste, a French Canadian — a kind of shrivelled up 
 little fellow, nimble as a squirrel and merry as a cricket. 
 He could not speak English fluently ; but that was not 
 of much consequence, as both Captain and Mrs. Walters 
 spoke French with facility. Baptiste was a kind of 
 necessity, as nijt one of the eight horses could under- 
 stand an English keeper ; but he could address them in 
 a way they had been used to. It appeared to be his 
 greatest delight to be stroking them, patting them, talk- 
 ing and singing to them ; and they appeared fully to 
 appreciate all this, as there seemed to be a perfect un- 
 derstanding between them and him. And it is not re- 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 121 
 
 markable that they wore most obedient and docile when 
 he had the command of" them. 
 
 Tims, we find that on the morning of their departure 
 IVoia Montreal, this company was composed of nine poi- 
 sons — Captain and Mrs. Walters ; Mr. and Mrs. Brown, 
 and little boy ; Mr. and Mrs. Jones, and little girl ; with 
 our little friend, the facetious Jean Baptiste, All were 
 astir at early dawn, with an outfit t(j meet all present 
 or future, real or supposed wants, so far as human pru- 
 dence and foresight could devise. As they were not 
 (^-oing through a sandy, arid desert, where no water was 
 to be found, but emphatically a land of large rivers and 
 streams, they had no need to carry that essential beve- 
 rage with them. 
 
 It was a morning in early spring, if that tvA'm is at all 
 a[)plicable to Lower Canada, where there are only two 
 seasons in the year, winter and summer — seven months 
 of tile former and five of tiie latter ; for so sudden is the 
 transition from winter to sunnner, that, when the frost 
 breaks up, the extreme heat of the sun soon melts the 
 snow, however abundant it may be. Tiie farmer may 
 tlien pursue his labor, plough his land and deposit his 
 seed ; for the frost never penetrates the ground as in 
 niilder regions, having been protected by its covering 
 of snow. 
 
 Tims — on this beautiful morning, with a bright sun 
 and a balmy atmosphere, all nature smiling, as il' exult- 
 ant at its liberation from the iron bands of winter that 
 had held it u\ their rigid grasp — all things were ready 
 lor the word of command to start, each being at his post 
 with true military precision. The Captain considering 
 himself entitled to the post of honor, takes the lines of 
 
122 
 
 THE 13 LACK r II AN TOM; OR, 
 
 tlic first toam, with lirowii on the scat, at his left hand. 
 The little FnMichmun, J(,'an Baptiste, accorclinjjr to the 
 aln-ady arrangcHl plan, took the control of the otlicr 
 team, with Jones beside him. Tiie women and chihlreii 
 were comfortably seated ir the first wagon, under the 
 shelter of the canvas cover. 
 
 The word given, with a sharp crack of the whip, 
 and the noble teams, with their heavily laden wagons, 
 are on their route. Wending their way along the im- 
 paved and muddy Notre Dame street, they were soon 
 be3'^()nd the city limits, and outside the ramparts, which 
 at that time were near where McGill street now runs. 
 
 Our trav(?llers were no sooner beyond the ramparts, 
 than tiiey had an intimation of the character of the roads 
 over which they would b(! compelled to drag their loads. 
 Tiujy took what lyis of late years been called the lower 
 road to La Chine, and found it low enough and bud 
 enough in all conscience ; for the French Canadians, 
 from their first occuparicy of Lower Canada, have bet'ii 
 utterly regardless of any thing like public improve- 
 ments. Nothing more clearly exhibits the absence of 
 thrift, than the wretched state of their public highways. 
 
 The progress made by the subjects of our narrative 
 may be judged of from the fact that, early in the morn- 
 hig as it was when they left Montreal, it was late at 
 night before they accomplished the first nine miles to 
 La Chine, Bad as the whole of the road had been found, 
 one or two places were especially trying to their temper, 
 and had made pretty strong demands on their patience, 
 and put the strength of the horses to a severe test. 
 
 We have already stated that Captain Walters took 
 the connnand of the leading team. Whether in this case 
 
woman's endukance. 
 
 123 
 
 TOUS, 
 3 UH- 
 
 soou 
 
 iTlS. 
 
 parts, 
 
 roads 
 
 loadn. 
 
 lower 
 
 1 bud 
 
 diaiis, 
 been 
 trovc- 
 icc nf 
 ways, 
 rative 
 moi'u- 
 ,te at 
 les to 
 *()uud, 
 
 •inpei", 
 icuce, 
 
 took 
 Is case 
 
 it was roally the badness of the road, or a want of skill 
 in tlic driv(3r, wc will not say ; but so it happened, tliat, 
 as he was driving thrcjug'h a swampy spot, the wheels 
 suddenly sank down to the hubs, and there he was held 
 fast. He employed the whip and his voice, but to no 
 purpose. He turned his horses to the right, then to the 
 left ; but every movement only made matters still worse, 
 as it caused the wheels to settle more deeply in tlje 
 mud. In his exertion, it was evident that he was suffer- 
 ing extreme agony from his wounds. 
 
 When things had arrived at this state, Baptiste, de- 
 scending from his own seat, went forward to make a 
 personal inspection ; and when he fully comprehended 
 tlie nature of the case, giving a peculiar shrug of the 
 shoulders, he for a fev?- monKmts apparently pondenjd 
 what was best to be done. Then starting back to his 
 own team, and loosing them from the wagon, he brought 
 them to the front, hitched them on to the end of the 
 wagon-pole with a long stout chain, and then stepped 
 back a little, when the eight hors(;s, in prompt obedi- 
 ence to a gentle word from him, laid their shoulders to 
 the work : the trace-chains began to creak, and the 
 heavily laden wagon was moved gently from its position. 
 Wiien the wagon was drawn a little distance and placed 
 on firmer ground, Baptiste detached his horses, and the 
 iv'spective teams took up their line of march, Baptiste 
 avoiding tlie faulty spot tliat had proved a trap to the 
 Captain. 
 
 If the mind of Captain Walters, at liiat moment, had 
 been capable of calm reflection, he might liave come to 
 tile conclusion that some persons are not altogetlier 
 rpialified to take the lead and command und(u- all cir- 
 
124 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 cumataiices ; but it sometimes requires very severe; 
 practical lessons to teach such people, and it no less 
 needs a capacity and disposition in the pupil to read the 
 lesson. It was so in the pnjsent case, for they had not 
 proceeded far when a similar, if not worse, disaster be- 
 fell then). They came to a spot of swampy ground, 
 where the tangled roots of trees lay athwart the track, 
 and between the ribbed elevations of which there were 
 deep cavities. When the wheels got wedged in one of 
 these places, neither man nor horse was able to move 
 them. In such a case it required the skill of the prac- 
 tical Canadian teamster to extricate them. Approaching 
 a locality where were two roads, one a little divergent 
 to the right hand, but uniting again a little distance 
 ahead, it happened that the- Captain took the one that 
 proved to be the worst of the two. As he got to about 
 the middle of the worst part of tiie swamp, down went 
 tlie fore-wheels between two large rib-like roots, where 
 they remained, utterly beyond the power of the horses 
 to remove them. Tlie wagon going down with great 
 force and a sudden jar, it so frightened the women and 
 children that they screamed aloud ; while the Captain 
 suffered excruciating pain from his wounds, especially 
 the one in his shoulder. This time the Captain was un- 
 able, and made no effort to extricate the wagon, but 
 motioned to Baptiste to come f{»rward. The latter, seo- 
 ine: the serious state of the case raised his hands in 
 l>ewilderment, with the exclamation, " Man Dieu ,'" 
 Brown and Jones were as much at a loss as two chil- 
 dren could have been ; while the Captain was still moro 
 80, quite unable to give any useful or rational advice 
 or directions. Not so, however, with Baptiste who, after 
 
■9P 
 
 WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 125 
 
 liis momentary surprise, went straig-lit to liis tool-box, 
 wliicli was secured eonv(;ni(3ntly und(!r tlic body of the 
 wagon, from wliicli Ik; took liis axe, and g'oinjj^ a little 
 way into the bush, sehseted a younj^- hiekory-tree about 
 six inches in diameter, which he soon cut down and 
 Ibrmed into a lever. Collecting" a number of large stones 
 to form a fulcrum, he set the (jther two men to work to 
 carry them close to the wagon. Then, by a skilful ap- 
 pliance of his lever and fulcrum — with the main strength 
 of the men, and indeed of the women too — the wagon 
 was raised a little at a time, and stones and piec(;s of 
 wood introduced under the wheels, to retain them in their 
 position. 
 
 Captain Walters now found, by bitter exp(!rience, 
 that his strength was not equal to the severe labor de- 
 manded of him. Thanks to the superior practical skill 
 of little Baptiste, they were finally relieved from their 
 disagreeable difficulty ; and, after some hours of hjst 
 time, and with exhausted strength, they proc(!eded on 
 their way. At nearly the close of this eventful day 
 they accomplished the first nine miles of their journey. 
 
 Wearied in body and mind, it was with no small de- 
 gree of pleasure they drove up to the front of the small 
 log-cabin dignified by the name of tavern. To their 
 surprise and disappointment, however, they found that 
 the only accommodations this place allbrded for their 
 horses was an open shed by the roadside : as for thcim- 
 st'lves, they spread their own blaidvets and covers on 
 the fioor of the cabin, and there sle|)t as they best 
 could, — the men turning in with the horses in the op(!U 
 shed. But, poor and forbidding as these acconujioda- 
 tions were, a keen appetite gave '-elish to their supper 
 
¥ 
 
 126 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 li 
 
 and their weary limbs brought refreshmout to body and 
 spirit ill !i profound sleep. 
 
 We have here a pretty fair specimen of the toils, 
 mishaps, and inconveniences to which travellers were 
 subjected a little more than half a century ago in Lower 
 Canada. 
 
 The next morning the sun rose brilliant as ever, and 
 our travellers were astir to take advantage of the cool 
 hours of early day. After attending to the feeding of 
 their horses and their own requirements in that line, 
 our travellers were soon pursuing their journey along 
 the margin of the noble River St. Lawrence. Here 
 they were especially impressed with the view of the 
 beauty and grandeur of the landscape, — the mountain 
 away in the distance on the rfght hand, and on the left 
 the river widening into an expansive lake studded with 
 islands covered with a luxuriant and varied foliage. 
 And then, all nature in her dress of vivid green, tlie 
 varied forms of hill and dale, land and water, presented 
 a scene of pictures(iue beauty but rarely equalled. 
 Turning their attention to the implements and agricul- 
 tural appliances of the habitants, they found them of tlie 
 rudest construction and most simple forms. The plough 
 was of a most primitive cast, merely the crotch of a 
 tree with a sharpened point to serve as coulter, and 
 drawn by a poor, scraggy, under-sized horse, yoked with 
 a milch-cow, with hip-bones ready to start through its 
 skin, — and these just moving at a snail's pace. 
 
 Our travellers at length arrived at a place some miles 
 north of La Chine, where a French Canadian resided 
 who made a scanty subsistence by ferrying people and 
 their vehicles over the river. The conveyance was by 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 127 
 
 large llat-boats, or batteaux, as tlicy were ji^encrally 
 called, on to which the horses and loaded wag'ons were 
 driven, and then plied across the broad stream with oars. 
 As there were but two of these boats, and one of tlu-ui 
 happened to be on the other side of the river at the 
 time, which is several miles wide at this place, the 
 man in charge had to hoist a signal for the other boat 
 to come over, as the two wagons and eight horses would 
 have been an overload for one. Though this slow move- 
 ment occupied considerable time, it had to be submitted 
 to as one of the ordinary annoyances of those days. 
 
 While thus waiting for the boat to come from the 
 other side of the river, Captain and Mrs. Walters had 
 leisure lo take a stroll a little way along the bank of 
 tlie river, and to contemplate the unsurpassed grandeur 
 of the scenery presented to their view at this place. 
 We mention these two, as they were the only persons 
 in the company who had an eye for the beautiful and 
 sublime in nature. The two children were especially 
 tlolighted, and exhibited their pleasure in frolics and 
 gambols, and by forming fragrant and beautiful nose- 
 gays from the profusion of wild-flowers growing around. 
 After waiting for some considerable time, the boat ar- 
 rived : the teams were driven on board, and oti' they 
 started ; but slowly they moved over the turbid waters 
 of the Ottawa, for it is at this point the confluence of the 
 two rivers, the St. Lawrence and the Ottawa, takes 
 place. A great curiosity is here presented in the clearly- 
 deliued line that marks the first contact of the two 
 streams, and which is continued for a number of miles. 
 It is not, however, our object to point out the curiosities 
 or to contemplate the beauties of nature, as we have 
 
¥' 
 
 128 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 otlier things in view wliich claim our more spociiil 
 {itt(!nti()n. Tlio voyage across the river in the unwieldy 
 craft, iVoin its feeble power of propulsion, was one of 
 excessive lassitu<le, from the absence of any thing like 
 excitement and the seemingly long time it occupied. 
 On their arrival upon the other side, the day was far 
 spent ; but, as the horses were comparatively fresh from 
 the long rest they had had, they determined to make the 
 most of the remainder of the daylight. Tlie-i they had 
 a tolerably good road on the bank of the St. Lawrence, 
 with the grand cascade rapids on their left hand. 
 
 It would be useless to attempt to describe these 
 rapids, with their boiling, tossing, tumbling, foaming 
 waters : all mere word-painting would be tame and 
 meaningless. It was on the bank of the river, and 
 under the shade of a luxuriant grove, that they made up 
 their minds to take their rest for the night. Under the 
 general guidance and instructions of Baptiste, the other 
 two men attended to the horses, while the women were 
 directed in all the camping arrangements and the cook- 
 ing of their evening meal ; after partaking of which, 
 they were hushed to sleep by the lullaby of the dashing 
 and foaming waters of the rapids. It was well for them 
 that they had- so alert and diligent a person in their 
 company as Baptiste. By his directions Brown and Jones 
 collected a large quantity of dry wood, and placed it in 
 piles, at equal distances, in a circle around their camp. 
 A little while after sunset these piles of wood were 
 lighted up, as a protection against the approach of 
 wolves, — of whose presence they were soon made aware 
 by their continual howl all through the night, attracted, 
 no doubt, by the smell of the evening meal. And it 
 
woman's endukance. 
 
 129 
 
 proved a very fortunate circumstance for Captain Wal- 
 ters that he had two such trusty men as Brown and 
 Jones. Tfiey had been so long in the army, und so us(,'d 
 to obeying orders, that it was only recjuired to indicate 
 liis wish to have it fulfilled without a murmur. Owing 
 to the comparative absence of excitement on the past 
 day, and the sound sleep he had enjoyed through the 
 night, and the ever-watchful care of Mrs. Walters, 
 the Captain appeared greatly invigorated the next morn- 
 ing. So, after a hearty breakfast, the horses were har- 
 iiesscid up, and our travellers were again soon dashing 
 along at a lively pace, making the best of their time on 
 a good hard road. This smart pace was continued until 
 noon, when our company came to a favorable spot, under 
 the shade of a few stately elm-trees, where they could 
 rest and feed their horses, as well as take their own re- 
 freshment. While these things were being attended to, 
 their attention was directed to the approach of a better 
 kind of vehicle, drawn by a very handsome pair of 
 dappled-gray horses. As these came near, the driver 
 slackened his pace until, as he passed, it was reduced 
 to a very slow walk, which gave the female who was 
 inside an opportunity to scrutinize the party with in- 
 tense steadiness. When the captain and his wife saw 
 that the female manifested an inclination to speak to 
 them, they arose and saluted her gracefully. They were 
 about to invite her to alight and partake of their hos- 
 pitality, as there was no place of refreshment within 
 many miles, when the driver made an abrupt start and 
 left them with the words of invitation u})on their lips, 
 and with impressions upon their minds not at all favor- 
 able to the good manners of the fair stranger. Recov- 
 
 6* 
 
r 
 
 Hf 
 
 130 
 
 THE BLACK phantom; OR, 
 
 11 
 
 ercd somewhat from tlio pcrturbatiou of mind occasicmed 
 by thia incident, Mrs. Walters said to her husband — 
 
 " Why, Kobc^rt, I surely have seen those liorses be- 
 fore 1" 
 
 *' Why, yes," said the captain, " I oug-ht to know 
 them, for 1 have frequently seen them in Montreal," 
 Then, showing a little of wounded dignity, he said : 
 " And there is one other thing I am sure of — that the 
 person in the carriage is not a lady, for the least she 
 could have done would have becii to return our salute." 
 
 After this little adventure, the frugal meal finislied, 
 they were soon again wending their way on their west- 
 ern track. Our travellers were now getting into apart 
 of the country where the appearances of even the rude 
 civilization of Lower Canada were less frequently met 
 with. The uninvad(;d forest was vast, gloomy, silent, 
 and, except at night, solitary, when it was vocal with 
 hideous and discordant sounds. The day had again 
 closed, like the previous one, with little or nothing to 
 mar the equanimity of the minds of the entire party. 
 
 Little Baptiste appeared to be in his glory while giv- 
 ing to his subordinates, in his brokw?: English, general 
 orders for the night ; for he was nvw the tacitly ac- 
 knowledg(?d commander-in-chief of the entire party. 
 After setting all things in order, he brought out his 
 violin, on which he was no mean performer, and great 
 was the delight of the whole company wlien he awoke 
 the echoes of the neighboring woods by his enlivening 
 strains. Still sweeter, however, in their estimation, it 
 was, and more in accordance witli the higher aspirations 
 of their grateful hearts, when Captain and Mrs. Walters, 
 accompanied by all present, and by Baptiste with his 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 131 
 
 ters, 
 
 violin, fltruck up tlioir evcMiing' liyrini. The isiniplt! was 
 raised to the sublime in this chuiitin<jj, in tliose solitary 
 woods, of one of the sweet song's of /ion. So, with calm 
 spirits and resigned wills, after setting tlieir watch and 
 making other necessary arrangements for tln^ I'ir^^'t- 
 tiiey retired to rest. They were awakened, however, a 
 little after midnight, in the greatest tre[)idation of mind, 
 by heavy thunder, accompanied by vivid flashes of light- 
 ning that illumined the entire forest around them with a 
 lurid glare, and then for a moment involved them in a 
 tenfold deeper darkness than before. In the crasiiing of 
 the thunder, it appeared as if hu'idreds of wolves around 
 them set up a hideous howl. The dogs were whining", 
 the horses making efforts to break their tethers, the 
 children screaming, the womc^n frantic with fear, and 
 even the hearts of the men failing them in utter conster- 
 nation. From that time until light broke in the morn- 
 ing they were deluged with rain, and terrified by loud 
 thunder and occasional flashes of lightning. 
 
 What were their feelings of thankfulness, however, 
 when they came to see in the morning the very narrow 
 escape they had made with their lives ! Within a hun- 
 dred yards of the place where they had encamped for 
 the night lay the remains of a huge oak, one of the mou- 
 archs of the forest, which had been so shivered that the 
 fibres of its trunk were separatcid like the untwisted and 
 open strands of a thick rope. It had been struck by the 
 electric fluid, a circumstance of not rare occurrence in 
 the forests of North America. 
 
 Notwithstanding the severe trials of the nighx, the 
 sun rose in the morning with a bright and smiling face, 
 as though nothing untoward had happened. The at 
 
f 
 
 ■r^H^-w-w^ 
 
 132 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 11 ' 
 
 mosphc \3 was relieved of its oppressiveness, and all 
 nature seemed refreshed with the copious shower of 
 rain that had fallen. The spirits of the company, too, 
 partook of the general hilarity. 
 
 At an early hour man and horse were ready to resume 
 their journey, but from the wet state of the ground little 
 l)rogress could be made, as the wheels sunk deep into 
 the saturated soil ; and they had little choice of road, 
 as, away on their right hand lay an extended cedar 
 swamp, and on their left the margin of the river. Thus 
 they had to travel for some miles along a kind of natural 
 mound raised between the two. Owing to the very 
 copious rain the past night, this cedar swamp, a recep- 
 tacle for the water from the adjacent district, was con- 
 siderably overflown ; and as there was only one outlet 
 for the water, and that ran across a low place in the 
 mound on which our company were driving, it presented 
 a very serious obstacle to their further progress. True, 
 some attempt had been made to form a kind of bridge 
 across this gulch, by spanning it with the trunks of two 
 trees, and then laying across these a number of round 
 logs, so as to fill up the space from bank to bank, and 
 then tying the ends with strong withs to hold them in 
 their place. But it so happened that these logs were 
 afloat at this time, owing to the high state of the water, 
 so that there was no firm footing either for man or 
 horse, let alone taking two such heavily-loaded wagons 
 over. 
 
 Here was a dilemma. There was no choice of roads, 
 and no room to turn back, as the mound was too narrow 
 for the long-geared wagons. Therefore they must either 
 find out some method to pass over this gulch, or wait 
 
Bl 
 
 woman's endurance. 
 
 133 
 
 some days for the water in the swamp to subside. 
 When the two men aud the Captain fully realized the 
 state of things, and the apparently inextricable position 
 ill which they wre placed, they looked at each other with 
 lihink dismay. They looked this way and that, back- 
 ward and forward. One suggested to swim the horses 
 over ; another, to lay a narrow path over in some way, 
 aud the party each to carry a package, trunk, or box 
 across upon their shoulders : with many other schemes 
 equally impracticable. In this dilemma, fortunately for 
 the party, Baptiste was again at hand. Wielded by 
 him, who descended down to the edge of th.e swamp, 
 the ready axe, with nimble and effective stroke, soon 
 brought down tree after tree. These, being divested of 
 their branches and cut into proper lengths, were carried 
 hy the other men to the bridge, and laid on to the logs 
 already there, until their added weight gave it solidity, 
 and raised it above the level of the water. Thus at 
 length the whole party, by the skill of the one who was 
 apparently the most feeble and the least likely to ren- 
 der sucii (efficient aid, were led over what seemed, but a 
 short time before, an impassable gulf. 
 
 By the time they had well got ov«r and come to a 
 place a mile or two further on the road, where they 
 found a suitable camping-ground, the shades of evening 
 were fast gathering around thenj This day had given 
 another proof that travelling was no child's play amidst 
 tlie diificulties that beset the explorers and first settlers 
 of North America. The place where they rested this 
 niglit was lonely and dismal ni the extreme, far away 
 from any human dwelling ; and the only sound that 
 broke the stillness of the night was the dull gt'»'.e 
 
# 
 
 134 
 
 THE BLACK PHAKTOM, 
 
 OR, 
 
 If 
 
 of the flowing waters of the St. Lawrence. The approach 
 of night was welcome, and after the devotions of tlic 
 evening, and the usual precautions being taken, the ma- 
 jority of the company were soon oblivious to the forbid- 
 ding surroundings of the locality. The position of sen- 
 tinel for this night fell upon Brown, who, as he measured 
 with military step his round, happened to look upward, 
 when he saw in the branches of a tree a little ahead 
 of him two bright points of light. Prompted by the 
 feelings of the moment, he hastily retreated to where 
 Baptiste lay enfolded in his blanket, on a little brushwood 
 under one of th.} wagons. It only required a gentle 
 touch to arouse him to consciousness ; and, more by the 
 manner of Brown than by his words, he was soon aware 
 that there must be something more than usual on hand. 
 His first impulse was to seize his ever-ready rifle, and, 
 following the steps of his conductor, his attention was 
 directed to what has already been referred to. Baptiste 
 knew at once the full danger of his position, and that 
 it demanded coolness of mind, firmness of nerve, and 
 steadiness of aim, for he had a sly and cruel foe to con- 
 tend with. But, nothing* daunted at this, he raised his 
 rifle, and as the sharp crack sounded through the wo(jds, 
 it was instantly followed by a shrill, piercing cry, and 
 a sound caused by the fall of a heavy body. Prompted 
 by his curiosity, and a wish, perhaps, to be in at the 
 death. Brown ran instantly to the spot, thinking the 
 danger was over. Baptiste rapidly followed him, and, 
 catching him by the arm, cried out at the top of his 
 voice — 
 
 ** You fool I what for you do dat ? Suppose you go 
 dare, you be one dead man vare soon." 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 135 
 
 Going then to the four dogs, which had been fully 
 aroused by the sound of the gun, Baptistc letthcni loose, 
 when they started for the fallen and expiring brute ; 
 but they were too experienced to trust themselves within 
 the reach of his teeth or claws. Very little of their 
 assistance was required, however ; for the aim of Bap- 
 tiste had been so true, that, after a few vain attempts 
 to grasp the dogs, lashing his long tail, and tearing up 
 the buF-'ies and earth in his rage, the death-struggle was 
 soon over. On examining the creature, they found it 
 t(^ be 9 North American male panther of the largest 
 dimensions. It was fortunate that Brown happened to 
 see him when he did, for had he passed underneath the 
 tree where the panther was patiently awaiting his prey, 
 he must have become his victim. When they found 
 that the brute was quite dead, all hands lent their aid 
 to drag him within the limits of the camp ; and, as the 
 women and children, as well as all the men, had been 
 aroused by the unusual stir, they all had an opportunity 
 of examining one of the most dangerous and destruc- 
 tive beasts of prey that range the forests of North 
 America. Ti-ey were particularly struck with the size 
 and strengi I jf his teeth and the length of his claws. 
 In a little time iNptis*e was busy with his knife, divest- 
 ing the ar.imcl oi his beautiful skin ; which, as he 
 claimed the sole disposal of the prize, with head, tail, 
 and feet still attached, he presented to Mrs. Walters, 
 with the promise that he would cure and dress it for 
 her in true Tndian styhi at the first opportunity ; it would 
 tlien make . very handsome robe for her sleigh, when 
 they were i^: ' :-Hi on their farm. 
 
 By the time the party had somewhat recovered from 
 
136 
 
 THE BLACK PnANTOM; OR, 
 
 the excitement consequent on the incident just narrated, 
 the first glimmering's of morning admonished them to 
 make preparation for the prosecution of their journey; 
 and so, after attending to the necessities of both man 
 and beast, they were soon threading their way as bent 
 they could through the intricacies and entanglements of 
 the dark and dreary forest. 
 
 At this part of their journey their progress was slow 
 and tedious in the extreme, for, what with the obstruc- 
 tions that lay in the , , thway, in the form of trunks of 
 fallen trees, and branci.t ttered around that had been 
 riven from the parent stcL: by the force of storms, the 
 strength and patience of man and horse were often put 
 to a severe test. 
 
 The keen eye of Mrs. Walters might frequently have 
 been seen casting scrutinizing glances, and scanning 
 with deep interest the anxious and care-worn counte- 
 nance of her husband. Captaiji Walters was beginning 
 to feel that travelling with his heavily-encumbered 
 wagons through a comparatively nev and unbroken 
 country, was not as easy as the routine of military duty. 
 In moments of more than ordinary pressure on his 
 strength and patience, might be seen fearful indications 
 of failing strength. But a cheerful expression from his 
 affectionate wife, with allusions to the comforts of a 
 future home when quietly and snugly settled on their 
 farm, acted like a charm on his spirits and his strength, 
 and reinvigorated him. Though often Mrs. Walters her- 
 self felt as if she were hoping against hope, she had the 
 pnuUmce and self-restraint to hide from his observation 
 the deep depression of her own heart. 
 
 An accident that befell them at this part of their jour- 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 137 
 
 ney appeared, at the time, to be one of the most disas- 
 trous that could have happened under tlie circumstances. 
 Indeed, the majority of them thought it would put a stop 
 to their further progress ; and in fact it did tlirow tlu; 
 whole company into a state of perfect consternation. 
 
 'Captain Walters, for that day, had taken command of 
 the leading team ; and it must be said in his behalf, 
 that the experience he had gained had taught him to 
 iicconimodate his movements to the intricacies of the 
 road. He had more than once exhibited his skill and 
 coolness in driving through difficult defiles and narrow- 
 passes. But he now came to a place where the road 
 led between two large trees, that would barely allow the 
 wagons to pass without coming in contact with one or 
 tiie other. He was fully sensible of the task now be- 
 fore him ; and he therefore braced himself firmly in his 
 seat, grasping the reins securely in either hand. Then, 
 with a kind and gentle word to his team, he approached 
 tlie placw with a slow and steady caution, measuring the 
 narrow space, at the same time, with iiis eye. On the 
 clearance of the fore-wheels, he appeared in a moment 
 to breathe with greater freedom ; but at that moment 
 up started a covey of birds, and by their flutter and 
 flapping just before the leaders of his team, caused them 
 to give a side spring and sudden start, that brought 
 the near hind-wheel in collision with the trunk of the 
 tree, that, in the twinkling of an eye, snapped off the 
 axle, so that the hea' 'ly-loaded wagon came with a sud- 
 den jerk to the ground. 
 
 Here then, was a dileuima, which, for the moment, 
 seemed beyond remedy, as there was not a wheelwright 
 or a blacksmith within a hundred miles. What were 
 
^» 
 
 138 
 
 THE BLACK phantom; or, 
 
 Th 
 
 they to do under these trying circumstances ? i nere 
 the wagon hiy, firndy wedged in between tlie two kirge 
 trees I AH stood looking on in sad and silent amaze- 
 ment. Even the two children appeared fully conscious 
 of their perilous position, for their tears fell free and 
 fast. Mrs. Walters, who had thus far borue up so nobly, 
 and striven to hide her own impressions — who always 
 had a ready word of wit or of wisdom to break the spell 
 of her husband's despondency — had not now a word to 
 utter ; her own fortitude seemed to yield and sink, on 
 seeing the complete prostration of his physical powers. 
 The whole group se<Nned at their wits' end : even Baptistc 
 had lost all his sprightliness and energy, who stood 
 crossing himself ; nd ruttering, " 3Ion Dieu ! Man 
 Dieu P' To add to their discomfort, the day was near 
 its close, and tr.e locality where they were was not one 
 they would have selected for their night's encampment. 
 But in this case they had to make a virtue of necessity, 
 and bestir themselves to set things in order for the ap- 
 proaching night, as there was no moon to light them 
 should they be belated in their work. So, all hands 
 were soon busy, attending to their allotted departments 
 — Brown and Jones looking after and grooming the 
 horses ; Baptiste actively employed with his axe in pre- 
 paring fuel for the women to cook the supper, as well 
 as collecting, from the great quantity of broken-off 
 branches that lay scattered around, a supply for their 
 niglit-fires. These were placed in heaps at short dis- 
 tances around their camp, in order that they might be 
 lighted ihe last thing before retiring to rest for tlie night. 
 The women had been cooking a savory supper — the 
 remains of a line fat youiig deer, shot by Captain 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 139 
 
 Walters two days before. With keen appetites the 
 wliole party had sat down, and partaken witli more than 
 common relish of the rich and abundant feast, wlien, just 
 at the close of their supper, Baptiste suddenly sprang 
 to his feet. His quick, keen ear, had caught an ominous 
 sound coming from the leeward ; and who has ever 
 heard that very peculiar sound without fear and trem- 
 bling ? The sound was soon answered from the opposite 
 direction, followed by another, another, and still ; mother, 
 uutil the surrounding forest became vocal with tl;o din 
 of the hideous howl. 
 
 From the first well-known note of warning that fell 
 upon the ear of Baptiste, he comprehended their danger. 
 He knew that prompt action was necessary for their 
 safety, and he bestirred himself accordingly. The wo- 
 men were quickly at work kindling the piles of wood 
 prepared for that purpose. Baptiste had soon his trusty 
 rifle in full trim for action — Brown and Jones the heavy 
 English muskets they had procured from the regimental 
 armory. Captain Walters had his double-barrelled Man- 
 ton, and a fine American rifle besides. Each had his 
 piece ready charged with ball, and plenty of ammunition 
 near at hand. The horses were well secured ; the dogs 
 made fast ; and the women and children safely placed 
 under the canvas cover of the wagon. Perched on the 
 tops of the wagons, to give the greatest range to their 
 vision, the men awaited the advance of the coming foe. 
 
 It appeared that the rich odor from the cooking sup. 
 per, carried by the wind, had been sniffed by a hungry 
 wolf, and lured him from his lair. By a peculiar call, 
 well known to the backwoodsman, he had summoned 
 his gaunt and greedy fellows to assist him in the on- 
 
140 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 slauglit ; for, however much he may wisli to partake of 
 the feast alom;, if opposition is to be encount<ired, his 
 own native cowardice shrinks from the attack. It is 
 only in the company of numbers that the wolf is bold. 
 And it must be said, that, if numbers were calculatiMJ 
 to inspire with courage, they were not wanting on this 
 occasion, for they came trooping from every direction ; 
 and the howl that had at first been just faintly heard, 
 from its distance, now gathered force and volume from 
 its nearer approach. 
 
 Such were the overwhelming and absorbing interests 
 of the moment, that the disaster of the broken axle was 
 not once thought of. The minds of the men were 
 wrought up to the highest pitch of determined but cool 
 courage. They had so arranged their procedure, that 
 each was to face and fire in opposite directions, so as to 
 spread the greater confusion among the savage brutes. 
 The surrounding woods were well lit up by the bright 
 and clear blaze of the cordon of fire, which kept the 
 savages at bay, and at the same time enabled the men 
 to take steady and deliberate aim. And every shot told. 
 What with the sounds of the rattling musketry, and the 
 howls, growls, and snarlings of the savage herd, as 
 these reverberated through the neighboring woods, it 
 was such a scene as neither eloquent tongue nor ready 
 pen would find it easy to portray. Suffice it to say, that 
 the unremitting fire kept up by the four men, directed 
 with '^ill and sustained by such energy, was, to the 
 relief of the whole party, crowned with success ; for the 
 entire pack, thinned in numbers, slunk away, and long 
 before the dawn of day, the neighboring forest was as 
 silent as though nothing more than usual had occurred 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 141 
 
 through the night to awaken its echoes. Tndocd, so 
 quiet had the place been for the last few hours of the 
 nig-ht, that the women and children were enjoying a 
 sound and refreshing sleep. 
 
 No sooner did the day dawn than Baptiste gave evi- 
 dence that he had not been idle through the night, and 
 that the fracas with the wolves had not fully diverted 
 his thoughts from their misfortune of the previous day, 
 for in the early light he commeac^d his measures, acting, 
 and directing others in his broken English, as one who 
 knew what he was about. Right manfully and intelli- 
 ^•pntly he set to work ; yet, with all his skill, it required 
 much manual strength and labor to extricate the impris- 
 oned wagon, but that was finally accomplished. 
 
 The first object was to release the fractured axle that 
 lay beneath the wagon. That done, he placed the 
 broken ends in line, so as to obtain the original length. 
 Then, with axe in hand and with peering eye, he selected 
 a proper stick to replace the broken axle. He was not 
 long in bringing a rock-maple sapling to a spot con- 
 venient for him to operate upon it ; and now began to 
 appear the resources of his mind and his handicraft skill. 
 In the first place, he rough-hewed the stick into some 
 general shape as to length and form ; and his minute 
 riuichanical knowledge was plainly exhibited in giving 
 it (to use the technical term of the craft) the prop{»r 
 " creep." It was now seen that he could use the axe 
 with as much facility as the Yankee uses his jack-knife. 
 But it would be useless and tedious to follow Baptiste 
 through all his manipulations in fitting his axle and 
 remounting the wagon. Suffice it to say that all was 
 completed in a workmanlike^ style, and in as short a 
 
142 
 
 THE BLACK phantom; Oli, 
 
 time as many a professional mechanic could have done 
 it, with all the appliances of a well-arranged establish- 
 ment. And what was the delig-ht of the whole party to 
 find once more wagon and horses placed in line of 
 march, and all ready for a start ! 
 
 Before the party proceed on their westward journey, 
 we will take a look at the scenes disclosed on the battlo 
 field of the previous night. Captain Walters had, early 
 in the morning, taken a stroll around the field of slaugh- 
 ter, when he fully comprehended the calamity they had 
 escaped. The number of slain was far greater than he 
 could have supposed, and among the wounded were 
 quite a number so crippled as to be unable to crawl to 
 any distance. Some of these were, with their wonted 
 cunning, simulating death. He dispatched several by 
 beating out their brains with a club. It was a remark- 
 able feature in the scene, that quite a number wore 
 actually torn to pieces and partly devoured, — proving 
 that they, like many another gang of villains, are not 
 only ever ready to prey upon others, but also, at the 
 first chance that offers, to devour each other. 
 
 When all things were ready for a start, and the Cap- 
 tain about to take his place upon the second wagon, his 
 eye fell upon the tiny form of Baptiste as he sat on the 
 seat of the front wagon, with the lines all ready gath- 
 ered up in his hands, waiting for the word of command. 
 As he looked upon him, he reflected — My worthy Bap- 
 tiste, what sliould we have done without thee, thou little 
 bit of shrivelled-up skin and bone ? 
 
 With free and grateful hearts they sped on their way ; 
 and as the day was fast drawing to a close, it was again 
 necessary to think of looking out for a proper camping- 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 US 
 
 done 
 jlinli- 
 ty to 
 le of 
 
 irncy, 
 lattli!- 
 early 
 angli- 
 ly bad 
 lari lie 
 
 xwl to 
 
 \7onte(l 
 
 ral l)y 
 
 omaik- 
 wove 
 
 roving 
 re not 
 at the 
 
 Hi Cap- 
 Ion, his 
 Ion the 
 gath- 
 nnand. 
 ?»ap- 
 |u little 
 
 way ; 
 again 
 
 npiiig- 
 
 gronnd for the night. But aa tlic road at this part was 
 tolerably good, they concluded to continue their trav<d 
 for a few miles further. After proceeding some time, 
 what was their surprise to find themselves suddenly 
 brought up by the margin of a broad, deep, and rapid 
 stream 1 Just a little to the right hand, up the stream, 
 lay a largo boat or batteau, with two men, who ap- 
 peared to have the management of it ; and a little way 
 from where the boat was moored were two good-sized, 
 decent-looking, whitewashed log-cabins. On a close 
 view they found good outhouses, and there was a 
 general appearance of thrift. They learned with much 
 pleasure that they, with their horses, could be accom- 
 modated for the night. But what was their surprise at 
 finding, in one of the stables or outhouses, the self-same 
 team of dappled grays that had so abruptly passed them 
 on the road, when only a few days from Montreal ! 
 
 The general appearance of the place and its surround- 
 ings was one of remarkable rural beauty, and, secluded 
 as it was from the outside world, the occupants of the 
 spot seemed to be completely cut ofi[' from all intercourse 
 with civilization. They gave little evidence of knowing 
 what was passing beyond their own precincts, and 
 seemed, from their lack of curiosity, to care still less. 
 They were not living in an age or within the circle of 
 newspapers or periodical light literature, so that they 
 had nothing to create or foster mental appetite. Retired 
 and undisturbed as was the life these simple and uncul- 
 tivated people led in this far-off wilderness, it could not 
 but prove an incident of more than common interest to 
 be thus invaded. 
 
 But their semi-rustic manners were associated with a 
 

 144 
 
 THE BLACK phantom; oh, 
 
 certain easy courtOHy, and it might be Keen tliat tlH-ic 
 was a Htronf^ desire on their part to please. This, how- 
 ever, will create no surprise when it is understood that 
 they were French Canadians ; as it is a weli-ivnowii 
 fact that the P^rench never lose tlieir characteristic 
 national politeness. These persons had retired to tiiis 
 distant locality for the purpose of hunting, or of barter- 
 ing- with the Indians for the valuable furs which at that 
 time abounded in these parts ; and besides hunting-, 
 trading- with the Indians, fishing, and cultivating their 
 land, which appeared to be of the richest kind, th(;y had 
 sometimes a chance of making a little money by ferry- 
 ing parties in their boat over the river. 
 
 As soon as Captain and Mrs. Walters were made 
 aware of the presence .jf the feniiile who had so unc(>re- 
 nioniously passed tliem on the road, their curiosity he- 
 came excited to learn all they could about her. It 
 a[)peared that Mrs. Brown luid been deeply exercised in 
 a somewhat similar way ; for, as soon as the oppor- 
 tunity ollered, she yielded to her very inquisiiive spirit, 
 and was soon in deep and earnest conversation with the 
 man in company with the stranger. Mrs. Brown — 
 whose tongue was, mechanically speaking, of double- 
 action speed — was quite eloquent in imparting all slie 
 knew that could be said in praise of Captain or Mrs. 
 Walters ; but at the same time she was very cautious in 
 not committing herself too far in answering all his ques- 
 tions, and what she did answer were only as baits 
 thrown out to lure him into the meshes of her toils. 
 But she might as well have attempted to penetrate the 
 secrets of the upper or nether world as to draw fnjni 
 him any information as to who the fair stranger was, 
 
woman's ENDUliANCE. 
 
 145 
 
 for as to that hin mouth Roeined hermetically seahvl. 
 Ami what was the diHappointment of Mrs. Walters, who 
 hiul truHted that the case was perfectly safe in the 
 hands of Mrs. Brown, but who now learned that not 
 , Illy had her own personal application for an interview 
 been refused, hut that Mrs. Brown's wily-woman's-wind- 
 iiio's had been entirely at fault ! 
 
 When the Captain found they had such ^-ood quarters, 
 lie concluded to remain for a few days, that the whole 
 party mifi^-ht recruit their strength, and refit any little 
 tiling that mijn^ht have been deranged. He and Mrs. 
 Walters became really anxious to know somethiuf^ of 
 the female who so sedulously shrouded herself from their 
 observation. They concluded that on the following day 
 they would try some little stratagem to draw her forth, 
 \n(\ by some proffered kindness ingratiate themselves in 
 ..L'r favor ; they might thus acquire an agreeable com- 
 panion for the remainder of their journey, if they were 
 ^•oing the same way. But, what was their astonishm(;nt 
 to fmd, on the following morning, that the lady and h(n' 
 iimn had gone over the river more than an hour before 
 sunrise, and had left no clue as to who they were, or 
 their destination 1 
 
 Before we follow the narrative of our own company, 
 wo will give a short conversation that passed between 
 tiiis lady and her man-servant — as Ibllows. 
 
 " Well, Thomas," she said, " we are again free from 
 the intrusion of company, of prying eyes and listening 
 ears, and I may now speak at our leisure and in freedom, 
 which I did not have the opportunity of doing during 
 our stay at the last place. How do you think things 
 were conducted ? Have they any knowledge or recol- 
 
 7 
 
w 
 
 ^^" 
 
 wmrp 
 
 146 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 lection of us — as to who we are, or that they have seen 
 us before ?" 
 
 " No, my lady," said the man, with great respect ; 
 " they were not able to judge with regard to you, tor 
 they could not get even a glimpse of your person. One 
 of the females tried hard to draw something from me 
 by asking all sorts of questions, but it was to no pur- 
 pose, for I remained mum to all. I suppose she thought 
 she was giving me a great deal of information by telling 
 me so much about the Captain and his lady : she little 
 thought that I knew a great deal more about them thiiii 
 she did. They all appeared to have some knowled^ 
 about the horses, but I think they were not able to r. ■ 
 cognize me in this disguise, however ; they made : •» 
 allusion from which I could infer that they did." 
 
 " Tluit is all very well, Thomas," said the lady ; " I 
 am very glad that I exchanged my horses before I left 
 Montreal, otherwise the disguise might not have b< ''n 
 so completely maintained. Now, Thomas," said i. 
 lady, " you must drive so as not to be too far ahead, so 
 that I may have a sight of them now and then. I sup- 
 pose you consider my conduct very strange, Thomas, 
 and that I am on something like a wild-goose chase ?" 
 
 " My lady," said the man, " I will not question eitlK^r 
 your wisdom or your prudence, but one thing I am sure 
 of, that you musit have most extraordinary patience." 
 
 " Thomas," said the lady, " the ways of Providentv^ 
 are s«)metimes slow in their movements, and it requires 
 prudence, and sometimes great patience, to wait for 
 their full development ; but I firmly believe tliat my ex- 
 pectations will meet with their consummation in His 
 own good time." 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 147 
 
 Captain Walters and his party having stayed a few- 
 days, according to their purpose, found themselves, as 
 well as their horses, very much the better for the rest 
 they had enjoyed. And having made all the prepara- 
 tions for the prosecution of their journey, they were 
 taken over the river at early dawn. They entered the 
 (louse woods, where the axe of the white man had 
 scarcely ever disturbed the echoes, except here and 
 there, just to clear away the obstructions that lay in the 
 path of the solitary traveller. Their progress was slow, 
 indeed, and often most harassing to both man and horse, 
 — sometimes perplexed by the intricacies and sinuosities 
 of the forest path, and again by soft swampy places 
 whore the wheels would sink to the very hubs, or jolted 
 out of their skin by passing over the corduroy roads. 
 Very often they had to go through the tiresome process 
 :' 'aking the wagons over swampy places singly, with 
 lilt; <'ight horses. Thus, they would unite the teams, 
 iv : even then it would be very difficult for the eight 
 hi'tses to drag the wagon through such places on to fu'tn 
 ur.mnd ; let alone the loss of time in going over tlie 
 same space three times. Thus days and weeks had 
 piisscd away, and, in consequence of detentions from ob~ 
 sh-uctions, and delays from various causes, they had not 
 yet averaged eight miles a day. Those were not the 
 days of steam and the telegraph. But, though long, 
 slow, and tedious had Ix'cn their journey, and mnny and 
 woary their steps, they were at length gratified by their 
 iirrival on the banks of the beautiful Bay of Quinte, in 
 ill'' neijxhborhood of where Belleville now stands. From 
 this place they journeyed on until they came to the head 
 of the bay opposite Trenton, at the place where the river 
 
rmrr 
 
 148 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 Trout forms a junction with the Bay of Quinte. It wa.s 
 at this placo wliore the government land agent for that 
 district of country then resided, to whom the Captain 
 stated his case and exhibited his documents, when he 
 was directed by the agent to proceed to the siiores of 
 Lake Ontario, a little beyond where Brighton is now 
 situated, — to which place a day's hard driving over the 
 sand eventually brought them. 
 
 As the Captain was a settler of more than ordinary 
 ni(!ans and appearance, the agent not only pointed out 
 a very valuable lot on his map that hung up in his of- 
 fice, but actually volunteered to go with him to the spc^t 
 where it lay, which was an unusual procedure for him. 
 After all his labor and anxiety, the Captain had now a 
 chance of seeing his farm, and, as the agent was with 
 him for tlie purpose of pointing it out, he lost no time m 
 setting out in search of it. - 
 
 This, h()W(5ver, was ;in undertaking of no small labor, 
 and even risk, for they had to scramble through trees 
 and rank undergrowth of brush and bramble. They iit 
 length discovered the " lot," undistinguished from the 
 contiguous land — there was no fence to mark its outline 
 — save by small pickets driven into the ground at cer- 
 tain distances, with the number of the lot, range, and 
 concession paintt d on them, and these could never have 
 been discovered by the uninitiated eye. 
 
 Here, then, was the Captain and his party at their 
 journey's end ; and it was very natural for them to feel 
 desirous and even anxious to meet with a suitable place 
 of shelter and of rest. But it was now nearly tlie close 
 of day, and they found that they must camp for the 
 night in th(j open air, as had of late been their practice. 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 149 
 
 WHS 
 
 that 
 ptain 
 jn he 
 •es of 
 \ now 
 er the 
 
 linav]/ 
 id out 
 his of- 
 le sp(jt 
 or him. 
 now a 
 IS with 
 time iu 
 
 Uibov, 
 trees 
 ioy at 
 o\n the 
 ontliiie 
 at cer- 
 ge, and 
 er have 
 
 The arrangements for this wore socjn made, for in tlnnr 
 case it miglit be said that practice iiad made them per- 
 fect. So easy is it, after a litth' r()ngh-and4uml)l(! witli 
 untoward events, to accommodate one's self to circum- 
 stances ! 
 
 The party, after having gone through their usual rou- 
 tine, and closed the labors of the da^^ with their devo- 
 tional evening exercises, gladly retired to their places 
 of rest. But there was no rest for the Captain, who had 
 appeared more than usually sad and thoughtful after 
 having seen his farm, viewed its surroundings, and re- 
 llectcd on his present position and future prospects. In 
 fact, his appearance for a number of days had excited a 
 deep interest in the mind of his ever attentive and afl'ec- 
 tionate wife. 
 
 They had both entered upon this enterprise with 
 enthusiasm — they had been captivated by the rural 
 beauties, the abundant crops, and the domestic comfort 
 and thrift they had seen on the farm and in the homo 
 of Captain Baldwin and his very excellent New England 
 wife. It is equally true, however, that in what liatl so 
 charmed them, they had seen only the results of loiig 
 years of hard labor and of large expenditure. But S(^ 
 deeply had their superficial view been impressed upon 
 their minds, that they yielded tliemselves to its inlluence, 
 altliough they were so utterly uniitted, by nature, con- 
 stitution, and education, for these to them untried scenes 
 of life. Hence, in the inception of the enterprise and 
 succeeding preparations, they had given little time to 
 retlection. It was evident they were wanting in worldly 
 wisdom and prudence. IIow many a nnjment was al- 
 lowed them, in their long journey, to consider whether 
 
'f 
 
 ti.amimfmmm 
 
 w 
 
 150 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 they had done wisely in leaving the comparatively slight 
 annoyances of a soldiei-'s life, with which they had be- 
 come somewhat familiar, and rmniing headlong into a 
 course that had thus, far been crowded with disasters, 
 and the end of which they did not even now see ! 
 
 It had appeared to our travellers in their last day's 
 journey, that they were in a perfect wilderness, as they 
 had not been made aware of the presence of human 
 beings. But on the following morning, at an early 
 hour, they were undeceived on this point by a crowd of 
 men and boys, while more were seen emerging from the 
 woods in different directions. The news had been 
 carried through the concession, from cabin to cabin, that 
 a fresh batch of settlers had come in — with a glowing 
 description of the number and splendid appearance of 
 their horses. 
 
 The very mention of fine horses acted like magic in 
 arousing the curiosity of the rustic youth through a wide 
 circuit. These, from an inherent and universal love of 
 the horse, were moved to come and see for themselves. 
 So that by noon there was collected quite a numerous 
 company of most uncouth-looking specimens of humanity, 
 clad in the homeliest garbs, and with countenances little 
 indicative of intelligence. Then there was a rudeness 
 and ignorant familiarity, that shocked the sensibility of 
 Captain Walters and his wife. What most surprised 
 them was, that they could not obtain a direct answer to 
 any question put to them. They appeared as if devoid 
 of comprehension. The Captain asked a tall, lank-sided, 
 raw-boned lad, if he supposed it at all possible for him 
 to rent a suitable dwelling-house contiguous to his es- 
 tate. The lad looked at the Captain with a kind of dull, 
 
uwiimmna 
 
 woman's endurance. 
 
 151 
 
 vacant stare, and a broad grin, and then tnniino' to 
 another lad just tlie counterpart to liiins(!ll', said : " Whjit 
 (Iocs he say, Dick ?" 
 
 To which Dick responded, in a coarse, liusky drawl : 
 " I dunno — that 'ere chap's green." 
 
 The Captain, and in fact the whole of his party, found 
 that they were out of their element in such company. 
 Quite disconcerted by this interview with those who 
 were to bo their future neighbors, they moodily sat down, 
 or silently sauntered about, apparently without any aim 
 or definite purpose in view. 
 
 This state of painful inactivity and suspense was in- 
 terrupted by the approach of a portly-looking man, 
 dressed in the garb of a Quaker, with broad-brinnned 
 hat. He stepped up to the Captain with a composed 
 countenance and a bland expression, at the same time 
 putting out his hand, which was most heartily responded 
 to by the Captain. 
 
 The stranger said: "Friend, I give thee greeting, 
 and a cordial welcome to our settlement. I have been 
 given to understand that it is thy purpose to settle 
 ani(jng us. Thy name, friend ?" 
 
 " My name is Walters," was the prompt reply. 
 
 ** Well, friend Walters, my name is Obadiah Crooks, 
 and my advice is ever at thy service. Now let me learn 
 from thy own mouth as to what are thy real wishes and 
 intentions." 
 
 Tiie conversation of Obadiah proved to be a great 
 relief to the Captain ; and the generous, open candoi", 
 and kind spirit that he manifested, really touclied his 
 li(3art, and with great freedom he responded : That he 
 had been a captain in the British army, but that he had 
 
152 
 
 THE ULACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 loft it — had sold out his commission — prompted by moral 
 and relig-ious scruples, and a wish to lead for the future 
 an ind(!()endent and peaceful life. With this end in 
 view, he had obtained from the government a grant of 
 one thousand acres of land. He had been given to un- 
 derstand by th(! land-agent, that the place where they 
 then were was to be his future home ; and he felt 
 pleased to think that he had so opportunely met with a 
 person who seemed willing, and in every way so able, 
 to render him a little assistance, as this mode of life 
 was qnioC new to him. 
 
 *' Well, friend Walters," said Crooks, " I feel glad that 
 thou hast given up the carnal weapons for the peaceful, 
 and in every way more useful, employment of the axe 
 and the plough. I mus-t say that it is but little assist- 
 ance that I can render thee : I said that my advice is ever 
 at thy service. I will tell thee, friend Walters, that this 
 is quite a new settlement, and as yet the improvements 
 are very small. The people are very poor, and our ac- 
 commodations very scanty, — so much so, that there is 
 not a single cabin in all this concession big enough 
 to hold thy family. And I have been thinking that 
 there is only one of two ways for thee to act ; one is, 
 for some of our people to take one of thy party to re- 
 main with them for a few days, and so distribute them 
 among us, until thou canst raise a log-cabin of thy own. 
 If thou adopt this plan, I shall be willing to take that 
 little boy. Th(! other way is, for thee and thy people 
 to can)p here, and to call a bee to put up a cabin for 
 thee. And then, I do not know what thou wilt do with 
 all thy hors(^8, for the critters must have something t) 
 eat. And thou wilt have nothing for them to do for, 
 
woman's endubance. 
 
 163 
 
 that 
 3eful, 
 ! axe 
 issist- 
 j ever 
 t this 
 iieiits 
 r ac- 
 re is 
 ougli 
 that 
 € is, 
 o re- 
 them 
 own. 
 that 
 ople 
 In for 
 with 
 ifiC to 
 for, 
 
 at the least, say twelve months ; so that thou must be 
 at the expense of feeding- them without having any 
 profit from their labor." 
 
 If the Cai)tain had observed the countenance of his 
 friend Crooks at the time he was thus speaking in such 
 deprecating terms of his horses — the keen twinkle of his 
 eyes, as they were scanning with deep meaning those 
 animals as they stood fastened at a little distance from 
 him — and if he could at that moment have penetrated 
 his mind, and discovered the under-current of thought 
 that was flowing there — he would certainly have been 
 more guarded in his expressions of confidence, and miH'e 
 cautious in his future dealings with him. But we do not 
 wish to speak to the dispraise of Obadiah personally, 
 for he had only imbibed the spirit of the community in 
 which he dwelt, and which had been fostered by favor- 
 ing circumstances. And he had been such an apt pupil, 
 that he had profited more than his neighbors, owing to 
 his keener perceptions and his greater adroitness. An 
 individual who has been used to city life, has always 
 found that whatever article he may have wanted to pur- 
 chase, has been offered at a definite price. On the con- 
 trary, should he go into some back or new settlement, 
 he would there find a mode of dealing altogether arbi- 
 trary, and generally by barter. The question is not as 
 to the real value of an article, but how one may obtain 
 a thing of greater value in exchange for one of less : 
 all the arts of duplicity and chicanery are put in requi- 
 sition to accomplish that end ; and he is the smarU-st 
 man who is best able to do this. 
 
 But to return — all the talk of Obadiah might as well 
 have been delivered in an unknown tongue to Captain 
 
'mB ™ 
 
 164 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 Walters. He could not comprehend how it was that 
 there vere no dwellings in the settlement large enougli 
 for his family, and that he must camp in that self-same 
 place until a bee could be called to put up a house for 
 him. The greatest of all puzzles to him was how to 
 provide for his fine horses, of which he had hitherto been 
 so proud, but which were now a perplexing encum- 
 brance. But the Captain soon found that he had a great 
 many things to unlearn ; and many more to learn, that 
 were necessary in settling down on a bush farm. 
 
 Our friend Obadiah continued : ** If thou concludes 
 to call a bee, which I consider by far the best plan for 
 thee to adopt, as it will be attended with the least 
 trouble and labor on all sides, thou canst brash thy 
 horses for a few days, and by that time thou wilt be 
 better able to deqide as to thy future steps." 
 
 " Brash my horses, sir 1" exclaimed the Captain, 
 " What am I to understand by that ?" 
 
 " Well," said the Quaker, " that is to cut the tender 
 branches from such of those young trees as thy horses 
 may relish the best, and so feed them. This is what is 
 called brashing them, and which is often resorted to by 
 settlers on their first coming into the bush with their 
 cattle, and at other times when proper fodder is scarce." 
 
 " Well," said the Captain, " but how must I manage 
 about the bee that you speak of ?" 
 
 " Why," said his friend, " that may be soon man- 
 aged ;" and called out to a man who seemed a loading 
 spirit among the motley company who were rollicking 
 in their childish and senseless fun not far off, " Samuel 
 Barker, a word with thee," at the same time making a 
 jerking motion with his head and hand. 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 155 
 
 lling 
 
 g a 
 
 Samuel was soon at their side, with his deep-brown, 
 sunburnt face, and bare neck and breast ; with a 
 slouched hat that had a g-ood part of tlie brim torn 
 away, and lai'ge air-holes in other jiarts ; a flimsy 
 check-shirt, and tattered, patched pants ; and a pair of 
 rusty-colored boots, that would have been all the better 
 witli a few patches under and over, as more than one of 
 his remarkable toes were clearly visible, obtruding them- 
 selves through each of them. Sara v/as introduced by 
 Obadiah as Samuel Barker, one of the leading men in 
 the concession, able to give advice, and no doubt willing 
 to lend a hand in the required movement. Sam was soon 
 informed as to the object they had in view, which was 
 to call a bee to put up a log-cabin for the new-comers. 
 Sam entered into the thing with all the childish glee 
 tliat might have marked the conduct of a boy who was 
 about to put on his first new suit. It was with reluc- 
 tance that he waited to hear the formal advice of Oba- 
 diah, or even to satisfy the reasonable inc^uiries of the 
 Captain. But when released, Sam was back in a trice 
 to his anxious companions, who were waiting his return, 
 as they had been querying among themselves the pur- 
 pose for which he had been called. With great self- 
 importance Sam communicated to them the object of his 
 high mission, and was about to give his opinion, when 
 he was abruptly cut short by Tom Williams, who bawled 
 out at the top of his voice — 
 
 " How much whiskey is we to get ? 'Case if there 
 ain't no whiskey, I ain't going to come, no how." 
 
 This proved to be the key-note, and each man and 
 boy chimed in to the same tune : there was no note of 
 discord — no whiskey, no cabin. And Sam was fully 
 
T 
 
 156 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 commissioned to negotiate with the opposite party, which 
 proved to be a more difficult task than he had antici- 
 pated, as there was strong moral principle on the one 
 side, and on the other the decision, " No whiskey, no 
 cabin," 
 
 At this stage of the proceedings it was clearly per- 
 ceived that there raist be a compromise in some way, or 
 the high contracting parties must fail in their negotia- 
 tions. 
 
 Sam seemed calculating and pondering some further 
 suggestion, when he proposed that, if the Captain would 
 hand over to hira so much money, the men would bring 
 their own grub, and then it would not matter to him 
 what they did with the cash. The Captain found it 
 necessary to yield his point, though he handed over 
 the amount to Sam with great reluctance, accompanied 
 with sage advice and good counsel. But the Captain 
 might as well have spoken to the passing breeze, for 
 any good effect it produced on Sam. Sam triumphantly 
 carried back his prize to his companions, who celebrated 
 the victory he had won, by an uproarious shout of ap- 
 plause. 
 
 The men now held a consultation among themselves, 
 to determine what each man should bring in the way of 
 eatables the following morning. One was to bring a 
 boiled ham ; another, a piece of beef and a roasted 
 sucking-pig ; another, a roasted turkey : and then there 
 was to be a plentiful supply of boiled and roasted 
 chickens. Pies, puddings, and cakes were promised, 
 for all these were plentiful in the bush. 
 
 After this understanding, the motley group of men 
 and boys soon separated, each wending his way to his 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 157 
 
 men 
 bis 
 
 own cabin, to give directions to bis domestic circle to 
 make preparations for the feast of good things on the 
 following day. 
 
 Many were the hands and heads busily engaged in 
 almost every cabin through the entire settlement. Fov 
 great were the pleasures anticipated on such a gala-day 
 in the bush, where was to be assembled so large a com- 
 pany. 
 
 It might have proved highly amusing, could we have 
 taken a peep into some of those cabins on that memora- 
 ble night — witnessed the perspiring dames, and their 
 beautiful and agile daughters, racking their brains in 
 the CiTort to excel in the variety, quality, and quantity 
 of their pastry. The aim was to make their things 
 "good." One object they had in view was to astonish 
 the new-comers at the fatness of the land. A very high 
 opinion had already been formed of the character of the 
 strangers, from the reports of the general appearance 
 of their outfit ; and each of the ladies, young and old, 
 wanted to make a favorable impression, to gain their 
 special notice. 
 
 Now that our party were left alone to pursue their 
 own routine, they felt more at their ease ; and many 
 were the remarks made respecting the appearance of 
 their new home, and the character and conduct of those 
 who were to be their future neighbors, if not their asso- 
 ciates and companions. It might have been clearly 
 seen by the look and manner, if not by the words of 
 Captain Walters, that he did not feel altogether in his 
 light place, or among those suited to the cast of his own 
 mind. For there had not, as yet, been a single indi- 
 vidual among those who had been presented to him, with 
 
158 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 whom ho could enjoy the ploasirifi^ interchanfi^c of profit- 
 uble thou<;-ht. It was true, lie had held a conversation 
 with Obadiah Crooks, but tiiore was sometliing so cohl 
 and formal, yea, even repulsive in his manner — entirely 
 opposed to his own warm, impulsive, and confiding na 
 ture — that he could look for nothing like friendship 
 there. 
 
 All this, however, had the direct tendency to cut oil" 
 aU earthly resource, and to lead Captain Walters' mind 
 to higher and nobler thoughts, so that when the moment 
 for the evening devotions of himself and wife arriY<3d, 
 his spirit was in that frame of resignation to the Divine 
 will, that he felt as though he could lay all his earthly 
 interests on the altar of self-sacrifice. And, indeed, thiw 
 feeling was mutual — a sympathy and melting tender- 
 ness, yea, an overwhelming sense of the Divine presence. 
 So that, although they were in the darkness and solita- 
 riness of the primeval woods, and far away from any 
 stately edifice where fashionable congregations meet, 
 yet in their loneliness they could say, " Lo, God is here." 
 And this was enough to calm every fear, and hush to 
 silence every doubt, so that heart and tongue were in 
 full accord, to praise and adore. Never had the echoes 
 of those woods been awakened to such strains of rap- 
 turous melody before ; it was indeed the first dedici 
 tion and consecration of that spot to God. Thus, c 
 and serene, they retired ; and sweet were their slumb 
 on this the first night spent in their western home, foi 
 they felt the assurance that underneath and around were 
 the everlasting arms. 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 159 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 were 
 
 On the following morning, according to arrangement, 
 the company was at the place of rcndezvons at a very 
 early honr. As usual on such occasions, four of the 
 most skilful men are first selected to take the entire 
 management of the four corners of the building. These 
 see that the timbers are properly half-notched, so that 
 their fitting may be all right when the alternate round 
 logs are laid : the notching at the ends forms the cor- 
 ners, and holds them firm in their place. The men are 
 then divided into squads, and these squads are told off, 
 and each assigned to the work he is best qualified to 
 perform. An eligible site being selected, the space is 
 cleared of trees, or other encumbrances, and all things 
 are now ready to begin the erection of the log-cabin. 
 Young elm-trees are chosen, if possible ; and if there are 
 enough of these at hand, they are soon brought down 
 by the sturdy axe-men, and dragged by oxen to the spot 
 Aiicre tliey are wanted, either to the sides or the ends 
 of the building. 
 
 "\> here skill and numbers are employed, rapid prog- 
 ress may be expected. This is especially the case where 
 a bee is called to raise a log-cabin ; for by noon the 
 four walls ar nearly up, and ready for the roof. And, 
 what with the satisfaction they feel in the contempla- 
 tion of the work done, together with the free circulation 
 
p 
 
 160 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 of whiskey, they begin to have a lively time of it by 
 midday. 
 
 During the morning there has been flocking to this 
 centre of attraction the wives and families of the men 
 who have been, at work, bearing along with them the 
 provisions prepared the night previous, and which they 
 intended should be ready by noon for the assembleil 
 company, who, when the hour f rives, gather to the 
 feast with keen appetites, glib tongues, and vociferous 
 voices. The scene now presented to our party exhib- 
 ited to their contemplation an entirely new phase of so- 
 cial life. With becoming dignity they stood aloof from 
 the frivolous and childish hilarity of the rustics, though 
 at times it was with very great difHculty that the 
 Captain repressed a manifestation of hig wounded 
 feelings. 
 
 On one occasion Tom Wilson, who seemed to be the 
 bell-wether of the party, had heard Mrs. Walters call her 
 husband " Robert." This was enough for Tom, who, in 
 a few minutes after, came to the Captain with a glass of 
 wliiskey, and in a coarse husky voice, and with exces- 
 sive rudeness, said — 
 
 " Come, Robert, tak a glass wi' me." But almost in 
 the same breath said — " Robert is too big a word for my 
 tooncf. I shall ca' yo' Bob, 'case you're goin' to be one 
 
 o' us." 
 
 This was a home-thrust at the Captain's self-respect, 
 but witli gentle firmness he said — 
 
 " My good friend, I do not drink that kind of liquor — 
 it would make me very ill indeed." 
 
 But the Captain was not to escape with the boorish 
 rudeness of Wilson. A kind of half-grown lad, witli 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 101 
 
 for my 
 )e oue 
 
 luor — 
 
 looriHii 
 with 
 
 seared and deeply pock-marked face, and enormous out- 
 standing teetl), stood gaping" with eyes wide open, and 
 mouth distended with a hideous grin, observing the 
 doings and sayings of Wilson. Tliis fellow, shortly 
 after — when the Captain, wishing to throw off a little of 
 his conventional stiffness of manner, was in a friendly 
 and familiar way speaking to one of the men about the 
 dexterous way in which he handled his axe — invited him 
 to try his hand at the same exercise, especially as he 
 was going to be a farmer himself The Captain, taking 
 the axe, planted several strokes, putting in with all his 
 might, but made little impression on the log, scarcely- 
 penetrating the bark, when all eyes were at once directed 
 towards the novice axe-man. Seeing the small results of 
 such great exertion, and the awkward manner in which 
 he wielded his instrument, there was a general laugh at 
 his expense. But what gave a cast of the ludicrous to 
 the scene was that the lad above alluded to, as the Cap- 
 tain was about to give another stroke with the axe, 
 hawled out — 
 
 " Hold on, Bobby ; there is a fly there, and if yo' hits 
 it you'll sure hurt it !" 
 
 In a moment the axe fell from che hands of the Cap- 
 tain, — this piece of coarse wit and gross rudeiicss being 
 too much for his nerves, especially as it brought forth a 
 burst of uproarious merriment at his expense from the 
 loi/kers-on. He appeared confounded for the moment, 
 l>ut soon regained his self-possession. But this incidc.'nt 
 Hcemed to make a deep impression on the heart of Mis. 
 VV^alters, who would nnich rather it had been directed 
 against herself 'hau her husband. 
 
 But others present were not inattentive spectatfjra, 
 
162 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 and not a little disturbed at this indecorous proceeding. 
 Brown and Jones could ill brook the indignities, an 
 they considered them, directed against tiieir captain, and 
 were not backward in giving expression to their feel- 
 ings ; but they might as well have spoken to the oxen 
 that were drawing the logs to the building as to men 
 oblivious to all sense of right from frequent potations of 
 whiskey. Presently, Tom Wilson, and Jim Roberts (who 
 seemed to be the equal of Tom in down-right ruffianism), 
 pitted themselves against Jones, taking courage from 
 mutual support. But Jones, though naturally mild and 
 gentle as a lamb, was not the man to allow things to go 
 too far without his " John BuUism" showing a little oC 
 his prowess. At length, emboldened by Jones's appa- 
 rent shyness, the two men actually approached him in a 
 menacing manner. Jones retreated a little, which only 
 tended to increase their boldness. On their nearer ap- 
 proach, the form of Jones seemed to swell to gigantic 
 proportions, and, quick as thought catching th m by 
 the back of their necks, one in each hand, ho shook them 
 as though he would shake their very bones asunder. 
 He then brought their heads together with such force 
 that the concussion was heard by all the company on the 
 ground. After repeating this for five or six times, cast- 
 ing them from him with herculean strength, they went 
 whirling, and fell full length on the ground at a distance 
 from him, Jones now walked coolly away from the 
 spot, as composed as if nothing had occurred to rnllle 
 his temper. Not so, however, the two men ; for Tom 
 Wilson, raising himself upon one elbow, said — 
 " Golly, Jim, don't that big fellow squeeze 1" 
 " I guess he does," said Koberts. " It was all your 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 163 
 
 antic 
 m by 
 
 thcni 
 under. 
 
 force 
 on tlie 
 cast- 
 /■ went 
 stance 
 ni tlic 
 ) rnillt' 
 Tom 
 
 \\ your 
 
 fault ; he warn't goin' to be ugly till yo' bothered him — 
 and that's jist so." 
 
 Wilson acknowledged the truth of these words, and 
 quickly raising himself from the ground, started off to- 
 wards Jones, followed by Roberts, and said — 
 
 " By golly 1 big un, but yourn are pretty strong 
 arms ; but it was all our fault — give us yourn fist, old 
 fellow," at the same time holding out his hand. Jones 
 kindly took the proffered hands of the two men, one in 
 either of his own, and drawing their heads towards him, 
 said, in a loud whisper — 
 
 " Remember that our Captain is neither Robert, Bob, 
 nor Bobby, but Captain Walters — do you understand 
 me ?" He made them repeat the name and title after 
 liim several times, to impress it on their memory. Thus 
 these men, and others present, were taught that they 
 could not with impunity overstep the bounds of good 
 behavior. 
 
 After this, the main business of the day went bravely 
 ou to its completion. The roof of the cabin was cov- 
 ered with large sheets of birch bark, which had been 
 stripped whole from the trunk of the tree. The door 
 and window-places were furnished with pieces cut from 
 the solid round logs. The party having the construction 
 of the fireplace and chimney in hand, had it run up 
 above the roof by the time the rest of the cabin was 
 completed. 
 
 Here, then, was the first great requirement of bush 
 life begun and finished in one day — a log-cabin forty 
 feet by twenty-five, divided in nearly the centre in the 
 same way, and with like kind of material, as the ends ; 
 and these rooms divided oflf into separate apartments — 
 
164 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 as sleeping'-rooms or otherwise, to suit the wish or con* 
 venieijce of the occupants — by hanging up sheets or 
 counterpanes from tiie rafters overhead. 
 
 Mrs. Walters had made up her mind, during the day, 
 to give the party, and especially the ladies, young and 
 old, an agreeable suprise in the evening. So, she had 
 the large canvas tent which tiiey had brought with them 
 from Montreal, taken out of the wagon and erected by 
 Brown and Jones, under the superintendence of the over- 
 active Baptiste, at a distance from the place where the 
 cabin stood. In the centre of this tent a large table 
 was placed, formed by adjusting the boxes and cases 
 that contained the articles they had brought with them. 
 
 Among the latter, Mrs. Walters had several china 
 tea-sets. These she arranged with such taste upon the 
 very handsome table-cloths which covered the temporary 
 table, that the whole thing presented an appearance of 
 real elegance. And then the tent was lighted up with 
 a immber of wax-candles placed in beautiful branch 
 candlesticks. 
 
 Mrs. Walters had supplied herself with an assortment 
 of very choice tea before leaving Montreal ; this being' 
 now brought out, the capacious tea-urn was put in 
 requisition, and filled to its brim with the fragrant and 
 delicious beverage. Bapti^ite was in his glory, with 
 his ruffle-shirt, white apron, light pantaloons and jacket 
 — he was here, and there, and everywhere. The men 
 had cut a number of round logs about the height of 
 chairs, on which boards were laid, to form seats around 
 the table. A large side-table was also erected on one 
 side of the tent, on which was spread out, on trays and 
 dishes, the cakes and bread provided by the ladies. It 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 165 
 
 lie men 
 
 larouuU 
 oil one 
 
 les. 
 
 must be acknowledged, that Mrs. Walters was greatly 
 and agreeably surprised when she saw the profusion in 
 which every thing had been supplied — new-laid eggs, 
 the sweetest of fresh butter, and the richest of cream, 
 forming a very conspicuous feature in the feast. 
 
 The arrangements all finished, and the grand display 
 mad(?, Mrs. Walters felt her woman's pride in no small 
 degree excited when she contemplated the scene, and 
 considered the impression all this would make on the 
 minds of the assembled rustics. Brown and Jones, un- 
 der the ever-vigilant eye of Baptiste, acted as sentinels, 
 to prevent the intrusion of any person before the ap- 
 pointed time, tliat the surprise might prove the more 
 complete. And, indeed, all that was anticipated was 
 more than realized, in the astonishment and bewilder- 
 ment exhibited by the rustics, for they apparently felt, 
 and really acted, as if they had been introduced into a 
 fairy palace. Where such things could have come from, 
 and how they could hav(> been made, far surpassed tlieir 
 comprehension. But when the fragrant tea was served 
 out in those delicate and beautiful china cups and sau- 
 cers, they gave vent to their feelings, and were loud in 
 tlieir praises. But of the eagerness with which they 
 quaifed the delicious beverage, vociferously calling for 
 more and more, we shall not attempt a description. 
 This was little like the decorous tea-parties wliich the 
 refined and accomplished Captain and Mrs. Walters had 
 heen used to giving and attending. 
 
 Long some of this uni(|ue party sat, and it was with 
 p^reat reluctance they retired, to make room at the table 
 for the younger branches of their families. These had 
 for some time exhibited, outside the tent, an impatience 
 
f 
 
 166 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 difficult to restrain ; and when admitted, any attempt at 
 restraint was utterly futile. They could only be com- 
 pared to a company of wild, unbroken colts — some of 
 them dirty and ragged as they were wild. Captain 
 Walters stood by his wife at this moment, and whis- 
 pered in her ear — 
 
 " My dear, one of the negative blessings of heaven 
 will be, that there will be no unruly half-grown boys 
 and girls there," She nodded her assent with a smile. 
 
 It was not long before the exultant feelings of Mrs. 
 Walters received a check, as was evidenced by the 
 gloom, and indeed momentary frown, upon her counte- 
 nance. And no wonder ; for, at the first round of the 
 cups of tea, served out to this herd of young incorrigi- 
 bles, one of the boys struck the elbow of the girl who 
 stood next to him, splashing the scalding hot tea over 
 her face and hands, and dashing the beautiful china cup 
 and saucer upon the fine table-cloth, and thence to tlio 
 ground, in a thousand pieces. This was followed by a 
 loud laugh by all the gawky and giddy throng, who aj)- 
 peared quite unconscious of the mischief they had done 
 in breaking a part of a beautiful and expensive china 
 tea-set, and which could not be replaced under the cir- 
 cumstances. As misfortunes seldom come alone, we 
 would say that through the recklessness of this untamed 
 herd — no other term could so appropriately designate 
 them — at the very least half a dozen mishaps occurred 
 of a character similar to the one above described, during 
 the evening. 
 
 At length the toile, the pleasures, and the vexations 
 of this eventful day came to a close, and the com})any, 
 with difierent and very conflicting feelings, separated. 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 167 
 
 dui-ini; 
 
 ;iri 
 
 But before doing so, the men had built up a large log- 
 fire in the capacious fireplace of the newly-erected 
 cabin. 
 
 Weary, and more than ordinarily thoughtful and sad, 
 our company, after reading the Ninety-first Psalm, and 
 committing themselves to the safti-keeping of their heav- 
 enly Father for the night, retired to their places of 
 rest. 
 
 Early on the following morning, the Captain and his 
 wife entered the new log-cabin, and examined it and its 
 surroundings with serious and thoughtful faces. It was 
 evident that their minds were ill at ease, that something 
 was pressing heavily on their hearts ; and especially was 
 this the case with the Captain, who said, in a solilo(|uiz- 
 ing way — 
 
 "This puts me in mind of the old song, of the neat 
 little cottage with the ground for the floor. This, I must 
 say, is a neat cottage ind(!ed ! IIow it can in any way 
 ha made fit for human beings to dwell in, I am at a loss 
 to tell." 
 
 Then turning to his wife, with a melancholy smile on 
 his face, he said — 
 
 "My dear Eliza, where will you place your piano, and 
 where shall we put the library ? I must tell you can- 
 didly, my dear, that I begin to be afraid we have missed 
 our way ; tliat we did not give ourselves time to reflect — 
 to view things as they are — to think coolly and calmly ; 
 that we acted upon the spur of the moment, and were 
 too much under the influence of our imagination. We 
 were captivated by the thrift and domestic peace and 
 comfort of Captain Baldwin and his family. And then 
 we thought it would be something great and respect- 
 
168 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 able to have a farm of a thousand acres, and be able to 
 lead an independent and happy life. We have a farm, 
 indeed, and it may be a thousand acres for aught 1 
 know ; but I know, too, that there is not the thousaudtli 
 part of one acre on which we might raise a single 
 mess of vegetables, or even herbs sufficient to render 
 savory a single pot of soup, without the expenditure of 
 great toil and a good amount of cash. I feel, at this 
 moment, like a fish out of water. I am out of my proper 
 place. It seems as though I had awoke from a deep 
 sleep, a bewildering dream ; and now that I am come to 
 this state of consciousness, I think I see things in tlieir 
 true liglit, and as I see them, I feel confounded. I see 
 now that we have taken the entire direction of our 
 affairs into our own hands, and have left the path in 
 which a kind Providence had placed us, and for which 
 our edncatiiin and habits of life had fitted and prepared 
 us. We were perplexed and frightened with a compar- 
 atively few unpleasant trials and difficulties with whirl) 
 that path was strewn ; but now we are in a path in 
 which we find real troubles, and in which, I am afraid, 
 we shall meet insurmountable difficulties. Unfitted as 
 we are by education and habit for the labors and duties 
 that will be demanded of us, I feel that the prospect be- 
 fore us is at once gloomy and disheartening. Sur- 
 rounded, too, by a herd of untutored and uncouth boins 
 — I had almost said savages — both young and old, my 
 dear Eliza, my patience is nearly (;xhausted, althougli I 
 have been so short a time amongst them. But as all 
 other avenues, save the one we have chosen, appear 
 closed against us, we are denied the liberty o^f choice. 
 But were it otherwise, what an^ we fit for, either in the 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 169 
 
 ?piived 
 )iupar- 
 wlii*li 
 til in 
 liVaid, 
 eel as 
 duties 
 cct be- 
 Siir- 
 
 b<)(,il'rt 
 Ul, my 
 
 )Ugll I 
 
 as all 
 appeal' 
 choice. 
 
 ill the 
 
 (lopartments of manual or mcMital eniployment ? Tho 
 niochanic, by continual toil, procures a comfortable snit- 
 sistenco for himself and family. Tiie patient drud<2''^ 
 cooped up in his little store, begins lil'e witli small caj 
 ital, and, by successiv<; turnings of his penny, eventu- 
 ally attains to competence and a resp(!ctable position 
 auKJUg- his fellow-men. Happy men ! Alas ! at this 
 moment I am almost led to envy the day-laborer, with 
 pick and spade, pursuing his allotted toil, who, albtnt 
 his earnings are small, yet has robust health, witli sound 
 and refreshing sleep at night.'' 
 
 " My dear Robert," said his wife, "you are at this 
 moment in a morbid state of mind — you are looking at 
 things on their dark side. How do you know but that 
 Providence has had very much to do in bringing us to 
 this place, and putting us in our present })osition ? For 
 there are iiigher and vastly more important duties and 
 labors iian the menial or even the mental avocations 
 ol" life ; and a class of mind with clear moral jx-rcep- 
 tions and convictions, and a strong s(mse of duty, is n;- 
 (pn'red to occupy that position and to perform that work. 
 My dear husband," said she, " we have been led by a 
 train of circumstances and events which it would bo 
 hard to undo ; it would indeed be difficult, if not utt(3rly 
 impossible, for us to retrace our steps. If this be tlu; 
 ease, then would it not l)e the part of tru(i wisdoni and 
 high manly courage to awake still more to your present 
 moral position, and arouse yourself still further to youi- 
 present duties and high responsibilities ? You seem to 
 bewail your lot in life, tiiat you have not the kind of 
 talent and the physical hardihood that is required in 
 this place ; and thus ycm ([uail before the magnitude of 
 
 8 
 
170 
 
 TlIK BLACK phantom; OR, 
 
 tlic labor buCoro you. Yon arc Kupposiiig- thiol you are 
 niifitted to fell trees in this forest ; that you caTinot 
 wield the axe ; that you cannot cultivate the soil ; and 
 tliat you cannot phmt, and sow, and reap. The dark, 
 and dense, and tangled woods alarm you ; you are 
 measuring' your strength with those giant, massive oaks, 
 with tJK'ir gnarled and knotty trunks ; and then yon 
 suppose tliat this cabin, built of such rough material, 
 and of such rude workmansliip, is unfit fo'.* a habitation. 
 It is my impression that there is a denser and ranker 
 growtli of moral evils to be eradicated, comparea to 
 which this dense and tangletl forest presents but a 
 vague and faint idea of labor. The woodman may, witii 
 his axe, his strong muscU?, and determined will, make 
 sure headway with his work in felling" these trees. But 
 what are his labor and its results, compared with the 
 mightier and nobler task of operating on the mass of 
 mind that we saw here yesterday, and with which you 
 were so much displeased ? And then you seem to de- 
 spair of this building ev(;r being made sufficiently coni- 
 fortablt;, or even fit to dwell in. Why, my dear Robert, 
 you may hew, and paint, and beautify the roughest and 
 most unsha|)ely log that forms a part of this cabin, and 
 by labor, with skill, render the whole building one of 
 comfort and convenience. Yet how impotent is human 
 zeal, intelligence, and labor, in the great task of pre- 
 paring the ignorant, rough, and uncouth beings we had 
 liere last night to become tit temples for the Holy Ghost 
 to dwell in 1 But what is impossible to man is possible 
 with God. We know that He makes use of human in- 
 strumentality and agency to accomplish His purposes. 
 And if we should be so far honored as to be made His 
 
,() 
 
 YOU 
 
 to de- 
 coiu- 
 bert, 
 t :iud 
 , ;iud 
 )iie of 
 miniui 
 )f pre- 
 e liiid 
 Ghost 
 
 WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 171 
 
 instniinents in onlif^htcning' and savin<;- ont^ of those 
 ])rcci()UKS, pric(dess, bh)od-boii.tj^ht, deathk'ss spirits, God 
 would bo more plcas(;d, ang'els wi'l I.?.v(^ more cause to 
 rejoice, and we ourselves, in time and eternity, shall 
 recollect the event witli more real and substantial do 
 light, than if you had with one swoop levelled this entire 
 forest." 
 
 ** Now, my dear Robert, it is well to have a clear view 
 of one's mission ; and," said she, looking her husband 
 steadily in the face, " Robert, can you have any doubt 
 of yours ; or can you pl(?ad as an excuse a want of 
 talent, or in any way an unfitness, to go forth with the 
 sword of the Spirit — the all-i»()werful wea])on of Divine 
 truth — to cut down and clear away the tall and strong 
 trees of error, and uproot the thick and tangled under- 
 growth of vice ; and, under Divine aid and influence, to 
 labor to so cleanse, liuild up, and beautify thesi; souls, so 
 as to render them habitations for the Holy Ghost ; to 
 endeavor to break up the fallow-ground of their hearts, 
 and to plant and sow the seeds of every virtue ? Now 
 what do you say, Robert — will you, like Jonah, flee from 
 your responsibilities, and thus incur the Divine dis- 
 l)leasure, deterred from tlieir pei'f(jrmance by diflHculties, 
 or frightened by their magnitude ? Or will you say 
 with the great Apostle, ' None of these things move me, 
 Jioither count I my life dear unto me, so that I may win 
 souls to Christ?'" 
 
 At the close of this warm and impassioned address, 
 the Captain stood before his wife as though spell-bound : 
 after musing for a few moments, he said — 
 
 " My dear Eliza, you have touched the right chord in 
 my heart. I was wandering away ; I was forgetting 
 
172 
 
 THE BLACK phantom; or, 
 
 myself ; but you h.ave, by your clear Htatemnnt of m^ 
 work, my duties, and liigii responsibilities, brought me 
 back to a state of mind proper for their due performance ; 
 though you liave not at all dinn'nished the magnitucU; of 
 the work to which I alluded, nor shown my ability to 
 be adequate to its accomplishment. Yet, you have 
 shown me where my real streng-tli is to be drawn from ; 
 and you have opened up a new ticld of thought, and 
 given abundant food for reflection. I trust I shall hencc;- 
 forth not only be diligent in the business of life, but 
 likewise fervent in spirit, and endeavor to carry out 
 your suggestions, and enter every open door that may 
 be presented where good may be done ; and that, de- 
 ^jending on our blessed Lord, I shall be more determined 
 than ever to go forth, making mention of His righteouy- 
 ness, and His only." 
 
 After this, there was no liTinging back from dut}"^, and 
 no shrinking from the heaviest cross-b(!aring. Oh ! 
 happy the man who has such a wife as was Mrs. Wal- 
 ters, to stand by him in his dark moments ; to urge him 
 on in the rigiit ; to counsv 1 and lovingly assist him in 
 all the onerous duties of life ! The Captain now felt 
 that the best place for him was, where he might be the 
 means of accomplishing the greatest amount of good, 
 both by precept and example. A.nd surely there was full 
 scope for his largest desires in the settlement in which 
 lui hail cast his lot, for the families there were as sheep 
 without a shepherd. 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 173 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 He now set to work, with a right good-will, to reiid(>r 
 his new home as comfortable as the nature of thin-H 
 would admit. All the party had learned to accomnro- 
 (late themselves to circumstances. 
 
 The Captain engaged men to cut down tlie trees, and 
 
 clear a large space, and prepare it for a crop. He made 
 
 arrangements with a carpenter to erect a conmiodi,.us 
 
 ramehouse, with suitable out-buildings, from drawings 
 
 he had himself executed. 
 
 A few days after the erection of the log-cabin, the 
 Captain was observing the men at work felling trees and 
 clearing a space of ground for a garden, when he saw 
 Obadiah Crooks coming towards him. The Captain ad- 
 vanced to meet him, and greeted him by a right hearty 
 shake of the hand, and a warm and friendly salutation- 
 presenting a perfect contrast to the cold and formal ap- 
 proaches of the Quaker. Obadiah, taking a glance at 
 the cabin, and at the men at work, said— 
 
 "I see, friend Walters, thee has' been making a little 
 progress. I sent my yoke of oxen, with a man to drive 
 them, to assist thee in the raising of thy cabin : I trust 
 thee was pleased with the way iu whicli they did thy 
 work." '' 
 
 The Captain was warm in his acknowledgments of 
 the kindness of Obadiah, and praised highly the way in 
 
174 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 which the oxen ana their driver had gone through theii 
 day's work ; wlien Obadiali said — 
 
 " Friend Walters, will it he agr(;eab]e to tluMJ to take 
 a walk a little way with me in this direction ?" pointinj;- 
 to a part oi' the woods wlu.'rf the eight horses were 
 grazing on the scanty supply of grass, or browsing on 
 the low and tender branclu's of the trees. 
 
 When the Captain and Obadiah had got a little way 
 from the men at work, as already alluded to, one of 
 them ill-naturedly said — 
 
 " Tom Wilson said, ' Cro(jk has got our new master 
 in tow, and he'll bleed him as sure as my name's Tom.'" 
 
 The Quaker had already been looking at the horses, 
 very narrowly and closely noticing all their points, for 
 he was a thorough judge of horse-flesh. And to say the 
 truth, he was no less a judge of human nature ; for he 
 knew well all the arts by which the cunning and un- 
 scrupulous man lures his victim into his toils. But after 
 all, to speak truth, Obadiah was a good man, as a 
 general thing : it v/as only where there was any bar- 
 gain-making on hand, that an all-grasping seKishness 
 gained the mastery over him. Coming up with the 
 horses, Obadiah said — 
 
 " Fri(nid Walters, I suppose thee finds that mj^ words 
 were true, that thy horses will prove a great encum- 
 l)rance to thee. Ilast thou thought of any way of dis- 
 p(jsing of them ?" 
 
 "AVhy, no," said the Captain ; "I should not like to. 
 part with my horses, they are such yvA-y choice ones. 
 You see that they are of the pure Normandy breed : 3^ou 
 can tell that by their snuill head, short, thick-set neck, 
 and clean, strong limbs. And then it will not be very 
 
vmmryrT7r:r;f^ 
 
 woman's endurance. 
 
 175 
 
 expencive to keep thein, even should T liiiv^e to purcluiBO 
 their food throuj^h th(! winter, as tliey will nuiintain 
 their present <^'()od CDiidition on very litlle teed," 
 
 The remarks of the Captain, and especially those in 
 praise of his horses, had made a de(!p impression on 
 Obadiah's mind ; and although he maintained a cold iiii- 
 passiveness in his manner, yet his eyes twinkled and 
 snapped again, as he continued, looking ;i: the tine 
 animals — 
 
 " All that thou says may be very true ; but thee sees 
 that a less number than eight horses will serve thy 
 purpose for some years to come. And tlx^n," continued 
 Obadiah, " thee must have at the least one yoke of oxen, 
 as thee will find that horses are not steady enough to 
 work in the bush, as that kind of work will harass them, 
 and fret them to death ; so that, as 1 say, thee nmst 
 have one yoke of oxen," 
 
 " Well," said the Captain, " I suppose that I must have 
 some ox(ni, as you say ; they are better adai)tt!d for th(i 
 work in the bush by their patient drudgery than hors(!s, 
 and I might then, as you ;u!-,', do with a ^<jss number 
 than eight horses." 
 
 " That is just so," sr id the Quaker, at the same time 
 drawing nearer to the Captain ; and lowering his v(jice 
 with an apparently confiding look and manner, he con- 
 tinued — 
 
 " Friend Walters, I shall have it in ni^- power to do 
 thee many a kindness, and in many ways, ;iiid 1 have a 
 str(jng wish to be a good neighbor with thee. J h;i\f 
 been thinking, as I have two yok(; of very line young 
 oxen, I will let thee have my best yoke for that span of 
 horses" — at the same time pointing to the span of horses 
 
f 
 
 176 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 he had ahcady selected from the lot — " thee knows that 
 my oxen are youn^^^ and strong." 
 
 The Captain looked, first at the Quaker and then at 
 the horses, and then back at the Quak(3r, as if in great 
 perplexity. At length he said — 
 
 " But, Mr. Crooks, I do not know what my horses 
 would sell for in this neigld)orhood, and I am quite as 
 ign(jrant of the value of your oxen." 
 
 " That may be all very true," said the acute Obadiah ; 
 " but thee can judge which will do thy work in the bush 
 th(i best, and so give thee the most satisfaction." 
 
 Finally, after much chaffering, the Captain, though 
 not very willingly, acceded to the wishes of the wily 
 Quaker, who depm'ted with the span of horses for the 
 yoke of oxen — the former of a value, at the least, thrice 
 that of the oxen. 
 
 This transaction was soon noised abroad throusfhout 
 the Concession, and very freely commented on, in every 
 variety of language and spirit ; though it was plain that 
 the best-disposed individual in the neighborhood, while 
 blaming the overreaching spirit of Ol)adiah, would have 
 had no objection to making the same exchange, could 
 he have had the same favorable chance. But, wisdom 
 is seldom good till it is bought : and so it proved in this 
 case ; for, dearly bought though it was, it turned out to 
 be a valuable lesson to the Captain. While it proved 
 that he, from his inexperience and simplicity, was no 
 match for the keen trading propensities of his neighbors, 
 it placed him fully on his guard. He ever aftet" made it 
 a standing rule never to trade with any one in the Con- 
 cession in the way of barter ; but, if lie was in want of 
 any article, be it food or whatever else, to take it at its 
 
 «9 
 
'*WWf9MWMfi!ra5WS'«^e«tar'w 
 
 woman's endurance. 177 
 
 cash value and pay for it on the spot. The same rule 
 he observed when he had any thing to dispose of. In 
 this way he soon established a character for strai-'ht- 
 torward, honest dealing. ° 
 
 8* 
 
 ii 
 
178 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OH, 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 As the Captain had, from the very firbt Sabbath after 
 leaving Montreal, appropriated that day to its proper 
 sanctified use, so he continued to do now that he was 
 settled in his new liome in the bush. And, at the sug- 
 gestion of Mrs. Walters, who said that they did not 
 wish to eat their morsel alone, the canvas tent was 
 fitted up with desk and seats, for the accommodation of 
 any one of the neighbors who might feel disposed to 
 join with them in their Sabbath exercises. The very 
 novelty of the thing was a sufficient attraction to many, 
 who came to see and hear what new thing had come 
 among them ; and then, the majority who came were 
 especially delighted with the singing. But, as for the 
 weiglity and important truths that weie enunciated by 
 the Captain, though delivered with afFectionate fervor, 
 and addressed home to the heart with great force and 
 point, they were listened to with impatience by the gap- 
 ing and wondering company. 
 
 But, notwithstanding this unpropitious state of things, 
 the meetings were continued for a number of weeks, 
 though tiie mindd of many who participated tliereiu 
 seemed to l)e utterly impervious to moral or religious 
 impressions. One day, liowever, late in tiie aft(;rnooii, 
 the wife of Sam Harkfu* came to rccpiest the Captain 1o 
 go with her to see her husband ; saying he was sick, 
 
 light( 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 179 
 
 and at the samo time expressing" serious apprehensions 
 tliat he was "losing his head ;" that for some time he 
 had had scarcely any sleep at night, yet was lialf asleep 
 through the day ; that he weiit moping ahout, and talk- 
 ing to himself in a most awful way ; that sIk.- had nwcr. 
 or twice caught him on his knees, or laying at full 
 length on the ground behind some busiies, and for the 
 life of her she C(mld not g-et a sensible word out of him ; 
 and he was moaning and crying 'most all the time. And 
 she wanted the Captain to come and see him, as he 
 was a very knowledgeable man, for she could not tell 
 what in the world was the matter with him herself. 
 
 The Captain smiled at the simplicity of the woman's 
 narration, and, truly surmising the real nature of the 
 bodily and mental malady of her husband, unhesitatingly 
 accompanied her to her h(une. When he ai-rived at the 
 place, he found Sam in a wretched state of mind : his 
 heart had been stricken, and the strong man bowed be- 
 fore the stroke. He felt unable to account for, or to 
 explain the nature of his malady, or the state of liis 
 mind : he could only say he had been a bad man all his 
 life, that he felt sure of going to hell, and knew that he 
 d(!served it. The Captain found him excessively ig"no- 
 rant, but adapting, as near as he could, his remarks to 
 th(^ man's capacity and present state of mind, he sought 
 to explain to him the way of salvation, pointing out to 
 him that Jesus came into the world to save just such as 
 he, for He came to save sinners ; and after reading to 
 him portions of the word of Cod suited io his cusc, uiid 
 spending a short tiriH! in ])rayer, left hini lo tlu' lurthcr 
 workings of his own mind, and <'■ IIk' Icudiiig and en- 
 lightening intlu(:nc4'K of th.' Holy S)»n'i» 
 
180 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 On the day after the above occurrence the wife of 
 Torn Wilson came to the Ca])tain, in a very disconsolate 
 state, dcclariiiij that sonietliini^ very bad was come over 
 her man ; that she thouiC^ht he was surely Inny ; that he 
 said tliat God was awful cross with him, and that the 
 devil was g'oing' to be no use to hiin no more, and he 
 warn't g'oiiii? to be no use to the devil, any how you can 
 fix it. 
 
 " Oh, sir," said she, " he is in a awfu' bad way ; he's 
 a' the time doin' the wrang thinf^ first and the first thing 
 wrang, so yo' see that things are out a' round." 
 
 " Well," said the Captain, " shall I go and see your 
 husband, Mrs. Wilson ?" 
 
 " Oil, golly, no !" said she, "for he ain't at a' pleased 
 wi' yo' ; for he said that yo' talked a' about him in yer 
 pr(iach last Sunday. And that he knowed that Jim 
 Koborts had bin tellin' yo' a' about him ; but he says 
 yo's a mighty smart man." 
 
 " Well, if that is the case," said the Captain, " I owe 
 it to my own character to go and see your husband, and 
 at the same time I can vindicate Mr. Roberts. The fact 
 is, Mrs. Wilson, your liusband now sees himself in a 
 glass that he has never looked into before, and he is 
 alarmed at what it shows him." 
 
 " Oh, no, sir, that ain't so, cause we ain't got only one 
 glass i' the shanty, and that's a' broke !" 
 
 " But that is not what I mean, Mrs. Wilson," said the 
 Captain ; " I mean that the Divine Spirit is enlightening 
 his judgment, and alarming his conscience, by holding 
 up before his newly-open(;d mind the puritj'' of the Divine 
 law, and showing how he has exposed himself to its con- 
 demnation by having broken its enactments." 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 181 
 
 "Well," said Mrs. Wilson, "we ain't got no larnin' 
 here i' the bush, but maybe a' yo' say is just so." 
 
 The Captain went with Mrs. Wilsoiv to see her man, 
 as she called lier husband, and found him under deep 
 convictions of soul for sin. 
 
 Wilson seemed much surprised to hear that the Cap- 
 tain liad not spoken on the last Sabbath from any special 
 personal knowledge of his case, and that neither Rob- 
 erts nor any other person had had any communication 
 with him on the subject. 
 
 One very remarkable circumstance made a deep im- 
 pression on the mind of the Captain — namely, that not 
 only was there a great change in the manner and con- 
 duct of these two noted men, from the wild, reckless 
 abandonment that had so olHonded him when he first saw 
 them ; but their softened countenances and subdued 
 spirits, evidenced a transformation of the inner man to 
 such an extent that they would hardly be recognized as 
 the same men. 
 
 After talking, reading, and praying with Wilson, he 
 turned his steps towards his home. His own soul deeply 
 iiul)ued with the spirit of his Divine Master, with ardent, 
 g-rateful emotions he cried out : " What hath God 
 wrought !" These things were no less gratifying to 
 Mrs. Walters than they had been to her husband. Jones 
 and Brown united with their wives in a full chorus of 
 glory to God for His marvellous goodness. Our old 
 friend Baptiste had also come to know the value of ex- 
 perimental religion. Thus, the whoh; of our company, 
 linn in faith and ardent worshippers, wore continual in 
 prayers, unitedly and singly, in private and in public, 
 beseeching God to deepen, extend, and continue His 
 
182 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 work ill His own way, irrospectivo of the meanness or 
 ignorance of the inHtnnnentality emph)ye(L 
 
 On the following Sabbath, at the stated time of meet- 
 ing, a greater number of hearers assembled than over 
 b«ifore. But that was not all : so great attentiiju was 
 paid to the speaker, there was such a drinking in of ihv 
 word si)oken — this reacting on the mind and manner ol' 
 the speaker — that a sympathy was felt, a sense of the 
 Divine power and presence, such as was ex}jerience(l 
 when, in the days of old, God appeared to be vindicating 
 his own name. Sinners were pricked to the heart, and 
 pleaded earnestly for mercy. One remarkable feature 
 iu this scene was, that Tom Wilson and Sam Barker, 
 with faces radiant with smiles, were actively and 
 earnestly employed in going from penitent to penitent, 
 endeavoring, iu their simple way, to direct them to 
 Jesus. 
 
 What a striking and delightful contrast this scene 
 presented, to that of the day on which the bee was called 
 to erect the log-cabin ! But such is the change the gos- 
 p(}l invariably produces, when it has free course and is 
 glorified ; when it is divested of the clumsy and cum- 
 bering machinery — the contrivances of short-sighted 
 man. This appealed to be the beginning of good days, 
 but oh ! how often are our brightest prospects and 
 sweetest hopes blighted — ending in disappointment 1 
 ■ Captain Walters had for some time exhibited indica- 
 tions of failing health, which, sensible as he was of his 
 physical condition, he endeavored to screen, if possilile, 
 from the observation of his wife. But her eye, willi 
 dedicate scrutiny, penetrated the secret ; yet she hid her 
 fears from licr liusliaiid, and (jnly exhibited her anxiety 
 
»-' 
 
 WOMAJS'S ENDURANCE. 
 
 183 
 
 ailed 
 gus- 
 iiid is 
 cuiu- 
 hted 
 days, 
 and 
 tl 
 dica- 
 f his 
 ;sil)lo, 
 vvilli 
 id her 
 ixicty 
 
 by increased tenderness, and attention to all his wants 
 and wishes. Though she ever approached him with 
 loving words and winning smiles, many were the tears 
 she shed in secret on his acconnt. 
 
 The Captain, notwithstanding his feeble health, con- 
 tinned in labors more abnndant. His frame honse and 
 out-buildings were urged rapidly to completion, as lie 
 wished to occupy them before the severe weather of 
 winter set in. He had also a number of men at work 
 felling trees on his land. As it would be too late to 
 burn the logs that season, green as they were, he was 
 advised t(j have them aloMhed that fall and through the 
 winter. The Captain, at a loss to know what was meant 
 l)y slashing^ was informed tiiat it was merely to cut down 
 the trees, aiid let them lie just where they fell : not to 
 lose time in lopping off the bougiis or cntting up the 
 trunks into log-lengths, but to allow them time to dry 
 as they lay : then, early in the spring, to cut them up, 
 and form them into winrows, so that he might take ad- 
 vantage of the first spell of fine, dry weather, to burn 
 them off 
 
 But what appeared to exert an influence the most 
 absorbing on the minds of Captain Walters and his wife 
 was the spiritual well-being of their neighbors ; and if 
 ever laborers in their Lord's vineyard had cause to ac- 
 knowledge the hand of G(jd in their work. Captain and 
 Mrs. Walters undoubtedly had. They lelt the tremen- 
 dous importance of their high mission. In his view tiie 
 sacred desk was not designed to be an arena in which 
 to exhibit any of the cla})-traps of the mere orator, for 
 the purpose of creating a sensation. Nor was i\\v Cap- 
 tain like the ))seu(lo-(Jivine, who fritters away his pie- 
 
184 
 
 thp: black phantom; or. 
 
 cions moments in the diacussion of some comparatively 
 frivolous point of school-divinity. No I Well read, 
 and tlioroughly versed in the divine word, he made tlmt 
 the man of his counsel, and the armory out of which to 
 select his most pot(»nt weapf)ns. The bnrning", fiery, 
 (lashinj^ missiles that he threw anum^st his hearers were 
 the wcng-hty trutiis of revelation. Salvation, throngli 
 the all-atoning" blood and sacrifice of Christ, was the 
 theme on which he delighted to dwell, and of which he 
 never tired. True it was, he had not been licensed, nor 
 had he received his commission from man, or been or- 
 dained by those high in clerical office. It was the 
 finger of God that had written the divine law upon his 
 heart, and the inspiration of His Holy Spirit that had 
 opened up before his willing and inquiring mind the 
 precious truths of revelation ; and thus inspired and 
 equipped, many were the wounded, and the slain, and 
 the healed, through his instrumentality, in his short but 
 eventful Christian warfare. He had balm as well as 
 bane for the human heart. Yes ! having startled the 
 sinner's soul with tlie thunders of Sinai, he led his 
 stricken, smitten, and bleeding heart penitent to Mount 
 Zion. 
 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 185 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 On a very briglit day in the month of November, 
 (luring that period known in North America as Indian 
 summer — when a general lull, a serene quiet, pervades 
 all nature, with scarcely enough breeze to stir the- tini- 
 est twig — when the feathered tenants of the grove have 
 migrated to softer climes and sunnier skies — a stranwr 
 approached the new habitation of Captain Walters. 
 Tile Captain was at that moment in the front of his new 
 dwelling, giving some directions regarding a picket- 
 fence which two men were employed in erecting. On 
 the approach of the stranger, the quick (iye of the Cap- 
 tain could discern at once that he was well-bred, and 
 he soon found him to be a highly educated gentleman — 
 a very rare sight in that place. His dress, his manners, 
 his words of introduction, and indeed his very spirit, as 
 it beamed through his noble countenance, all spoke un- 
 mistakably in his favor. The ease of the gentleman 
 was exhibited in the simple movement of the hand, as it 
 was put forth to meet the free and hearty salutation f)f 
 the Captain. It required but a short time for two intel- 
 ligent and well-instru :ted men to flow, as it were, into 
 e;ich other's good g .ices. But this was especially so, 
 nnder the circumstances, with Captain Walters, who of 
 late had been completely cut off from intercourse with 
 
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 WEBSTER,N.Y 14580 
 
 1716) B7]-dS03 
 
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 L'c'/ 
 
 Va 
 
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 186 
 
 THE BLACK phantom; or, 
 
 Kuporior iniiulK, oxcoiitiii^ liis own wife. In this rowpect 
 lie had boen lik(! a cliiiiiied oau'lo, or a j^iant anion;^ 
 dwarfs. Tlie cramped and tiny niintls of (lioso by v/liom 
 lie was siirroundod, and with whom ho mu.sl liold miicli 
 intorconrs*', wore clouded hy vag-uc and vulgar preju- 
 dices, and all their action prompted and urged on by the 
 low incentiv(!S ol" sellishness. It is true, a great and 
 salutary change had been efiected in the moral aspect 
 of things, that grace had in a g(K)d degrcic subdued their 
 passions and even new-moulded their hearts ; but it was 
 not within its province to inform and expand their intel- 
 lect. And so the Captain, while he rejoiced in the evi- 
 dences of grace around him, felt deeply the need of asso- 
 ciation with some congenial intellect. It was now his 
 great good fortune to meet with a friend such as he bad 
 been wishing for ; and it was equally gratifying to the 
 stranger that Providence had directed his steps to the 
 dwelling of this estimable couple. 
 
 We have already partially indicated the general ap- 
 pearance of th(! stranger. Tall and stoutly formed, he 
 evidently possessed great strength. His hair was long, 
 straight, and bkick ; his eye black and piercing, and 
 restless at times ; his forehead high and broad, with the 
 remainder of the head well balanced ; the color of his 
 face approaching a brown, yet with mixture of a whiter 
 cast. In fact, it might have been seen from the general 
 cast of his features, as well as from his personal appear- 
 ance, that he was of Indian descent, and one of nature'^ 
 noblemen. Without further noticing his personal ap- 
 pearance in this connection, we would state that his 
 father was an Indian chief, and one of the most remark- 
 able men of his day and nation — noted at once for nis 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 187 
 
 ;7h()iM 
 inncli 
 prcjn- 
 by the 
 [,t and 
 [ispect 
 d their 
 it "was 
 r intel- 
 he evi- 
 )f asBo- 
 lovv his 
 be had 
 to the 
 s to the 
 
 n'al ai)- 
 ined, he 
 IS U)n^-, 
 n^, and 
 Ivith the 
 of hiri 
 ■winter 
 iM-eneral 
 a])l>ear- 
 nalurc'ti 
 Inal :n>- 
 Lhat liiii^ 
 Irenuirk- 
 Ibr iii^ 
 
 bravery in war, and wise counsel in poa(;e. TTis rnotl!(>r 
 was French, and liad b(!en the wife of a French oflicer 
 wlio was wounded in the wars willi the Indians, and in 
 that state was captured by tlieni, to^'ctlier witii liis 
 young and beautiful wife, who evinced her love by her 
 determination not to leave her husband under such v<'ry 
 trying circumstances. During the confinement of tiie 
 young French officer by his wounds, the chiel' of the 
 tribe of Indians exhibited more than ordinary humanity 
 and intelligence, and was at once assiduous in his atten- 
 tions and gentle in his spirit towards the captive ollicer 
 and his amiable spouse. But notwithstanding the sooth- 
 ing presence ol" a loving wife, and all the remedies that 
 the Indian chief could apply, his wounds at length 
 proved fatal, and dying, he left his wife to the tender 
 mercies of the red-man. But the red-man's breast, as 
 well as that of a whiter skin, may be swayed by gen- 
 tle emotions. He had compassi(jn ; he soothed the sor- 
 rows of his fair captive ; he gained her confidence by 
 his delicate guardianship of her honor ; and feeling safe 
 ill his keeping, she confided in his plighted vows. After 
 this, the step was short but sure, for they loved ; and 
 when two hearts are thus closely knit, seeming incon- 
 gruities are lost sight of, fv)r the union of hands follows 
 wliere the heart leads the way. In the course of time, 
 the result of this union was the birth of a boy. It 4night 
 have been expected that this boy would possess and ex- 
 hibit some of the g(;neral traits of character of each of 
 his parents : and indeed it was so ; for the vigor of the 
 fath(U-'8 mind and person was strongly marked in bin), 
 and this, united with his mother's vivacity and spright' 
 liness, tended to produce a character of (iuit(! an original 
 
188 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 cast. Very early in life there were dc.'veloped tliat dar- 
 iiijTr c()uraf2^(i and stronjjf will, toi^^cMlier with [)ersonal dex- 
 terity, that soon placed him at the head and far in tlie 
 front in all the athletic sjiortw of Indian pastime and 
 l)ra<;tice, lie would lead the way in the hazardous eii- 
 terprise, and carry away the palm of victory from older 
 and stronger boys than himself. lie was, thoug-h so 
 young, always alert in the hunt of the wild beast of the 
 forest, and the celerity of his movements ever placed 
 him first in the chase. Indeed, it appeared that h(! pos- 
 sessed all the germs of greatness, that n'quired only a 
 congenial soil and fostering influences to mature. And 
 then the kindlier feelings and emotions of the heart had 
 no small share in softening the rougher and wilder in- 
 stincts of his nature ; so tluit, to see him under the 
 influence of the extremes of his nature — of his dark and 
 turbulent passions on the one hand, and of his better 
 feelings and sentiments on the other — one could scarcely 
 be persuaded that he was one and the same person. 
 But there was a trait in his character that gave value 
 and force to all the rest — he was at once attentive and 
 obedient to his mother, and she exercised unbounded in- 
 fluence over him for good. 
 
 Very early in life, this boy gave marked evidence of 
 sterling mental talent, and his mother being a woman of 
 cultivated mind and high attaiimients, was fully capable 
 of nurturing and directing the aspirations of the eager 
 youth. When she had exhausted all her own intellec- 
 tual resources, her boy was sent, through the induenrc 
 of a Catholic priest, to the Montreal College, where he 
 won laurels, and established a name. And his fame as 
 a scholar, and a youth of remarkable shrewdness and 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 18!» 
 
 dar- 
 I dcx- 
 
 i thf 
 ' ami 
 
 18 011- 
 
 okler 
 
 of the 
 
 placed 
 
 w pos- 
 
 only a 
 Ami 
 
 irt liail 
 
 der iu- 
 
 ier tlio 
 
 irk and 
 
 , betti'i- 
 ai'cely 
 -,er«()ii. 
 e value 
 vc ami 
 ded in- 
 
 Icnce of 
 oinau of 
 capable 
 e eajjjer 
 intellee- 
 idluenre 
 rhcve lie 
 fame as 
 IC88 aud 
 
 ^roat pnideiico, beinc^ at the saino timo intiinatoly fvc- 
 (|naintc'd with the French, Eiijj:;lish, and Indian lan- 
 ,t;-iia<^es, clearly pointed iiim out as an elio-il.|(> and lit 
 person to act as au^ent of the Enj^lish Govennnent to 
 the v.iriouR tribes of Indians then scattered throuj^-h Up- 
 j)er Canada. So, without any solicitations on his own 
 part, at the close of his colle|:?e studies he was selected 
 hy the repiesentativea of the British Government, and 
 endowed with full powers as chief accent and superin- 
 tendent of all the Indian tribes in Upper Canada. The 
 office itself brouj:^ht him into frequent and close inter- 
 course with th<' officers of the g-overnment, which had 
 tlie tendency, to,i^ether with the polish of the French 
 manners and spirit, that he had drunk in, as it were, 
 with his mother's milk, to p;ive a high degree of refine- 
 ment to his general deportment. 
 
 The native goodness of his own heart had induced 
 him to introduce numy ameliorations into his charge, so 
 that he had become quite a popular favorite wlieri'ver 
 his name and work had become known. And althongh 
 we have introduced him as a stranger perscjnally to (Jap- 
 tain Walters, yet his fame had already reached there 
 hefore himself, and he had only to mention his name to 
 render the introduction complete. H(;, too, had no ucmmI 
 to be informed about Captain Walters and his amiable 
 and very excellent wife, for he had already heard pleas- 
 ing representations of their present doings, as well as oi' 
 their antecedents while residing in Montreal ; and it was 
 owing to the high notions lu; had formed of their charac- 
 UiY that he had thus sought this interview with them : 
 and he ever after congratulated himself that he had 
 heen so highly favored in ft>nning such a fri(Midship, 
 
r 
 
 190 
 
 TUE BLACK I'lIANTOii; OR, 
 
 \V(,' would say, that tl»e Iiidiaii name of this yoiuij^ 
 man's father was indicativo of tlio charact(!i" that ]n'. 
 bor(3 in liis own tribe as a standi and nniiinching war- 
 rior, and si<^nifi(!d, " Tlie rock tliat breasts the; storm." 
 His mother's name was Le Chiir, and that was the name 
 given to her son, and by wliich he was known. And, 
 as Mr. Le Clair resided at qnite a distance from tiie 
 home of Captain Walters, and being on this da}' of his 
 introduction on a mission of some importance, he had 
 but a short time to spend with them, beyond partakin;;- 
 with them of a very excellently cooked dinner : aftoi' 
 which he took his leave, with many and pressing invita- 
 tions to renew his visit, and prolong his stay ; which 
 was responded to with strong assurances as to the high 
 degree; of pleasure with which he should avail himself 
 of the privilege. 
 
MHMaXVIKUI.I'U -IK " 
 
 W O M A N S E N D U H A N C E. 
 
 191 
 
 at Ik' 
 r wai- 
 tonn." 
 ! iiaiiu' 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 On the day after t]i(3 visit of Mr. Lo Clair, tlioro worn 
 two visitors who in character and personal apjHsiraiico 
 were tin; very opposites of that j^entleman. TheK<; were 
 a d(!crepid .'ind aji^ed female, accompanied by a no less 
 infirm old man, with clotlu's mnch the worse for wear. 
 They slowly approached the honse, scrntini/.inji; the sur- 
 ronndinfi;s — the female closely envelojied in a black 
 cloak, and peering from a large hood. They made their 
 way to tl»e door of the new dwelling, and requested a 
 drink of water. ^frs. Walters invited them in, and 
 handed each of them a chair. Regardless of pressing 
 solicitations, the female would not divest h<)rself of her 
 hood and cloak. She was keenly observant of every 
 movement mad(^ by the niembers of the fariiily, and scru- 
 tinized (!very part of the room, and (.'very object it con- 
 tained. A short time after these strangers had been 
 stated Captain Walters entered the room, and at onc;o 
 attracted the intense gaze of the stranger. She kept 
 her black and piercing eyes so stead il}' upon him — as 
 if reading him through and through — that the Captain 
 felt rcidly uncomfortable. Soon after, hastily rising 
 from their seats, the strangers abruptly left the house, 
 rejecting pressing invitations to partake of refresh- 
 ments ; and it nuide their conduct the more strange, that 
 dinner was already on the table. Many were tlie sur- 
 
f 
 
 192 
 
 THE BLACK niANTOM; OR, 
 
 mises as to who they wcre^ vvhenco they wore, aiul wliat 
 could liav(3 prompted them to act so straiifi-ely. Another 
 thin^ made; a (h'cp impression on the mind?^. of the Cap- 
 tain and his wife — that although the two mysterious 
 beings, on theii arrival, seemed so decrcpid that they 
 could scarc(dy walk, yet, when they left, they skii)i)e(l 
 along as nim!)ly as if ruiniing for a wager. The mys- 
 tery was still further increased, when, as Mrs. Brown 
 was cleaning up the rootn after dinner, and adjusting 
 the cushion of the chair on which the strange fcmrdc 
 had sat, there fell from under the cushion a letter, which, 
 on taking it up, she found was addressed, " Mrs. Elizii 
 Walters," to whom she straightway took it. The mo- 
 ment Mrs. Walters looked upon the letter she became 
 enervated, her (;olor came and went, her lips moved in- 
 voluntarily, yet had lost the power of utterance ; her 
 whol(3 IVatne, indeed, was in a violent tremor, and she 
 iiad almost lost the power of s('lf-su|)porl. 
 
 At this moment the Captain entered the room, and 
 seeing her in so alarming a condition, he sprang to her 
 side, but such was the jxM'turbed state of his own mind. 
 that he was (|uite unable to articulate an in([uiry as tn 
 \\\o. cause of what he witnessed. Mrs. Brown was no 
 less confused : all that she could do, when she had ral- 
 b"ed a little, was to point to the letter that lay on tii'^ 
 floor. The sight of the letter increased the perplexity 
 of the Captain, for it brought vividly to his mind, as it 
 had already to that of his wife, former inci icnts of tlir 
 same kind. 
 
 This state of things — all this agitation and confusion 
 — was not simply the result of the presentation of the 
 letter by Mrs. Urown. On tlu> contrary, it was the siid- 
 
WOMAN S ENDUllANCE. 
 
 193 
 
 vvliiit 
 
 1 Ciip- 
 
 evioiis 
 t they 
 ^ipiK'd 
 ; mys- 
 Brown 
 instinji; 
 fcnKvlo 
 which, 
 :^. Eli/;i 
 he mo- 
 becamo 
 (ved i li- 
 ce ; her 
 
 )m, iiiitl 
 
 -• \n lid" 
 
 ■u iniii<l. 
 
 i-y us to 
 
 was 111* 
 
 |rph'xity 
 »(\, as ii 
 
 s of til'' 
 
 |(>nfusi(»ii 
 
 111 (vf th»' 
 
 the sud- 
 
 den flash of memoricH and convietions thioiigli tlu? hrain, 
 and instantly associatiiif^ these vvitli tlie mysterious IV- 
 niale and the U^tter, tliat prodneed all this mental per- 
 turbation. Mrs. Brown rif^htly jud^vd, when she eon- 
 cliided that to l)rinj.^ tin; mind of eaeii to its wonted 
 tone the surest restorative would be a short and quiet 
 repose So, laying Mrs. Walters gently on the couch, 
 she left her and the Captain in silence, that their agi- 
 tated minds and perturbed f(!elings might spend their 
 force, and subside of themselves. 
 
 After Mrs. Brown had left her patients, and again 
 went about her work of clearing up and setting things 
 to rights, the little daughter of Mrs. Jones came to her 
 and said — 
 
 " Mrs. Brown, that was not an old woman that had 
 that big cloak on." 
 
 " Oh," said Mrs. Brown, " go away, what do you know 
 ahout it?" 
 
 " Why," said the little girl, " I do know ; 'cause I 
 could see, for I stood close beside her, and I was look- 
 ing right in her face, and I'm sure that sue wasn't an 
 itld woman, but a very nice young woman ; and when 
 she seen me looking at her, she jumped up and went 
 right away." 
 
 This simple and straight forward tale of the little girl 
 set Mrs. Brown musing, and guessing, and wondming ; 
 and when the first chance offered, she related her state- 
 ment to the two most interested parties. It tended not 
 in the least, however, to dissipate the darkness by which 
 tliey were surrounded. 
 
 After Mrs. Walters had somewhat recovered her com- 
 posure of mind, she said — 
 
 9 
 
194 
 
 THE JJL ACK phantom; OK, 
 
 "My dear ll()l)C'rt, ain I alvrayH to bu made the Hpuit 
 oftliesc very Hiii^ular and mysteriouH doings? Is tlicru 
 not in tiie world a spot to l)0 found Kufliciently retired to 
 liid(! UH from tlie intrusion of tliathorri*. Mack pliantom ?" 
 
 " VVliy, my dear Eliza," said her husband, "I can as- 
 sure you that I am as much at a loss to answer that 
 question as you are. But I, however, feel disposed, if I 
 could only see the way, to use every means within my 
 power to unravel the enigma. I am compl<!tely at a loss 
 to account for the motive that can induce these erratic 
 beings thus to follow and act towards us in the way 
 they do. Let me look at the letter, and see if that will 
 aftbrd us any clue, or throw any light <m the subject ?" 
 
 The Captain took the lett(!r, and saw that, as all the 
 others had been, it was directed in a remarkable neat 
 and beautiful female hand. Breaking the seal, ho found 
 that its contents were the counterpart of the previous 
 ones. The same aphorism, a quotation from the Ninety- 
 sciventh Psalm, " The Lord reigneth, let the earth ro 
 joice ;" and a quotation from the Gospel of St. John, 
 " What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know 
 hereafter :" and, as before, a Bank of England five hun- 
 dred pound sterling note. Having read and re-read tlie 
 letter, the Captain sat musing in silence for some mo- 
 ments, and then handed the note and the letter to his 
 wife, who received them as if in a state of listless stupor. 
 
 At this stage of things, Mrs. Brown came into the 
 room, and reiterating what Mrs. Jones's little girl had 
 said, about the age of the strange woman as she called 
 her, she said she felt inclined to believe her, for she was 
 always a prying little thing ; and tlieu she was sure 
 the little puss told the truth — ishc would sooner trust to 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 1D5 
 
 npoit 
 
 thcio 
 red to 
 torn?" 
 Min as- 
 cr tluit 
 ed, if I 
 bin my 
 
 t 51 loss 
 
 erratic 
 he way 
 l\at will 
 )ject ?" 
 a all the 
 ble neat 
 he found 
 previous 
 Ninety- 
 artli re- 
 )t. John, 
 alt know 
 five liun- 
 read the 
 lonie nio- 
 ,er to bis 
 IS stupor, 
 into the 
 o-irl bad 
 [be called 
 sbe was 
 was sure 
 |r trust to 
 
 her woid than many a grown-up person's. Tills, witliout 
 reniovinp; any diilieultieH, or soivinjj;- any of the per})h'xi- 
 ties by whicii they were surrounded, ^av(; a new turn 
 to their thoug-hts. At len«^tli, Mrs, Walters said witii u 
 kind of iialf-musing, vacant look — 
 
 " Is it possible I Not an old woman ? Will my i)attt 
 life furnish any clue that will lead my mind to fix on 
 any person whom I could suppose capable of acting in 
 so erratic a way as this — tantalizing me with these dark 
 and hidden doings, and such vague promises of future 
 developments — first wounding my very heart, and then 
 applying the salve of her laviBh wealth?'' On uttering 
 these words — holding up the sterling bank-note, looking 
 at it herself, and calling the attention of her liusband to 
 it — with a sorrowful look, and a mournful expression, 
 she said — 
 
 " I have no recollection of any mother or father, any 
 sister or brother — who am I, what am I, where am I 
 from r 
 
 These words were expressed with so much feeling, 
 yea, with such agony, that they seemed as though 
 wrung from her inmost soul. Iler husband throwing 
 his arms around her, exclaimed — 
 
 *• My own dear Eliza, you arc the wife of Robert Wal- 
 ters, is not that enough, and better than father or mo- 
 tlier, or sister or brother ?" 
 
 " Oh 1" said she, " was it not sufficient for me to boar 
 my lot alone, instead of linking the destiny of another 
 to my sorrows ? Better had he sought tiie hand of some 
 rustic maid, who had been nurtured in a domestic circle 
 that was blest with the sweet memories of a father's and 
 a mother's love ; but my being is a blank, with no ves- 
 
196 
 
 TllK IJIiACK I'll AN TOM; OR, 
 
 tip^es of the early loves of kiiulred to relate to my lius- 
 baiid !" 
 
 "Oil, my own dc^'ir Eliza !" said lier liiisband, " if yoii 
 have no loved relatives to praise, you have none to 
 blame ; and if you have none to eheriHh and bless you, 
 you hav(! none to discard and mali<jfn you. But, my own 
 dear love, there is one heart that feels for you, and there; 
 is one bosom on whieh you may n.'cline with perfect 
 freedom, and with entire safety, and which you may 
 make the depositary of the inmost thoughts of your 
 soul. There is one who is fully able to appnjciate your 
 worth, and who sympathizes with you in all your sor- 
 rows — you have a husband." 
 
 At the utterance of these expressions by her husband, 
 her whole frame shook, and with an utterance, half-aloud, 
 half-chok(!d with grief, she questioned with herself — 
 
 "Ycis; but how^ long shall I have him? Oh! llie 
 future, still darker than the past I" 
 
 Catching the import of these words, and noticing the 
 manner in which they were spoken, her husband was 
 confounded ; for they revealed to his mind that she had 
 pen(;trat(Ml what he deemed a secret buried within his 
 own breast. To meet this new development he had no 
 soothinu: balm to oiler — no word or sentiu'ent that would 
 reach the case. ' With an almost invcjluntJiry moticm he 
 fell on his knees, and drawing his wife gently down to 
 the same position, at that fountain of hope and consola 
 tion always accessible to the sorrowing and the suffer- 
 ing, they mutely and unitedly breathed forth the aspi- 
 rations of their sadly smitten hearts. 
 
W M A N'S E N D U U a X C E. 
 
 107 
 
 IniK- 
 
 fyou 
 le to 
 ; you, 
 (T own 
 tlierc 
 cifect 
 
 may 
 
 y(jm- 
 • your 
 ir Hoi- 
 
 sl>iiiul, 
 -aloud, 
 
 If— 
 1 ! the 
 
 iug the 
 d was 
 ic had 
 in his 
 uid uo 
 would 
 ticm he 
 own to 
 
 consohi 
 suifi'r- 
 le aspi- 
 
 CIIAPTER XVII. 
 
 As there appears to be conwiderable importance at- 
 tached to the doings of the two strange beings who 
 have caused such consternation in the new resich^nce of 
 Captain Walters, we will just follow them, and if possi 
 ble overtake those fleet hors(!s, as they ani moving east- 
 ward, in the direction of the town, or nitlirr the villa«»e 
 of Kingston, liut sundy they are not the ame pers^^;.is. 
 Instead of a black ch'^k and largi; liood, the lady has a 
 neat travelling-dress, with a plain but handsome bon- 
 net : the man, u suit of livery, as being the servant of 
 some titled and wealthy family. 
 
 Tiiey arrived at a small tavern by the roadside, where 
 they intond to remain for the night, and where it ap- 
 peared they had remained the night previous, with the 
 understanding that they were to return and spend this 
 night also. Of course, suitable preparations had been 
 made for their reception, as they appeared to be above 
 the common grade of travellers in that section of coun- 
 try. After partaking of a supper that would have done 
 uo discredit to a hotel of more pretentious appearance, 
 the servant-man was summoned into the presence of the 
 lady, who was seated in the best room of the house, 
 thoujrh of rather circumscribed dimensions. When the 
 man entered, the lady interrogated him — 
 
 " Well, Thomas, what do you think of the iu^w home 
 of Captain Walters ?" 
 
1! 
 
 198 
 
 THE BLACK PnANTOM; OR, 
 
 " Why, my lady," said tlio man, " T was thinking what 
 would the nciglibors consider about such a grand house 
 as tliat in tho bush. I sliould think that they would 
 conclude it was soinetliing above their log-shanties." 
 
 " Yes," said the lady, "but you know that Captain 
 Walters is a man of correct taste and large views, and 
 that nothing less would satisfy him." 
 
 " Yes, and Mrs. Walters, too," said the man. " In that 
 respect, as well as in many others, they seem as though 
 their minds had been cast in the same mould. And then 
 if the house presents such a fine appearance now, what 
 will it be when it is all finished ? But, 1 am afraid Cap- 
 tain Walters is not going to enjoy it long, even if ho 
 lives to see it finished, if I may judge iVom his looks." 
 
 " Ah 1 did you notice that, Thomas ?" said the lady. 
 " I can assure you I was so greatly shocked when I 
 saw him, that I could not take my eyes ofi* him ; and 1 
 have no doubt he observed my viewing him so intently. 
 Thrown off my guard by that pretty, intelligent-looking 
 little girl who so steadily gazed into my face, and 
 almost so far forgetting myself as to take her in my lap 
 and give her a kiss, and becoming alarmed lest Captain 
 Walters and his wife should notice the way in which I 
 acted, I jumped up and left." 
 
 " Well, my lady," said the man, " you took me by sur- 
 prise ; and I was still more astonished to see that you 
 had forgotten your lameness. Compelled to follow your 
 example, my crutch was of no use, any further than to 
 enable me lo keep up with you. I have no doubt tlu^y 
 consider us two most remarkable beings, judging from 
 our droll appearance and strange conduct." 
 
 " Well, I suppose they do, Thomas," said the lady ; 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 199 
 
 \g what 
 1 house 
 
 r would 
 
 es." 
 
 Captain 
 ws, and 
 
 In that 
 though 
 .nd then 
 tv, what 
 lid Cap- 
 ;n if h(! 
 )oks." 
 he lady, 
 when I 
 ; and 1 
 intently. 
 >looking 
 ice, and 
 1 my lap 
 Cai)taiii 
 which 1 
 
 3 by sur- 
 that you 
 low your 
 ' than to 
 ubt they 
 ing from 
 
 tie lady ; 
 
 "and it may be a long time before they will have any 
 explanation from me, for Providence sometimes moves 
 Blow ; but I am not doubtful of the result. Althouirh 
 the present state of things may appear dark and mys- 
 terious to them, yet eventually the truth and justice of 
 God shall shine forth as the light." 
 
 " But, my lady," said the man, " what if the Captain 
 and Mrs. Walters should be both dead and in their 
 graves, before these great results that you look for are 
 realized — what good will it do them ?" 
 
 " Well, Thomas," said she, "if there were no hereafter, 
 tiiey alone might be the sufferers, and without the least 
 chance of enjoying any compensation ; but the clearest 
 and brightest display of results is reserved for a more 
 lit ting place, and a more appropriate season, and where 
 tlie iiuiocent and the guilty will be far more capable of 
 appreciating the blessings they enjoy, or the evils they 
 endure." 
 
 "Well, my lady," said the man, "not knowing the 
 object you have in view, of course I am not able to give 
 an opinion as to the propriety of your present proceed- 
 ings ; but I am satisfied in my owji mind of your pru- 
 dence and the soundness of your judgment. From this 
 persuasion, I have no doubt that if I could see things in 
 all their bearings as I suppose you see them, I should 
 act just as you do." 
 
 "Thomas, the views and feelings you have expressed 
 are right," said the lady ; " fur, from your know]cdg(i of 
 me you conclude that I act from just principles, althoiigji 
 you are not able to look through my present actions 
 to the far-off results that I contemplate. The proceed- 
 ings of Providouce are frequently dark and mysterious, 
 
T?" 
 
 200 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 and often invcjlve the innocent and the virtuous in laby- 
 I'intliH of Horrow and diatresH, from which the sufferer 
 can see no possibh^ way of extricating liirnself. In 
 such cases, would it not be wise to say, with liuni- 
 ble resignation to the stern necessities of the moment, 
 ' It is the Lord, let Him do as seemeth wise or good 
 in llis sight?' and then to ask for patience to for- 
 tify the soul, tyiat it may, without a murmur, wait the 
 full developments that Heaven contemplates. Thus, 
 whether Captain or Mrs. Walters, or you, or even I my- 
 self, live or die, and though hand join in hand against 
 it, the will of God will and must be vindicated, though 
 it were necessary that He should use the entire universe 
 as agents to accomplish His purposes. In fact, Thomas, 
 the state and circumstances of man in this world are ill- 
 adapted f(jr the full app(n-tionment of rewards to virtue 
 or punishment to vice. We see men, pure and holy 
 though they be, become the victims and the sport of bad 
 men, who plague, distress, and torment them, throughout 
 the whole course of their earthly existence. These, 
 without a higher state, could have no compensation for 
 their sufferings. Reason, and all the better impulses 
 of our nature, revolt at such an idea. It is in strict 
 accordance with tlie highest and purest aspirations of 
 the best and noblest minds, that there will be a loftier 
 and wider sphere, where the now latent powers, and the 
 clipped wings of man's higher nature, will be brought 
 out and let loose amidst a boundless range of untold 
 delights. And then, earthly courts cannot apportion 
 punishment to crime. A man, if guilty of taking the life 
 of one of his fellow-men, may pay the forfeit of his life 
 for the crime : he can lose no more from earthly justice 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 if be takes the lives of a huudred. But it may be ex- 
 pected to be fur otherwise in the punisb.neuts inflicted 
 
 It LTr- "' '''" '"■ "'■ «"'^' -''"- duration 
 can be added to intensity of sniToring. It may appear 
 
 strange to us, that there are men who would try to per' 
 »uade us that there is a universe without law, or a law 
 Without penalty. 
 
 '' But now, Thomas, I wish to start early in the morn- 
 ing on our journey homeward, and of course you will 
 stnctly observe your usual silence and secrecy as to 
 where^ we have been, or any of our doings^so, good- 
 
 \ 
 
 9* 
 
202 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 A FEW days after the appearance of the strange man 
 and woman, at the residence of Captain Walters, Mr. 
 Le Clair again gave them a call, on returning from his 
 mission to a tribe of Indians located near the shore of 
 Rice Lake. It might have been supposed, from the very 
 familiar way in which he introduced himself, and the 
 equally hearty reception that was given to him, by both 
 Captain and Mrs. Walters, that they had been friends of 
 long standing. The address of both was easy and cor- 
 dial, without the most distant approach to formality. 
 Whether they sat enjoying themselves in a colloquial 
 way in the house ; or without, in surveying the great im- 
 provements by which the Captain had in so short a time 
 made such a transformation in his surroundings ; or 
 ascended the little eminence close by, which afforded a 
 view of a wide expanse of Lake Ontario ; or contem- 
 plated the dark woods in the rear of their house — either 
 of these themes was sufficient to put in requisition those 
 fine conversational powers with which they were blessed. 
 And then they mutually took great pleasure in survey- 
 ing the beauties of nature ; and few localities could 
 have been selectc^d where sucli an assemblage of beau- 
 ties were to be seen. 
 
 So very pleasant and agreeable was the companion- 
 ship of these choice spirits, that they made the most 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 203 
 
 cf the high intellectual treat thus afforded them. As it 
 was now Saturday afternoon, but little persuasion wns 
 found necessary to induce Mr. Le Clair to prolong- his 
 stay until Monday morning'. After the toils of tiie week, 
 the preparations for their evening's devotions were at- 
 tended to with a proper and becoming- spirit. The Sat- 
 urday night's gathering of the domestic circle was usu- 
 ally one of peculiar interest and enjoyment, and, accord- 
 ing to their designation, emphatically the preparation of 
 the Sabbath. This was an entirely new thing to Mr. 
 Le Clair, and it might have been supposed, judging from 
 his strict Catholic education, and, indeed, from all his 
 previous life and associations, that there would be a little 
 reluctance evinced on his part to joining such exercises. 
 But, as there was no alternative, without a violation of 
 good manners, he acquiesced rather than concurred, — 
 keeping his attention fully directed, however, to every 
 thing done, and the utterance of every sentiment. The 
 Captain was a little nervous, feeling that his Christianity 
 was on trial, not only before a keen judge, but a death- 
 less spirit, that might hear on that night for either weal 
 or woe. And his heart was all aglow — not with any 
 exhibition of rant or wildfire, but with a spirit of devo- 
 tion, kindled up by flashes of fire, as it were from the 
 very altar of God. And soon this was felt by, and even 
 actuated every spiritual worshipper there, for there was 
 freedom of spirit and softening of hearts. It might 
 have been seen .that thee was already a strong conflict 
 going on within Mr. Le Clair— between his iieart, his in- 
 tellect, and his strong will ; which, though he restrained 
 himself, and observed rather an awkward silence, was 
 evinced more plainly by his manner than it could have 
 
204 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 boen by words. The services of the evening closed, 
 and each one retired to rest, without eliciting from Mr. 
 Le Clair a syllable as to the estimate he had formed of 
 this to him novel proceediiig. He found, however, on 
 liis retirement to the silence of his own room, and when 
 left to his own undisturbed reflections, that the impres- 
 sions on his mind were deep, but at the same time quite 
 undefinable. Entirely new developments of his inner 
 nature seemed opened up to his view, of the existence 
 of which until now he had been utterly unconscious, 
 lie now saw and felt that he occupied an entirely new 
 position — to himself, to his God, and to the world : tliat 
 the whole of his life had been little better than that of 
 a visionary dnsamer. His heart was troubled with con- 
 victions of his responsibilities, and his soul smitten with 
 overwhelming- thoughts of its utter barrenness of the 
 appropriate fruits now demanded, and dread of the con- 
 sequences, if the enactments of the divine law against 
 the transgressor should be put in execution. These dis- 
 tracting and bewildering thoughts drove sleep from his 
 eyes, peace from his mind, and rest from his body. Thus 
 he passed the night in a state of groat disquietude, for 
 which neither his former views of religion nor the 
 maxims of his philosophy, furnished a remedy. It was 
 the conflict of a strong mind grappling with mighty 
 truths. But, the combatants were unequal, for his heart 
 eventually succumbed to the superior power, and he 
 fell as one slain by the Spirit of God. 
 
 Tiie next day, the Sabbath, dawned clear and bright, 
 though there had been some heavy gusts of wind and 
 a shtjwer of rain during the night. And in keeping witii 
 thin outward appearance of things, the dwellers in that 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 205 
 
 on 
 
 dis- 
 liis 
 
 'bus 
 for 
 the 
 
 was 
 
 leart 
 d he 
 
 ■ig:lit, 
 and 
 
 with 
 that 
 
 habitation still retained the spiritual fervor acquired on 
 the previous evening. This was evinced at very early 
 dawn, by the songs chanted by the melodious voices of 
 the women, while employed in their domestic avoca- 
 tions ; and the men at their necessarj'^ labor of feeding' 
 and attendiiif^ to the horses and cattle, made the neigh- 
 boring- woods ring while singing the praises of their 
 God and Father. 
 
 When the mind and body are in possession of ordi- 
 nary health and vigor, even the preacher of the gosp(d 
 may go through the labors of his sacred office on the 
 Sabbath in a kind of cold, professional, routine way ; 
 but when health is failing, and death, looming up in the 
 distance, is approaching with certain and rapid strides, 
 it gives earnestness of manner and unwonted pathos to 
 the preacher in the enunciation of truth. This was 
 especially the case with Captain Walters on this highly 
 interesting and memorable Sabbath. Indeed there was 
 a combination of circumstances and influences that 
 tended to increase and intensify this feeling, and give 
 his mind unusual fervor. His was at all times an active 
 mind ; but on this day it might have been seen, to use 
 an apt figure, that " the sword was far too keen for the 
 scabbard." 
 
 The Captain had been impressed with feelings of 
 sanctified delight, within the past few days, on observing 
 the power of divine truth over the hearts of some of the 
 rough, uncultivated beings who hav(,> already passed 
 before us. And now he gathered from the unmistakable 
 maimer of Mr. Le Clair tliat deep impressions had been 
 made on his mind, although he had not, by the utter- 
 ance of a word, alluded to the subject. But it was evi- 
 
20G 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 dent that he was nursing his grief, and that the barbed 
 arrows of the Almighty were rankling in his heart. 
 The Captain had been so blessed on the night before, 
 and had received such clear evidf^nce of the Divine favor, 
 that now, on this beautiful Sabbath morning, his assur- 
 ance of the smiles of God was without a cloud to disturi) 
 his serenity. Thus prepared, with his work before him, 
 and his armor all bright and ready for the contest, diffi- 
 culties vanished before him like the mist receding before 
 the piercing rays of the sun. He was serious with(;ut 
 being morose, and cheerful without being frivolous ; for 
 there was Christian joy in his heart which smoothed his 
 spirit, illuminated his countenance, and dictated all his 
 words. How fully he exemplified, on that morning, the 
 spirit and disposition of his divine Master I And again, 
 when the hour of their morning family devotion arrived, 
 they had still further 'vidence that the resources of 
 divine love had not been exhausted by the abundant 
 blessings they had received on the previous evening ; 
 and this was feit by each in the speechless awe fhat 
 pervaded every mind present. 
 
 When the time of public service arrived, the large 
 room that had been fitted up for the purpose was now 
 filled by an orderly company of men, women, and chil- 
 dren, — so thorough had been the reformation of manners 
 through the neighborhood, the gospel having brought 
 within its benign influence almost every member of 
 every household. Here it was made evident that the 
 gospel has a moral moulding force, far surpassing in its 
 prompt and direct action the best-devised educational 
 system, and the most stringently enforced police laws. 
 
 A good part of the company now before us wen* under 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 207 
 
 tlie influence of tlicir first love, for thoy listened to the 
 word spoken with such fixedness of attention that every 
 word seemed to tell, as it met with a hearty response, — 
 thoug-h this was evidenced rather by manner than by 
 words. Even the hardest sinner there gave clear evi- 
 dence that his heart was not altogether without suscep- 
 tibility — some little spot where the good seed miglit 
 germinate, however much he struggled to smother his 
 convictions, and thus involve himself in a more serious 
 responsibility by quenching the Spirit. 
 
 At the close of this day, on which the arm of the God 
 of Israel had been so signally made bare, and quite a 
 number brought within the consecrated circle of divine 
 influence, all acknowledged that it had been as one of 
 the days of the Son of Man with power 
 
 But not the least interesting case was that of Mr. Le 
 Clair, who had come merely as a casual visitor, had par- 
 taken of the hospitalities of Captain Walters and his 
 wife, and, with more than ordinary relish, enjoyed some 
 hours of social intercourse. But all. this was as naught 
 to the discoveries that had now been unfolded before his 
 awakened conscience, and those whelming influences 
 which had swept before them as cobwebs his long- 
 cherished opinions, and even broken up the deep caverns 
 of his heart, and probed all the profounder recesses of 
 his soul, so that things long buried there and forgotten 
 were thrown up to the surface, and there exposed before 
 him in all their sad and hideous deformity ; while, to 
 give a still deeper shade to this dark picture, the con- 
 trast was presented to his startled soul of the enact- 
 ments of the divine law of God, that requires truth and 
 purity in th(^ heart, and strict righteousness in the whole 
 
208 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OK, 
 
 7'. 
 
 conduct. In this state of utter consternation, looking 
 around him for some support, some refuge, some conso- 
 lation, and finding none, he cried out in the bitterness of 
 his spirit, " Oh ! wrctclied man that I am, who shall de- 
 liver* me from this body of sin and deatii V 
 
 It was well for him that there were not those present 
 who would have imposed on him the performance of 
 some penance, the endurance of some severe bodily 
 pain, as a remedy for his spiritual diseases and mental 
 afflictions. But happy indeed was it for him that there 
 were those there who were able and willing to point 
 him to the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the 
 world, whom, by simple faith in His merits and atoning 
 sacrifice, he would find an all-sufficient Saviour, ready 
 to meet his every requirement. And so it proved ; for, 
 although it was difficult for him fully to comprehend 
 at first the simplicity of saving faith, still, when he got 
 a glimpse of the Redeemer as having fulfilled the de- 
 mands of the divine law by dying in his stead, and saw 
 that through the shedding of His precious blood the sin- 
 ner might go free, he grasped at the idea as if in desp(^- 
 ration, and at that instant light broke upon his mind, 
 and divine love filled his soul — he was indeed a new 
 man. Now he breathed in a higher, purer moral atmos- 
 phere ; new and nobler thoughts struck athwart his 
 brain ; strange emotions swayed his soul ; feelings full 
 and strong welled up from the deep fountains of his 
 heart, and his tongue became eloquent with praise. 
 
 But the labors of this day proved too much for the en- 
 feebled and exhausted frame o^ Captain Walters. It is 
 true, his joy was full, but his .hysical strength was not 
 equal to the demands of the .^pirit. He therefore found 
 
woman's endurancp:. 
 
 2(^9 
 
 the en- 
 It is 
 'as not 
 found 
 
 it noceasary to retire early to bed. But even wlien 
 tliere, the activity of his u\'uu\ drove Hloep from his (^yes, 
 and he passed a weary jind restless ni^ht. And it \v:is 
 not till his mind bad attaiiKul its ordinary composure, 
 that rest came to his wearied frame. Thus it is evident 
 that any unusual, lon^-continued strain upon our spir- 
 itual susceptibilities must be at the expense of our phys- 
 ical force. 
 
 During the prostrati(jn of the Captain's physical 
 strength, his wife proved herself indeed a ministering 
 angel. So attentive was she to his least want or faint- 
 est desire, that no mother could have hovered over th(; 
 priceless object of her affections with more yearning of 
 soul ; and unbounded was her delight when, after a few 
 days of quiet and rest, accompanied by her own assidu- 
 ous attentions, he appeared to b(^ fully restored to his 
 wonted strength, and to give flattering indications of 
 returning permanent health. 
 
 When Monday morning arrived, Mr. Le Clair, having 
 important business on hand which required dispatch, felt 
 it his duty to depart ; but strong ties now bound his 
 heart to the spot where he had so unexpectedly become 
 possessed of hitherto unknown joys. He appeared to 
 linger in a state of painful suspense ; nor was it without 
 a strong effort that he finally tore himself away from 
 the place, accompanying his farewell with an expression 
 of gratitude, and that he must be permitted often to 
 call and see his spiritual father and mother, and the 
 place of his second birth — a place that must ever be 
 dear to him while memory remained. 
 
210 
 
 TUE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 A FEW weeks after tlic circumstances occurred as 
 narr.ated above, an event transpired which we must 
 state, as it will so cloarl}'^ portray the frame of mind of 
 Captain Walters, and the correct moral principles on 
 which he acted, and how strongly the love of God and 
 man swayed his heart and regulated his whole conduct. 
 
 In the Concession, where the Captain had fixed his 
 residence, there was a family who had recently arrived 
 from England. The husband and father of this family 
 was apparently above the common average of men of 
 his class, in endowments of mind and general intelli- 
 gence ; and he was at once prudent, sober, and highly 
 industrious. But his wnfe was not at all adapted for a 
 rough-and-tumble strife with the W(jrld. With a weak, 
 diminutive body, and a more imbecile mind, she was by 
 no means a meet companion for her husband. And then 
 she was of a remarkably cold temperament, conse- 
 quently heartless and selfish, and unappreciativc of any 
 tenderness or kindness shown to her. Her habits, in 
 her domestic relations, were not those that became a 
 wife and a mother. She was improvident and thriftless, 
 knowing not the value of money. She seemed not to 
 feel the importance of instilling the principles of truth 
 and right into the minds of her offspring, and this was a 
 source of continual disquietude to her partner. And not 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 211 
 
 only was she thuH deficient in mental, moral, and phys- 
 ical (|ualiti('H, wliicli had a diroct tendency to connter- 
 aet the inlluence of her husband, who was espei^ially de- 
 sirous to .maintain a standin<^ in society ; but there was 
 a still greater evil superadded, the source of pungent 
 sorrow and heart-consuming grief — she was a confirmed 
 inebriate. She was equally deaf to remonstrance, 
 threats, persua8i(m, or entreaties. 
 
 Thus, not having the co-operation and support of his 
 wife, this afflicted man liagged in his efforts to rise in 
 the world ; and under the pressure of these untoward 
 influences and circumstuiices, was fast making his way 
 with gray hairs and sorrow to the grave. But he wished 
 to make an elTort, before his death, to place hi? children, 
 if possible, under a more healthful moral atmosphere, as 
 he had an interesting family of three daughters and one 
 son. At the earnest request of the father, Mrs. ^Valter8 
 had taken the eldest daughter, that she might, as he 
 said, have an opportunity of learning something that 
 would qualify her for filling some useful position in life. 
 Her name was Elizabeth, but she was always called by 
 that of Betsey. She was a girl of some pretensions to 
 beauty, but had inherited from her mother one dangerous 
 weakness — an empty pride, that exhibited itself in in- 
 ordinate fondness of dress and show. This had been 
 the cause of great anxiety to her father, and he desired 
 that Mrs. Walters would do her best to restrain this 
 baneful propensity. 
 
 Betsey was remarkable for a lively and active spirit. 
 Iler disposition was one of the best, for she neither 
 thought nor said evil of any one ; and never returned 
 evil for evil, however ill or harshly she might have been 
 
212 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM: OR, 
 
 treated by them. Her rino^iii^, merry laugh, and native 
 wit, spread Runshine wherever she was. Hence, slio 
 soon became a general favorite with tlie family, and 
 with all who knew lier. It was Bets(»y here, and Betsey 
 there, and with light heart and nimble foot did she 
 respond to every call. Slie would often exclaim : " Dear 
 me, I wonder what would be done if you had no Betsey 
 to call upon !" She was remarkably clean in her per- 
 son, and particular in her dress ; every pin was attended 
 to, and every string properly tied. Such was the con- 
 lidence placed in her fidelity, that distrust or doubt was 
 never thought of in connection with Betsey. In this 
 way, the domestic affairs of the house went on smoothly 
 and regularly, without jar or discord. But, in the course 
 of time, a little trinket or two were missing from the 
 place of safe-keeping, where they had been put by Mrs. 
 Walters. Then another, and still another disappeared. 
 This caused much talk arid no little flutter among the 
 members of the household. Mrs. Walters had often 
 spoken of the thing to the Captain, and receiv(3d from 
 him a strict injunction to say as little about it in the 
 house as possible, but to leave the management of the 
 whole thing in his hands. 
 
 The Captain was, from first to last, perfectly silent on 
 the subject, but always on the alert. He thought that 
 he saw a great change in the spirit and manner of Bet- 
 sey ; for instead of being lively and merry, she had 
 become mopish and taciturn. She was pettish in her 
 conduct, and pert in her wijrds to all around her. From 
 being prim and neat in her dress, she had become care- 
 less and slatternly ; and her fine head of dark-brown 
 hair, that had always been tastefully done up, was now 
 
R, 
 
 woman's endurance. 
 
 213 
 
 I, and native 
 Honco, slio 
 fjiniilv, and 
 , and Bets(,'v 
 bot did she 
 aim : " Dear 
 d no Betsey 
 in her per- 
 7£is attended 
 /■as the con- 
 Y doubt was 
 ey. In this 
 on smoothly 
 n the course 
 ig from tlie 
 put by Mrs. 
 disappeared. 
 [• among the 
 5 had often 
 !ceiv(!d from 
 ut it in the 
 ment of the 
 
 tly silent on 
 hought that 
 nner of Bet- 
 ry, she had 
 ttish in her 
 her. From 
 lecome care- 
 dark-brown 
 ip, was now 
 
 left loose and tangled. And then there was an evident 
 sign of guilt in her countenance ; for she could no longer, 
 as had been her wont, look with the steady and fearless 
 gaze of innocence in the face of one with whom she was 
 talking. All this had not escaped the scrutinizing eye 
 of the Captain, who judged, and judged rightly, that 
 there must be a cause for all this change in Betsey 
 But still, he was at a loss as to the best mode of pro- 
 cedure under the circumstances ; knowing well, that if 
 questioned about the missing articles, she would deny 
 all knowledge of them. At length he formed his plan of 
 operations, and the result will show that it was no less 
 the dictate of prudence than of mercy. Looking out for 
 a favorable opportunity of having a word with Betsey in 
 private, it was not long before it offered itself ; and 
 going close up to her, he said in a quiet, calm way — 
 
 "Betsey, I want to have a word with you — come 
 along with me." 
 
 Betsey, it was evident, was greatly alarmed ; but, 
 assuming the tone and manner of over-done confidence, 
 said in a pert way — 
 
 " What do you want with mo ?" 
 
 The Captain, without appearing to notice her embar- 
 rassment, said in a more commanding way, and in a 
 (irmer tone — 
 
 " Betsey, come this way." 
 
 She promptly obeyetl the summons, and moving in a 
 dogged way, followed him into her own room. On tlieir 
 arrival there, the Captain locked the door, putting the 
 key in his pocket ; and then turning to her, he said — 
 
 " Betsey, I want to look in your trunk ; let me have 
 the key." 
 
214 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OK, 
 
 7^ 
 
 Betsey, with a face of crimson iiue, lier eyes ilasliiiig 
 with passion, her lips quivering, and all her frame trem- 
 bling with rage, said — 
 
 " No, indeed ; no person shall look into my trunk. 
 What do you want with ray trunk ? There is nothing 
 in it belonging to you ; and if there is, I have not put it 
 there." 
 
 All this outburst of fury was met with calm and cool 
 resolution on the part of the Captain, who said, v/ithout 
 tho least movement of a muscle of his face — 
 
 " Betsey, I demand your key ; or, if you refuse to 
 give it to me, I will break it open myself ;" at the same 
 time taking out of his pocket a hammer, a pair of pin- 
 cers, and a stout chisel. 
 
 At the sight of these implements Betsey (juailed, and 
 stood confounded before him, but drew the key from her 
 pocket and handed it to him ; at the same time most 
 strenuously declaring, that if there was any thing 
 therein belonging to him, it must have been put there 
 by some one else. 
 
 The Captain heed(;d not a word she said, but delibe- 
 rately unlocked the trunk ; when, lo and behold ! stowed 
 away in different parts, were all the lost articles, 
 wrapped up in bits of rags. Among them was a num- 
 ber of valuable trinket presents, that had been given to 
 Mrs. Walters in her young days, and which were prized 
 by her above all money value. All were brought out of 
 the trunk, and laid upon the table before Betsey, who 
 was still stout in protestations of her own innocence, 
 charging the crime to some other person. But the Cap- 
 tain, pointing to the things on the table, and looking 
 Betsey steadily in the face, said — 
 

 woman's ENDLMIANOE. 
 
 215 
 
 " Now, Betsey, I suppose you expect that I will send 
 for an officer of justice to take you to jail, and have you 
 tried for this very grave offence, the penalty for which 
 would be a long imprisonment ; but no, Betsey, I will 
 not do this, I will not so expose you. If I do not send 
 you to jail, I suppose you conclude that I will send you 
 home to your father and mother, with my reasons for 
 such a step. That might prove the means of breaking 
 their hearts, and bringing down their gray hairs with 
 sorrow to the grave. No, Betsey, I will not do this. 
 But, if I am thus lenient, you cannot but expect that I 
 will by all means inform Mrs. Walters. And then, of 
 course, all in the house must know about this, that all 
 suspicion may be removed from them, and placed where 
 it rightfully belongs. But no," said the Captain, " this 
 is between you and me, and shall ever remain so ; I will 
 not expose you, Betsey." 
 
 At the utterance of these words Betsey showed evi- 
 dent signs of relenting ; when the Captain takiiig a 
 neatly bound Testament from his pocket, presented i*^^ to 
 her, saying — 
 
 "Betsey, I have learned the sentiments that have 
 prompted ray coiiduct i'rom this Book. Take you this 
 and read it, and treasure up its truths in your heart; 
 and in all your future days i-egulate your conduct by its 
 precepts ; and you will then be kept from the power of 
 temptation, and forever free from any fear of exposure." 
 
 All this was spoken with so much feeling, and with 
 such deep sympathy for the erring girl before him, that 
 Iter heart was softened, and her stubbornness vanislied. 
 lie had won on her better nature ; her pent up feelings 
 burst forth, and a copious flow of tears came to her 
 
216 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 relief, and, falling down before him, she clasped Iuh 
 knees in her arms, and with an agony of soul cried 
 out- — 
 
 " Oh, Captain Walters, you have saved me from ruin. 
 My father, my more than father, how can I ever repay 
 you for all this ?" 
 
 The Captain very tenderly raised her from her knees, 
 and told her that she should thank God and not him. 
 All, he said, he should exact of her was, that she should 
 keep her own counsel, and replace every article where 
 she found it. Before he left the room he prayed with 
 and for her ; and then unlocking the door, he left her to 
 her own meditations. Agreeable to his directions, every 
 article that had been so mysteriously taken away, was 
 silently and secretly deposited in the places from which 
 they had been taken, to the astonishment of every mem- 
 ber of the family. And this was often spoken of by Mrs. 
 Walters to her husband, but -he himself obs' rved the 
 strict secrecy he had imposed on Betsey. 
 
 After the occurrence of the above circumstances, it 
 was really astonishing to see the transformation in tlio 
 appearance and general behavior of Betsey. Siic had 
 not been restored to that buoyant hilarity that so strong- 
 ly marked her character when she was first introduced 
 to our notice ; there was not that hearty, ringing laugli, 
 that gave token of the innocent and light-minded girl. 
 But she had now entirely lost tliat guilty look, that 
 sideward glancing of the eye, when spoken to. Her 
 dress gave evidence of more thoughtful care, without 
 any of the show-oif air that had been so noticeable be- 
 fore. Yet there was nothing of the prim and precise 
 prude about her : every tiling was easy, steady, and 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 217 
 
 natural— she had become so womanly, so thonj:r},tful, 
 and even graceful. And when there was any thin^^ of 
 a pleasing nature introduced, her intelligent face was 
 immediately lighted up by a smile as sweet as it was 
 natural. And then she moved about the house with so 
 noiseless a tread, and every department of her duty was 
 performed in so satisfactory a way, that she elicited 
 praise from every one. At the least intimation given 
 by the Captain of a wish or a want, Betsey flew, as it 
 were, to its performance. But while she was tiuis 
 prompt, there was care observed, as if nothing could be 
 done too well for Captain Walters. Indeed, she was so 
 completely controlled by the desire to serve and gratify 
 him, that if she thought he had any unexpressed wish, 
 it was a source of pain to her. This change was a 
 subject of wonder and remark to all in the house ; but 
 tiiey knew not the secret spring of action that moved so 
 sweetly the grateful heart of Betsey. In her feelings 
 and expressions of sorrow she was only second to Mrs. 
 Walters herself, as she saw the daily, and indeed hourly 
 waning health and strength of the Captain. This proved 
 a strong tie between Mrs. Walters and Betsey, for the 
 former could not be insensible to conduct exhibiting so 
 strongly a desire to serve him who was the chief object 
 of her own love and solicitude. And such was the con- 
 fidence with which she had inspired the heart of Mrs. 
 Walters, that the latter always felt easy in her mind 
 when she knew that Betsey was within hailing distance 
 of her husband. What tended to raise still hig-her her 
 appreciation of Betsey's worth as a tender nurse, was 
 that on several occasions of late, when, on gently open- 
 ing the door which opened into her husband's room, she 
 
 10 
 
 «''i 
 
218 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 '1 
 
 had observed Betsey on her knees, deeply engaged with 
 the Captain in an act of devotion. Betsey was at once 
 tireless and sleepless in her attentions to the Captain, 
 for it mattered not whether it was night or day, when 
 there was a demand for her services, she was ever at 
 hand. 
 
 Fortunate indeed was it for Mrs. Walters that she 
 had such an assistant in this time of her sore affliction, 
 feeling as she did that she was about to be left lonely 
 in the world, and cut off as it were from civilization. 
 There was not in the world, so far as she knew, a single 
 individual with whom she could claim kindred. No 
 wonder if at times she was sad and melancholy. But 
 her husband's mind was calm and serene, so far had the 
 grace of God jained the control of his soul. Howtiver, 
 he still felt, and felt deeply, for his wife. Knowing 
 that he was about to leave her a widow indeed, and 
 lonely in the wide, wide world, he endeavored, feelingly 
 and affectionately, to soothe her sorrow. With perspi- 
 cuity and force he often adduced those precious prom- 
 ises suited to her case. Sorrowful and sad as she might 
 be on her own account, she could not but rejoice on be- 
 half of her husband, seeing him so contident in Jeshu- 
 run's covenant-keeping God. 
 
 It was now nearly the close of the winter season, and 
 at times, such was the flattering appearance of the dis« 
 ease of Captain Walters, they were led to hope that, on 
 the arrival of the warm and inspiriting weather ol 
 •»ring, he might rally, as he was yet comparatively 
 >.>ung. But as often were these flat:ering and decep- 
 t, »'e <vxpectations cut off by a relapse that generally left 
 iiim t^iiil weaker. The hectic flush on his cheek, and 
 
woman's El^DURANCE. 
 
 219 
 
 tlie larp^c, clear, but pclassy eye, told all too plainly tluit 
 tlie destroyer was pursuino^ his track with uiideviating 
 :ii)d unfaltering step. But still he lingered on and on. 
 Tli<! balmy breezes of spring and the enlivening warmth 
 of the vernal sun exerted their magic ijifluences over ti)(> 
 face of nature, inviting the feathered wanderers to re- 
 turn from the too ardent south ; inducing the various 
 chrysalids to open their prison-doors, and send forth 
 their gaudy, spangled inmates, to give variety and 
 beauty to the scene ; and more than all, renewing the 
 glories of the vegetable world : but all tlujse were pow- 
 erless to allure or bribe from his purpose the foe that 
 was preying upon the vitals of Captain Walters. 
 
 It may be supposed that, under the circumstances, the 
 immediate family of Captain Walters were not the only 
 ones who felt a deep anxiety on his behalf. No. He 
 had been the chief instrument, under God, of a move- 
 ment of no ordinary magnitude and imitortance, and 
 which had been the means of associating In'm with the 
 destiny of the deathless spirits of some of those v/ho re- 
 sided in the neighborhood. And it would be no wonder,, 
 then, to find that many and anxious were the inquiries 
 daily made regarding his health, and that numerous and 
 fervent were the prayers continually ascending to the 
 thnme of grace for him and his. It was not that they, 
 in their beneficence, had clothed the naked and fed the 
 linngry, or visited the sick and suffering in their cabins, 
 though this had been done ; but that they had been in- 
 strumental, in the hand of God, in bringing them to the 
 knowledge of salvation through the blood of the Lamb, 
 and of putting them in possession of the peace of God 
 that passeth understanding. These people, so lately 
 
2'20 
 
 TUE JiLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 -1 
 
 irnrriersocl in sf^mi-barburisin, wava now so far hnniani/etl 
 tliat their lioarts wero ready to break at the thonglit of 
 losing by death hinj whom they could call father in the 
 Lord. And their sympathies were not the mere expres- 
 sions of tiieir lips, but were (evidenced by the presenta- 
 tion of many little trifles — not of much worth in them- 
 selves, but of value as showing a disposition in the 
 g'iver, that said in the very act, I would do more if I 
 could. But neither the afiection of a tender-hearted wife, 
 the ever-ready assiduities of the members of his own 
 family, nor the prayers, sympathy, and ardent solicitude 
 of their neighbors, could stay the onward march of the 
 foe, lor nearer, and still nearer, he comes. 
 
 On a day in the early part of June, when all nature 
 was dressed in her gayest attire, radiant with beauty 
 and teeming with life on every hand, the carriage of 
 Mr. Le Clair was driven into the yard. On entering 
 tlie residence of Mr. Walters, what a contrast to the 
 outside appearance of things, as he had just viewed 
 them, is presented 1 There every thing is bright and 
 joyous : here there is sadness on every face, and every 
 tongue is held as by the very spirit of silence ; and who- 
 ever he speaks to responds in a low whisper, and all 
 seem as though afraid of hearing the sound of their own 
 footfall. 
 
 Mr. Le Clair was introduced into the room of the 
 djnng man of God, and found him with his faculties 
 in full vigor, his soul all aglow with love to God, and 
 his confidence strong in His promise that He would 
 support him while passing through the dark valley of 
 death. He informed Mr. Le Clair that he had selected 
 him to assist in the last sad duties required for the dead. 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 221 
 
 and trusted he would see tliat his remains were depos- 
 ited in the little mound he had himself selected, and 
 where he had superintended the planting of a number of 
 young trees that in time would grow up and form a 
 shade over the resting-place of all that remained on earth 
 of Robert Walters. And those green trees would be all 
 tlic monument he desired to be raised to his memory. 
 
 " Except the monuments that have been raised in 
 many a human heart," said Mr. Le Clair, " and cemented 
 by tears of true and sincere affection, that will Ix; more 
 durable and of higher estimation than tablets of marble 
 or brass." 
 
 At this Captain Walters said, with a pleasing smile 
 lighting up his noble and intellectual face — " Not unto 
 us, Lord ! but unto Thy name be all the praise." 
 
 The Captain continued, with ebbs and flows of feeling, 
 sometimes reviving, and then again subsiding from very 
 weakness, when his words were few and his voice feeble. 
 But, with what little strength he had, his words were 
 full of fervor, and his visions of glory clear and beauti- 
 ful ; for his spirit was fully ripe for association with the 
 blessed. 
 
 The best criterion, perhaps, by which to judge of the 
 esteem in which a man has been held in life, is by the 
 mmibers who attend his funeral, and especially when 
 that attendance is associated with the deep sympathies 
 of their hearts. If this be true, never was man more 
 highly esteemed than in the instance before us, lor if 
 every mother there had lost the darling of her licai't, 
 and every father his first-born, their sorrow could not 
 have been more deep or general than it was at the fu- 
 neral of Captain Walters. 
 
T!"" 
 
 222 
 
 THE K r. A c K phantom; or, 
 
 i 
 
 ^. 
 
 The sceno be^p^firs all description, for the reqniorn 
 then; chanted was the wailincjs of riven hearts, and the 
 ritiiiil rehearsed was the sobs of pun? aifection. But 
 chief ainon/^ the nionrners was Mrs. Walters and Betsey, 
 The contrast prescnited by these two was so stronjj^ly 
 marked as to be noticed by a number of persons. While 
 the sorrow of Mrs. Walters was evinced by deep emo- 
 tion, there was yet a strong controlling- power that held 
 a tight rein upon her feelings ; and then she niouriki'd 
 as one not without hope. But, on the part of Betsey, 
 there was a wild abandonment to feeling that was 
 alarming, and it seemed as if coercion might be re- 
 quired to get her from the coffin. Indeed, many thought 
 her reason was dethroned, for, in tin? bewilderment of 
 her frenzy she cried out — 
 
 " Oh, he saved me from ruin, my more than father ! 
 How can I part with him, my best, my very best friend I 
 What should I have been but for him ?" 
 
 This was considered by the lookers on as the wild 
 ravings of a maniac ; but still, it was treasured up in the 
 memory of more than one of those who were present. 
 Poor little Baptiste exhibited somewhat of the keen 
 sensibility of a woman, by the pungency of his sorrow, 
 and the abundant flow of his tears. And the two trusty 
 men who had been the stalwart companions in arms of 
 Captain Walters, Jones and Brown, stood like two 
 statues beside the coffin ; but they were swayed by 
 deep inward sorrow, though with less outward manifes- 
 tation. But their wives and their two little children 
 were quite obstreperous under their sad bereavement. 
 A fine specimen of dignity and manly sorrow, there 
 stood Mr. Le Clair, and perhaps no opportunity could 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 223 
 
 rcqnicm 
 
 and thf! 
 
 11. But 
 
 Betsey. 
 
 stroiif^ly 
 
 . While 
 
 sep cino- 
 
 hat held 
 
 nioiirijed 
 
 Betsey, 
 
 [lat was 
 
 t be r(3- 
 
 tliOUgllt 
 
 meiit of 
 
 father ! 
 ; friend 1 
 
 the wild 
 ip ill the 
 present, 
 le keen 
 sorrow, 
 o trusty 
 arms of 
 ko two 
 lyed by 
 nanifes- 
 children 
 vement. 
 7, there 
 :y could 
 
 have been given to sliow the g-enuinc firniness of tin; 
 Indian character like tlu^ present. All the? cluiracteris- 
 tics of the two nati(jns from which lie derived his oriu"in 
 were strongly portrayed in him — there was a ready and 
 ])leasing affability softening the sterner sadness of the 
 moment. 
 
 Keen and deep as was the sorrow of all pres(?nt, there 
 was a stern necessity for terminating tliis scene, for the 
 shades of evening began to notify tliera tliat time was 
 moving onward ; and when the last kiss was imprinted 
 on that fair and noble forehead by his stricken-hearted 
 widow, the remains were forever closed to the contem- 
 plation of human eyes, and solemnly conveyed to their 
 last resting-place, a spot which had been selected, as 
 has been already noticed, by the Captain himself, and 
 one of surpassing beauty — a mound of considerable ele- 
 vation, supposed to have been the burial-place of some 
 ancient tribe of Indians. Besides being a place strongly'- 
 marked by njiture, it had been further ornamented by 
 the planting of a choice selection of young trees, that 
 would eventually add greatly to the picturesque beauty 
 of the spot. There rests, in that ancient mound, the 
 ashes of the late Captain Robert Walters, and there tiiey 
 will remain until the trump of the angel of God shall 
 call them forth, to join in the glories of the first resur- 
 rection. 
 
 Right faithfully and delicately had Mr. Le Clair car- 
 ried out the wishes and injunctions of his late friend, 
 and after offering his condolence, and giving liis advice 
 on some subjects that had been submitted to iiis judg- 
 ment by Mrs. Walters, he departed to attend to the 
 transaction of business connect(;d with his own aflaira 
 
224 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 Rut boforo hiH (l(!pJirtiiro .*i promiso was f^iven, and with 
 mournful pleaHuro responded to, that he woukl occa- 
 sionally call, and thus keep uj) iho. tViendrtliip that had 
 been formed under more pleasin<j;' auspice's. At the 
 same time, Mr. Le Clair said that should any enierf:;en{!y 
 arise in which she mi<j^ht need the advice or assistance 
 of a friend, ii would always aflbrd him higli gratification 
 to serve her. 
 
 '1 
 
woman's endurance 
 
 225 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Deep, wide, and lonp^-cnduriiig was the chasm that 
 liad been made in that once happy family circle. That 
 si^niilicant old Saxon term ho>ise-bond well expresses the 
 closr relati(mship, the strong ccmtroUing tic that binds 
 the household togetiier— the man at the head of the 
 family, the husband. When he is removed by death, or 
 otherwise, the family union is in a good degree dis- 
 rupted, and is often subjected to ^disintegration. That 
 this was not the case with the family circle of the late 
 Captain Walters, was owing to the strong mind and 
 controlling influence of Mrs. Walters. Si>e had clearness 
 of perception to see her proper woman's sphere, and 
 strength of will to enable her to meet all the demands of 
 her responsible position. She now found that the do- 
 mestic knowledge she had acquired under the tuition of 
 the skilful and prudent Mrs. Baldwin, might be put in 
 requisition with the best effects. What she had often 
 said was now verified — that there was a providence in 
 her having been so mysteriously thrown into the com- 
 pany of that estimable lady. And it was with no small 
 profit to herself, and to her family, that she had so closely 
 studied the precepts of poor Richard, and stored up in 
 her memory and reduced to practice the numerous reci- 
 pes so carefully written out for her by Mrs. Baldwin. 
 She showed herself, indeed, by hcc aptitude and her 
 
 10* 
 
226 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 -1 
 
 abil'ty to accommodate herself to circumstances, a su- 
 perior manager of a farm-house. And then she had such 
 nerve and such mental energy, and had so increased her 
 muscular force, that she was placed far in advance of 
 those puny females who are startled by every breath of 
 cold air, or shrink from a storm that might reach their 
 dainty persons or ruffle their dress. Yet, with all this, 
 there was nothing coarse, or rough, or masculine in her 
 appearance or manner. No J there was associated with 
 the busy and thrift}'' housewife, the high polish of a cul- 
 tivated taste, and the amiability of disposition of a Chris- 
 tian lady. And while she bore herself with dignity, from 
 an innate sense of self-respect, yet she would listen kindly 
 to the plaint of sorrow or the tale of woe, when uttered 
 by the humble and the poor ; and her hand was ever 
 ready to obey the dictates of her compassionate heart. 
 
 Under her able management, all the plans and contem- 
 plated improvements of her late husband were prose- 
 cuted and consummated with becoming vigor — giving 
 emplo^'^ment to a number of poor but industrious men, 
 and thus sustaining their dependent families. And such 
 was the willing deference paid to her, that she had oTily 
 to indicate a wish, to meet with a ready and swift com- 
 pliance. Some minds are so peculiarlj'' fitted to rule, 
 that without apparently exercising authority, they bend 
 all wills to their purposes. So it was with Mrs. Wal- 
 ters ; and hence it may be supposed that things moved 
 on smoothly, with little friction, both within-doors and 
 on the farm. Carrying out the intentions of her late 
 husband, one hundred acres of the bush were cut down 
 by the opening of spring, and all ready to be burned oil' 
 at the first spell of fine weather. 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 227 
 
 Bs, a su- 
 lad such 
 ased her 
 ranco of 
 roath of 
 ,ch thoir 
 all this, 
 lie in her 
 ,ted with 
 of a cul- 
 ' a Chris- 
 ity, from 
 )n kindly 
 a uttered 
 vas ever 
 p heart. 
 I contern- 
 'e prose- 
 — giving;: 
 :)us men, 
 Uid such 
 had only 
 mft cf)m- 
 to rule, 
 wy bend 
 rs. Wal- 
 8 moved 
 )ors and 
 her late 
 nit down 
 urned olV 
 
 An event of no small moment now occurred in the 
 family — the sickness and death of Betsey, and this under 
 very remarkable and exciting circumstances. After the 
 death of Captain Walters, there appeared to be deep 
 and undefiiiable eifects left up(m her mind. She seemed 
 to be brooding over some inward sorrow, other than that 
 occasioned by the death of Captain Walters. The minds 
 of Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Jones had become possessed of 
 very strange notions from the wild manner and inco- 
 herent expressions that she let fall at the funeral. In 
 about three mouths after that event, she was seized with 
 violent typhoid, apparently the effects of the deep sorrow 
 that overwhelmed her, which soon reduced her to a state 
 of childlike helplessness, and disturbed the balance of 
 her mind. During this state of mental aberration, she 
 would start as if seized with excessive terror, and cry 
 out— 
 
 " Yes, it was I who stole them — I took every one of 
 them I" 
 
 She would then subside, aud remain for a short time 
 in a st ite of stupor ; and then again shriek out — 
 
 " It was the devil prompted me ; he helped me to take 
 them, and ray own wicked heart said, ^ iTes, take thira 1' 
 Oh ! I was foolish and wick* d !" 
 
 After this, in a calm manner, ;md with a subdued tone 
 of voice, she would say — 
 
 " I wonder who it was that told Captain Walters that 
 I liad them all in my trunk ! Oh I it was God who told 
 him, to save me from going to hell !" 
 
 And tlien, in a softer and moro gentle way, she would 
 fiay— 
 
 " Oil ! how good it was in Captain Walters rot Ij tell 
 
228 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 my father and mother, and not to send me to jail ! And 
 then he told me that he would not tell Mrs. Walters — 
 neither did he ; was not that good of him ! But I put 
 them all back again where I got them. And was not 
 that a pretty Testament he gave me ! Oh 1 what a 
 sweet prayer he made to God for me, when we knelt 
 down before he left the room !" 
 
 All this was spoken in short, broken sentences, at 
 different times through the days and nights of her sick- 
 ness. She had indeed filled her soul with remorse, and 
 embittered her last moments. Often, as she lay, she 
 seemed as if talking to some one, with her eyes fixed on 
 vacancy ; and the theme of all her talk was the crime 
 of which she had been guilty, in purloining the articles 
 intrusted to her care. 
 
 But the ears of Mrs. Walters, as well as of the two 
 women, Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Jones, were attentive to 
 catch every word, yea, half a word. All this was as- 
 sociated with the wild words and frantic actions of Bet- 
 sey on the day of the funeral ; and they now concluded 
 that there had been good reason for her conduct. Mrs. 
 Walters said very little on the subject, except words of 
 pity and compassion. But when Betsey alluded to the 
 silence of her late husband, and of his goodness in not 
 exposing her, she said — 
 
 " Yes, it was just like the goodness and the tender- 
 ness of his heart. He was like his Lord and Master — 
 he would not break the bruised reed." 
 
 But Mrs. Brown was full of all sorts of surmisings, 
 and wonderings, and suggestions. And Mrs, Jones, at 
 every wild expression uttered by Betsey, would raise 
 her hands, expressive of holy horror, and give still 
 
 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 229 
 
 I! And 
 'alters — 
 •lit I put 
 was not 
 what a 
 le knelt 
 
 nces, at 
 ler sick- 
 rse, and 
 lay, she 
 fixed on 
 e crime 
 articles 
 
 the two 
 ntive to 
 was as- 
 of Bet- 
 •ncluded 
 t. Mrs. 
 Tv^ords of 
 d to the 
 J in not 
 
 tender- 
 faster — 
 
 greater expansion to her large eyes, soliloquizing in an 
 undertone — 
 
 " Well, who would ever have thought it ! Dear me, 
 I'm sure there's no knowing who to trust ! Mercy upon 
 us ! surely, the world must be coming to an end, there 
 is so much wickedness now-a-days 1" 
 
 The fever was of such a virulent type that it made 
 short work with Betsey. Although she had a few lucid 
 moinents, yet these were embittered by the recollection 
 of her sins. They had indeed planted her dying pillow 
 witli ;horns. She had, however, done all that lay in her 
 p;;v/ej . rectify the crime of which she had been guilty, 
 and aa some small atonement, she had made a full and 
 clear statement to Mrs. Walters before her death ; and 
 under her clear and pointed instructions, had been able 
 to throw her soul, with all its interests, on Christ. Yet 
 her death was not like that of Captain Walters — calm, 
 clear, confident, and gloriously triumphant. 
 
 
 mismgs, 
 ones, at 
 Id raise 
 ive still 
 
230 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 7\ 
 
 B'LTWEEN three and four months after the death of 
 Betijey, Mr. Le Clair paid a visit to Mrs. Walters ; and 
 though he was receive!^ vrith great cordiality by her, 
 yet there was an apparei ' aint at times in the man- 
 
 ners of both. It was true tr held friendly and familiar 
 converse on general subjects. On one occasion they 
 walked in company to the little picturesque mound 
 where lay entombed the remains of her late husband. 
 Both exhibited great propriety in their conduct. While 
 she evinced a true womanly feeling on her part, there 
 was on his an exhibition of becoming respect to her 
 heart-sorrows. It might have been that they both felt 
 a delicacy, induced by the change in their relative posi- 
 tion. She was now free from her marital bonds, and yet 
 in the bloom of youth, and withal of a highly sympa- 
 thetic nature. He was one year older than she, and 
 with a heart as tender as it was good and pure. So 
 devoid was he of all guile, that he carried truth and 
 honesty in his very looks ; and the words of prudence 
 and wisdom were ever flowing from his lips. 
 
 The time came for Mr. Le Clair to leave. Mrs. Wal- 
 ters gave him an invitation to renew his visit, to whicli 
 *he warmly responded, promising that he would most 
 assuredly avail himself of the privilege. 
 
 Mrs. Walters felt still more lonely for the visit of Mr. 
 Le Clair, as it had been to her a momentary gleam of 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 231 
 
 eath of 
 8 ; and 
 by her, 
 le man- 
 'amiliar 
 11 they 
 mound 
 asband. 
 While 
 ;, there 
 to her 
 >th felt 
 'e posi- 
 .nd 3^et 
 sympa- 
 e, and 
 e. So 
 ;h and 
 idence 
 
 . Wal- 
 which 
 I most 
 
 of Mr. 
 jam of 
 
 sunshine, which, vanishing with his departure, had left, 
 by contrast, a deeper g-loom upon her mind. Her feel- 
 ings were disturbed, and her thoughts all confusion, 
 and she now felt her loneliness pressing* with crushino* 
 weight upon her spirits. Of all the desolation felt at 
 any time by the human heart, that of the mourning 
 widow is doubtless the deepest, especially where she 
 mourns the loss of such a partner as Captain Walters. 
 But the heart is so self-adjusting, that it bends and ^^oon 
 accommodates itself to circumstances ; and especially 
 as in the case of Mrs. Walters, who was governed by 
 an enlightened acknowledgment of, and trust in, the all- 
 disposing providence of Heaven. But, with all her trust 
 and resignation, she was still a woman, and now felt 
 her woman's need — a sustaining arm on which to lean. 
 She felt that she was still in the world, and had to con- 
 tend in the world's battles. And she found that, how- 
 ever highly organized and endowed, phj^sically and men- 
 tally, woman has her own sphere of action, and out of it 
 she is out of her place. She had learned, too, that to 
 meet all the requirements of a household, and to com- 
 plete the arrangements of a home, a sterner and stur- 
 dier nature is required than woman's. 
 
 Mr. Le Clair, after his departure, felt somewhat at a 
 loss to define his state of mind. He had been pleased, 
 it was true, with the mental resources, and the endow- 
 ments of mind of Mrs. Walters, and by her fine per- 
 sonal appearance ; ,^at her moral virtues, which are 
 the greatest ornament of a woman, had, unknown to 
 himself, completely carried him captive, so that she had 
 now entire possession of his heart, and was the object 
 that, day and night, occupied his thoughts. 
 
232 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 "^ 
 
 Mr. Lc Clair was not lonf^ in determining on another 
 visit to the home of Mrs. Walters. But he found his 
 business such, tiiat his time would be fully occu])iod for 
 the coming two weeks. He questioned with himself, 
 audibly — 
 
 " Is it possible that two whole weeks must pass be- 
 fore I can see her again ?" 
 
 A gentleman close at his side, and who had observed 
 his very unusual manner and absent-mindedness, caught 
 up the words, and said to him in a kind of bantering, 
 half-serious way — 
 
 " Wiiy, what is come over you, Le Clair ; who is this 
 bewitching fair one that lias thus be'eu drawing on your 
 head and heart, and whom you so ardently desire to see 
 again so soon ?" 
 
 TiR Clair started "" though he had been caught in the 
 commission of a grave offence, and his face became suf- 
 fused as if he were stricken with a deep consciousness 
 of guilt. He stammered out some incoherent remark 
 that only made matters worse, and, hanging down his 
 head, tried to hide his confusion by fumbling among 
 some papers in his desk. The gentleman read his 
 thoughts as if they had been written on his brow, and 
 with tormenting coolness said — 
 
 " Why, Le Clair, I have always imagined your heart 
 to be made of stone, and that y6u were doomed to live 
 and die a batchelor. Who can this be, that has thus 
 caught you in the silken meshes of her toils ?" 
 
 Mr. Le Clair protested upon his word and honor that 
 his friend was never more mistaken — that he had never 
 yet seen the woman who ofiered sufficient inducements 
 to him to take her as his wife. It might be from fas- 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 233 
 
 tidiousiicss of taste, but he liud over turned witli a kind 
 of loathing from the excessive frivolities of the ()})posite 
 
 Bex. 
 
 All this was said with a calm and candid seriousness 
 that threw his friend altogether ofi' the track ; but he 
 
 said — 
 
 "Well, we shall see what we shall see, how(!ver. 
 All that I have got to say is, that you are either in love 
 or something worse." 
 
 Although Mr. Le Clair had been so positive 'in bis 
 denial of his being in love, he spoke in all sincerity, fo^ 
 his feelings and the state of his mind were a mystery to 
 himself. He was in such a state that nothing went right 
 with him. If he wrote, there was confusion of ideas, 
 and he made sorry work with his books ; and as to run- 
 ning up a column of figures, why, he might as well have 
 attempted to grasp the passing cloud. He could not 
 fix his mind for two minutes in succession. It was far 
 away— at, as he called it, "Sweet-brier Grove," a name 
 he had given to the residence of Mrs. Walters, on ac- 
 count of the abundance of that shrub growing in the 
 neighborhood. Suffice it to say, he passed the fourteen 
 days most restlessly. He seemed relieved when the 
 morning at length dawned on which he had proposed to 
 himself to renew his visit to " Sweet-brier Grove," and 
 for which, the past week, he had been making more 
 than ordinary preparations. 
 
 On the morning in question, under considerable trepi- 
 dation, he started on his eventful journey. It was a 
 very beautiful day in early autumn, and the variouM 
 foliage of the forest was tinged by gentle touches of 
 frost. The hues of the surrounding woods were a lively 
 
234 
 
 THE BLACK phantom; or, 
 
 A 
 
 representation of Mr. Le Clair'8 mind and heart, agitated 
 as they were by conflicting thoughts and feelings, from 
 tiie sombre shades of doubt to the florid tints of hope. 
 In this state, nearly at the close of day, he arrived in 
 sight of "Sweet-brier Grove." There now appeared to 
 be something strange and unusual disturbing his inner 
 self — there was a fluttering of the heart, a bewilderment 
 of ideas. He had heretofore always gone up boldly to 
 the house of Mrs. "Walters, without hesitancy ; but now 
 what a change had come over him ! Long might he 
 have remained in this state of bewilderment, sitting in 
 his vehicle ir» the silent and solitary wood, had not our 
 friend Baptiste very opportunely come up, returning 
 from a commission on which he had been sent by Mrs. 
 Walters. On recognizing Mr. Le Clair, he introduced 
 himself very politely in fluent French, which in a mo- 
 ment broke the spell by which the former had been 
 bound. This was a very fortunate circumstance for him, 
 for Baptiste's loquaciousness provoked a similar vein of 
 talkativeness in Mr. Le Clair ; and thus occupied, in ii 
 short time they arrived at the house, where Baptiste, 
 ever ready and alert, took the horse of Mr. Le Clair 
 under his special management. The door was promptly 
 opened by Mrs. Walters, for his approach had been ob- 
 served by the little daughter of Mrs. Jones. 
 
 The door being thrown open, it must be confessed that 
 Mr. Le Clair, on meeting Mrs. Walters, manifested some 
 confusion. On the part of that lady it must be said 
 that she ;as not altogether devoid of embarrassment : 
 but she put out her hand, which was taken and held by 
 her visitor in a manner that conveyed the unmistakable 
 language of the heart ; while a smile played over her 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 235 
 
 features, the beaming- forth of a pure soul, the simple 
 but certain language of ingenuous love. 
 
 Mr. Le Clair now found that it was not by set speech, 
 or by formal words, tiiat the soul can divine the mean- 
 ing of a kindred soul. He learned that there is a mute 
 eloquence, far more express: e than the language of the 
 tongue. 
 
 Little ceremony was necessary to induct the welcome 
 visitor : not so easy, however, to calm the gentle flutter, 
 or to hush the soft whisperings of the little winged 
 myth that was nestling so cozily in each of their hearts. 
 But at this stage of their acquaintance it waB evident 
 that, although they could not fully decipher the charac- 
 ters that were being written on the inner scroll of their 
 own natures, they could read distinctly the true devo- 
 tion of their honest purpose. 
 
 Although every thing appeared propitious to the views 
 and wishes of Mr. Le Clair, yet there was a restraint 
 upon his own freedom of speech that he could not throw 
 off. He was no bold and artful pretender, with a flow 
 of flowery flattery upon his tongue, or words expressing 
 feelings that were foreign to his heart. So far from this 
 being the case, he was all true and genuine emotion ; 
 but this emotion, pent up in his own breast, actually be- 
 came painful for want of utterance ; and he was often 
 on the point of making a declaration of his attachment, 
 but as often his courage or self-confidence failed him. 
 
 This was observed by Mrs. Walters, who, with wo- 
 man's penetration and adroitness, but without making any 
 direct advances, sought to remove any little impediment 
 that she supposed calculated to embarrass him. But 
 all this was to no purpose ; for while there was elo- 
 
236 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM: OR, 
 
 quence in the eye, in the whole countenance, and in all 
 his manners, still words were not at his will. And this 
 state of things continued during the whole of the time 
 allotted for his Btay, and he actually left Mrs. Waltc^rs 
 without having made any explicit expression of his 
 sentiments. 
 
 Before he left his home, he had made arrangements 
 with the subordinates in his oflfice for his return at a 
 certain time, as there was urgent business on hand re- 
 quiring his presence. When the stated morning arrived, 
 the indications of the weather were any thing rather 
 than pleasant — in fact, there were signs of an impending 
 storm. But as Mr. Le Clair was a man of business, and 
 at the same time full of vigor, no trifle could deter him 
 when his purpose was once formed. But in this case 
 he had to encounter the entreaties and persuasions of 
 Mrs. Walters ; for she felt for his health and comfort, 
 and even for his safety. It would be so very dangerous 
 for him to venture out on such a morning, when vast 
 volumes of dense black clouds were looming up in the 
 distance. She declared that if he did go, she would 
 have no peace of mind ; and she would be so impatient 
 to hear if his health had suffered from exposure to the 
 cold and wet I All this was expressed by Mrs. Walters 
 with more than ordinary feeling, and it so touched the 
 heart of Mr. Le Clair that he asked, in faltering tones — 
 
 " Then, are the health and safety of Charles Le Clair 
 so very precious in the estimation of Mrs. Walters ?" 
 
 This was spoken in such a tone of voice, and with so 
 much meaning in his countenance, that, in a moment, 
 her face and neck were suffused with a crimson flush. 
 This involuntary exhibition was a s.-fficieut and a signifi- 
 
 I 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 237 
 
 cant aiiawcr to his quostioii. Yot this chance was lost 
 to linn by liis extreme diffidence, and she adroitly turned 
 the subject by some off-hand remark. It so ha})p(!ned 
 that Mrs. Walters was relieved of her fears as ,to the 
 storm, and Mr. Le Clair was enabled to carry out his 
 original resolve, as, contrary to their expectations, the 
 clouds dispersed, and it proved a bright and pleasant 
 day. After his departure, she followed him with her eyes 
 until intervening objects shielded him from her sight. 
 
 It will of course be supposed, from the character of our 
 narrative, that the attachment of Mrs. Walters and Mr. 
 Le Clair was strong as well as mutual : and, indeed, no 
 wonder, for each had been captivated by the goodness 
 of the other's heart and many sterling virtues. The 
 longer they were in each other's company, and observed 
 the developments of each other's true charact(;r, the 
 more deeply they were enamored ; and it must be re- 
 membered that neither of them was of an age to be 
 pleased by vain fancies or allured by trifles. It must 
 have been something really genuine, and far above the 
 common order of person and of intellect, to exert such a 
 controlling influence on two such minds. It may not 
 be altogether a mere play upon words to say that, in 
 reality, it was Mrs. Walters who went away, and Mr. 
 Le Clair who remained at " Sweet-brier Grove ;" for 
 they had so completely merged their identity, that self in 
 each was lost in contemplating the other. Such being 
 the case, it may be supposed that but little time would 
 be allowed to transpire before Mr. Le Ciair would so 
 bend circumstances ai3 to enable him to go where such 
 strong attachment led the way ; and Mrs. Walters was 
 astonished and delighted to see Mr. Le Clair return in 
 
238 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 
 n. 
 
 ])ut a few (layH after ho liad left her. It mi^'ht bo now 
 said that Mr. Lc Chiir was the formal and acknowledg-ed 
 Kuitor of Mrs. Walters. A great change had taken 
 {)lace in his spirit and manners, for he appeared inspired 
 with greater confidence, though devoid of any ap})roach 
 to a vain presumption. At the first opportunity that 
 offered, in a calm and modest way he informed Mrs. 
 Walters of the; purport of his visit, and that he had been 
 impelled to this step by the deep impression that her 
 virtues had made upon his heart. Mrs. Walters, re- 
 sponding with great dignity, but at the same time with 
 much feeling, said she could •not be insensible to the 
 high opinion of her to which he had been pleased to 
 give expression ; that she held his word and his integ- 
 rity in the highest estimation believing that he was not 
 one to liglitly use words in a sense he did not intend, 
 and to which his actions wpuld not conform. Thus, 
 then, this remarkable pair had at length come to a full 
 and intelligent understanding with each other as to 
 their wishes and purposes. But theirs was not a love 
 that exhibited itself only in words or unmeaning out- 
 ward manifestations. In the case of Mr. Le Clair, 
 moulded as his nature and character had l)een, there 
 was something startling in his earnestness when he was 
 once fully aroused to action. But while he was impelled 
 onward by the force, and indeed at times fury, of that 
 part of his nature derived from his Indian ancestry, 
 this was modified and elevated by the high-toned gal- 
 lantry which he had inherited from the nationality of 
 his mother, hi making a proffer of his hand to Mis. 
 Walters, she was quite sure that his whole being was 
 included, and that his faith would be as stable as the 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 231 
 
 KawR of tho universe ; iiiid A[r. Lc Cluir hud no less con- 
 fidence in the faith of Mrs. Walleis. 
 
 These being the feelings, and this the relative posi- 
 tion of the parties, the final result can hardly be a 
 81 * "t for conjecture. In the course of some three 
 nu.iiins after the avowal of their attachment, and a little 
 more than two years after the death of Ca{)tain Walters, 
 this noble pair were united in the bonds of holy wed- 
 lock. From what the reader has learned of Mr and 
 Mrs. Le Clair, for we must now give her that de-Jgna- 
 tion, he will naturally infer that their character, as it 
 has been developed, was carried out in their wedded 
 life. And that was the case ; for their affections w«;re 
 based upon a mutual and just appreciation of their 
 matured judgments and cultivated minds. And wliile 
 the endure, reciprocal admiration and love must en- 
 dv Their love was of natural growth, pprung from 
 a germ that had taken deep root in tlieir warm, sympa- 
 thetic hearts, and been favored by congenial influences, 
 wliich now so matured the appropriate fruit, that it 
 promised to be both abundant and perennial in its sup- 
 ply. Unlike the tender hot-house plant, which withers 
 and dies when it comes in contact with the icy winds 
 that before swept around, but could not touch it, it ap- 
 pears more beautiful and vigorous from the storms that 
 visit it. In this case there was an amiable urbanity, a 
 moral beauty, a vigor and vitality, exhibited in all their 
 intercourse and relationships in life, that not only en- 
 deared them to each other, but to every one with whom 
 they came in contact. And then, unlike the young and 
 inexperienced couple, who, having just left the parental 
 roof, are about to encounter untried labors, responsibi- 
 
240 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 '1 
 
 lities, and duties, they had been severely schooh.'d in 
 the great battle of every-day life, and their mental and 
 moral resources were adequate to every demand that 
 might be made upon them, 
 
 Mr. Le Clair now found that it would prove more to 
 his coijvenience, as well as be more in accordance with 
 his inclination, to break up his establishment in Kings- 
 ton, and remove his office to his new home ; especially 
 as the greater number of the Indian tribes over which 
 he had superintendence were located within a short dis- 
 tance of " Sweet-brier Grove." By making this change 
 in his residence and his place of business, all the re- 
 quirements of those Indians might be more promptly 
 attended to. It was soon found that the Indians them- 
 selves were pleased with this change, from the facilities 
 it gave them. Great numbers, also, now called daily at 
 the office of the " Chief," as they styled Mr. Le Clair. 
 
 But while this arrangement afforded greater conve- 
 nience, it had not only greatly augmented the business 
 of Mr. Le Clair, but had also subjected him to number- 
 less annoyances. Every little want, every frivolous dis- 
 pute, and all kinds of imaginary grievances, were car- 
 ried at once to him. Though his paticmce was often 
 sorely tried, yet his firmness, decision, discriminatini,^ 
 judgment, and, above all, his cool and even temper, 
 generally enabled him to succeed in satisfying all 
 parties. 
 
 There was a verv perceptible change in the home 
 establishment of Mr. and Mrs. Le Clair ; although there 
 had been no lack of ^Mgilance and energy on the part of 
 Mrs. Le Clair prior to her marriage, for, considering her 
 antecedents, she had certainly accomplished wonders. 
 
woman's endukance. 
 
 241 
 
 But alter Mr. Le Clair assumed antliority, with his nat- 
 ural energy, he broug-jit his peculiar habits of system 
 to bear on the out-door operations of the farm and the 
 effect was almost magical. The attention of Mrs Le 
 Clair was given to her own special department, and more 
 congennil sphere. ' Consequently, all things were done 
 to b(>tter purpose, in-doors as well as out. Thus, from 
 their combined exertions, they soon became patterns o^ 
 thrift, and models of general good management. Mr 
 Le Clair was not slow in discerning the value of the 
 services of our little French friend Baptiste. And Bap- 
 tiste himself felt as proud, and appeared as dignified in 
 his deportment, as though he had been a first minister 
 of state. He was a kind of generalissimo over all the 
 operations, both in-doors and out, ever as faithful and 
 prompt in all things, as if his life depended on their 
 correct performance. Jones and Brown also becanu^ 
 strongly attached to Mr. Le Clair ; and docile in their 
 temper and di&position, were patient in pursuing all the 
 labors of the farm. The women, too, while busy with 
 their hands, were as glib with their tongues as ever. 
 
242 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 f-; 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 We must now ref(U' to an event that will have > 
 important bearing", and exert a controlling- influence on 
 the future of our narrative — an event that might have 
 been expected under the circumstances. 
 
 Mfs. Le Clair, in the course of time, found herself as 
 women wish to be who love their lords ; and at length, 
 to the great joy of every member of the household, gave 
 birth to a girl-child. This, a stnjng" bf)nd of union, drew 
 still closer the hearts of the parents. Many were they 
 who came to offer their congratulations. But the more 
 numerous were the poor Indians, the untutored children 
 of tlie forest, who seenjed to vie with each other in their 
 expressions of exultant joy at the birth of a daughter to 
 their Chief, They had made preparations to celebrate 
 the auspicious evei.it in their own way, and appointed 
 their own time. Tluy came on the day designated, in 
 full Indian cost muc, (i;'termined to give lull scope to 
 their f<'elings in the periormance of their characteristic 
 sports — the lestive (bmce, f<'at8 of stnmgth, wrestling, 
 showing their fleetness in the foot-race ; but, above all, 
 theii* favorite l)all-game. A s'irio-comic turn was given 
 to the sports by the introductioi.' of an old, shrivelled, and 
 withered crone, who was led into the chamber where 
 lay the mother and infant daugliter. This old woman 
 was accompanied by a number of squaws. She was 
 
W O Al A iSi 8 J.] .\ JM • ii A N C H. 
 
 243 
 
 form.'illy introduced to Mrs. Lo Clair by tlu' wives of 
 two Indian chiefs. On approaciiing- tiio coucli, wliilo 
 she was going' through a course of strange and uncouth 
 gesticulations, she uttered what appeared to be a kind 
 of cabalistic terms. She closely examined tise child, 
 peered into its eyes, looking for marks on its forehead, 
 and scrutinizing each of its hands. She then stood 
 musing for some time, apparently pondering the char- 
 acter and portents of the marks and signs she had been 
 tracing on th(! person of the infant befoi-e her. At 
 length she burst out into a loud laugh, trying to mimic 
 childish gayety. Then she wept bitterly, wringing her 
 hands, pulling at her hair, and going through many other 
 gestures, as though she were the subject of deep sorrow. 
 With a sudden transition, she then burst into loud and 
 
 long-continued laughter, at the same tii 
 
 ar 
 
 •ds tl 
 
 no p(jinting tow- 
 
 le ri 
 
 snig sun, and /naking an attempt to walk 
 
 majestically ; and, as though she 
 
 adjusting the diffenMit parts of her dress, shak 
 
 laying the folds in proper trim, all tin; time lookino- ii.t 
 
 were grandly dressed, 
 
 id 
 
 inof it. ai 
 
 o 
 
 tlie lar«2:e mirror. All tl 
 
 lis. 
 
 and 
 
 more, tiiat she wont 
 
 through, indicated, according' to th 
 
 <^ interj)retation of 
 
 one of the squaws present, that the infant would 
 
 '11 joy 
 
 much pleasure in early life ; but lat<>r, (experience d("(>p 
 sorrow for a time ; which would, however, unexpectedly 
 and suddenly, be turned into joy and gladness. Thioindi 
 
 the whole of her after-life, she would I 
 
 )e surrounded with 
 
 pomp and splendor, and occupy a position of high dig 
 nity and social respectability. All this would 
 
 o(-!Mii' in 
 
 a far-off eastern direction. At tl 
 
 le conclusion of this 
 
 ceremony, sev(n-al of tlie young squaws stepped forward, 
 and presented beautiful Indian trinkets and ornaments, 
 
244 
 
 THE BLACK rilANTOMj OR, 
 
 placing them on the head, arms, and neck of the infant, 
 giving h(3r a most grotesque appearance. Tiie cere- 
 mony shocked the religious sensibilities of Mrs. Jones, 
 who, raising her hands in holy horror, and uttering short 
 I'jaculations of bewildered astonishment, left the room, 
 declaiming against such blasphemous proceedings, as 
 she termed them. But Mrs. Brown enjoyed the thing 
 vastly, as merely an innocent amusement, gratifying to 
 the poor ignorant Indians. The judgment of Mrs. Le 
 Clair vibrated between that of her two women. She 
 was not altogether pleased with the cabalistic incanta- 
 tions of the old crone, yet she had too much prudence 
 to attempt to arrest her proceedings ; for the Indians, 
 both male and female, regard with veneration tiie senior 
 female member of their tribe. They place implicit faith 
 in her oracular character, being persuaded that she is 
 gifted by the great Spirit with second-sight, and the 
 interpretation of signs. And to have called this in 
 question, might have so raised their passions, as to 
 make them irreconcilable and vindictive enemies. 
 
 Among the company crowded into the chamber of Mrs. 
 Le Clair, was an old woman, in a black cloak, with a 
 large black hood. This person appeared to pay marked 
 attention to every object in the room, as well as to listen 
 attentively to every passing remark. But the great 
 centre of her scrutiny was the mother and her infant, 
 for she seemed determined to carry away with her every 
 lineament of their features, deeply imprinted on her own 
 mind. 
 
 In the evening of the day on which these events oc- 
 curred, Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Jones were sitting work- 
 ing at their sewing, with other members of the family, 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 245 
 
 The conversation very naturally turned upon the re- 
 markable incidents of the day. They dwelt more espe- 
 cially upon the strange doings and sayings of the old 
 Indian fortune-teller, as they called her. We have al- 
 ready alluded to Mrs. Jones, whose religious sentiments 
 were so shocked by what she considered the blasphe- 
 mous utterances of the old witch. It may be thought 
 that she still felt the" abhorrence she manifested when 
 they were first uttered. Not so ; for after sitting some 
 time in a musing mood, she at length made the remark, 
 " Dear me, it would be very strange, if all thtit the old 
 woman said about baby was to come to pass — would it 
 not ?" This remark proved a key-note, for incident after 
 incident was now narrated, in confirmation of a once 
 popular belief, that some old people were gifted with 
 second-sight, by which they were able to read the d(\s- 
 tiny of others. Mrs. Jones herself was as positive as 
 any of the company in affirming these things : and even 
 Mrs. Le Clair was impressed somewhat in the same 
 way ; at least, she hoped that her darling was born to 
 a better state of things than had fallen to her lot, and 
 that the brightest visions depicted by the old woman 
 might be more than realized by her darling infant 
 daughter. In fact, the entire party, who were at first 
 startled by the actions and declarations of the ignorant 
 old Indian, were now willing to be persuaded that there 
 might, after all, be some truth in what she had prognos- 
 ticated. And we might here ask, where is there a mind, 
 however intelligent or highly cultivated, that is entirely 
 devoid of superstition and credulity ? 
 
 On the following morning, there was a new excite- 
 nient, but of a diflerent character from the one above 
 
246 
 
 TllK BLACK phantom; O li. 
 
 alluded to. Far on in the nioniiiig-, as the women were 
 puttiiip things to rig-hts, and clearing up the chamber of 
 Mrs. Le (Jlair — and it must he remembered that it was 
 the same room in which the Indian women had assem- 
 bled, together with the old woman with the black cloak 
 and hood — as the little girl of Mrs. Jones was carrying 
 a chair acnjss the room, there fell from underneath the 
 cushion a letter, which she picked up, and handed to her 
 mother ; and Mrs. J(mes seeing that the letter was di- 
 rected to Mrs. Le Clair, gave it to her. The peace and 
 tranquillity reigning in that room prior to the appear- 
 ance of the letter, were now broken by one who seemed 
 smitten with a sudden and heart-rending sorrow. The 
 two women were confounded, feeling their inability to 
 arrest, by any condolence they could offer, the torrent 
 of tears they saw falling before them. They were 
 alarmed for the personal safety of Mrs. Le Clair, the 
 event happening at so critical a stage of her convales- 
 cence. In the height of the excitement and confusion, 
 Mr. Le Clair stepped into the room, whence he had re- 
 tired but a few minutes before, leaving his wife com- 
 posed and tranquil : now, to his astonishment, he found 
 not only his wife, but all the family, affected by a com- 
 mon sympathy, bathed in tejirs. Mr. Le Clair, in the 
 excitement of the moment, asked a series of questions, 
 before one could be answered. Was his \vife in danger, 
 was the baby taken suddenly ill, or what other sad 
 calamity had befallen the family? The only answer he 
 received was given by his wife;, who simply pointed to 
 the yet unopened letter, which lay by her on the bed. 
 Mr. Le Clair took the letter, and, holding it up between 
 his finger and thumb, said — 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 247 
 
 " Wliy, my dcir, your alarm is all imag-inary, for there 
 is nothing" here to affeet you thus." 
 
 " My dear Charles," said his wife, " it is the mystery, 
 it is the blaek phantom, that I have so fully explainml 
 to you before !" 
 
 " Why," asked Mr. Le Clair, " has she been here to- 
 day with this letter ?" 
 
 " Oh, no 1" said his wife ; " yesterday she was among- 
 the crowd. I noticed her ; and now, I recollect, I had 
 strange emotions on seeing the black cloak and hood. 
 At the time, I took her to be some (me connected with 
 the Indians, and so thought no more of her. But when 
 the letter was produced, the whole thing flashed upon 
 my mind — I saw and felt that T was still the victim of 
 that mysterious being — who is ever near me, ever ac- 
 tive. My dear Charles, am I thus to be followed to the 
 grave ; is there no possibility of my eluding. her, or of 
 discovering her home, if she has one on earth ?" 
 
 After musing for some time, Mr, Le Clair at length 
 said — 
 
 " Yes, I think there is a possibility of fintb'ng out who 
 she is, and where she comes from. I will put upon her 
 trail some of my keenest, shrewdest Indian scouts. Per- 
 haps," he continued, " the letter itself contains a solution 
 of the enigma — let us see," at the same time handing it 
 to his wife, saying, " It is your letter, my dear." 
 
 " My dear Charles, I give you full liberty to peruse 
 it." 
 
 Opening it, he found it to contain, as all the others 
 had, a sterling five hundred pound Bank of England 
 note, with the Scriptural quotations as b(.'fort! ; but tu 
 the note was attached a slip of paper, on which waa 
 
248 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR 
 
 ^ 
 
 written, " To piircliase a now frock for your littlo dauj^li- 
 t(3r." For some time Mr. Le Clair sat pondering the 
 contents of the letter. lie at hni^th said — 
 
 " Well, my dear, there is really jj^reat mystery in this, 
 and I do not wonder at your anxiety of mind, when I 
 consider all the circumstances. But at all events, who- 
 ever and whatever she may be, she appears to take a 
 deep interest in your well-being ; and it is my impres- 
 sion that she has some object in view which will ulti- 
 mately be found of great importance. It is my counsel 
 that you wait patiently for the full development of 
 events. We might reasonably presume that if she has 
 hitherto been able to elude all your attempts to unmask 
 her, she will be equally successful in the future. That 
 consideration, however, shall not deter me from my pur- 
 pose of discovering, if possible, her hiding-place. If 
 necessary, I will scour the whole country, for I have the 
 right agents for that work at my command." 
 
 The views of Mr. Le Clair met the approbati(m of his 
 wife ; and she well knew that what her husband had 
 with such emphasis declared to be his purpose, he would 
 execute with his accustomed energy. 
 
 Mr. Le Clair forthwith made, from among the Indians 
 within his district, a selection of men at once shrewd 
 and of tried courage and endurance. Giving them pre- 
 cise instructions, he allotted to each the portion of coun- 
 try he was to investigate, and sent them forth, inspired 
 with somewhat of his own zeal in the cause. 
 
 That the reader may be somewhat informed of the 
 proceedings of the mysterious being who caused all the 
 anxiety and unhappiness of which the home of Mr. and 
 Mrs. Le Clair was now the scene, we will introduce him 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 249 
 
 to a party and a place with whom and wliicli ho is al- 
 ready acquainted. At a small tavern by the roadside, 
 on the way to Kingston, and about half-way between 
 that town and " Sweet-Brier Grove," the people were all 
 hurry and activity on the night in question ; tor a hidy- 
 traveller, with her man-servant, had arrived, and was 
 to take supper, and remain for tluj night. Some time 
 after the lady had partaken of a sumptuous repast, and 
 retired to the sitting-room, her man-servant was sum- 
 moned to her presence. 
 
 " Well, Thomas," she inquired, " what do you think of 
 the home of the late Captain Walters, and the present 
 home of Mr, and Mrs. Le Clair ?" 
 
 " Why," said the man, " I could not have supposed 
 it possible that skill and labor could have made such a 
 wonderful transformation in the short space of a little 
 more than five years." 
 
 ♦' I presume," said the lady, " that the skill should 
 mostly be credited to Captain Walters, and the principal 
 part of the labor, in carrying out the original design, to 
 the present occupants." 
 
 " That may be so," said the man ; " and if Captain 
 Walters could only see how completely his plans and 
 purposes have been carried out, it would afford him high 
 satisfaction." 
 
 " Yes, indeed," said the lady ; " but I see a vast dif- 
 ference between the late Captain Walters and Mr. Le 
 Clair ; for the first, with all his endowments, natural 
 and acquired, was of far too keen susceptibilities for 
 the rough-and-tumble wrestling with the world. But I 
 see that Mr. Le Clair grai)ples with his opponents- 
 men, and things, and circumstances — witliout gloves. 
 
250 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 His stern will, clear perceptions, and sound judgment, 
 are powerful aids in the contest. These impressiona 
 lead me to conclude that w(; must, in the future, be more 
 cautious in all our movements ; and I have resolved to 
 move far away from my pres(mt residence to some; more 
 retired locality. But, Thomas," continued the lady, "did 
 you make the acquaintance of any of the Indians, nude 
 or female ?" 
 
 " Not much, my lady," said the man ; " but I heard 
 some of the women say, that one of the old Indians 
 had prophesied that the little daughter of Mrs. Le Clair 
 was born to be a great lady some day — somewhere a 
 great way off." 
 
 " Yes, I heard her," said the lady. " It seems all very 
 strange. I am not superstitious, nor ready to give heed 
 to old wives' tales or fables, but somehow, that old wo- 
 onan's sayings and doings hare found a weak spot in my 
 nature — I know not what to make of them. Her say- 
 ings seem to give nerve and force to my present pur- 
 pose, for, if her predictions do come to pass, it will only 
 be the fulfilment of my present expectations, and the 
 realization of my long-cherished hopes. But I feel per- 
 fectly willing to wait, and allow providence to work 
 out its own purposijs ; and when I see the result, I shall 
 be satisfied, whatever it ni.ay be. 
 
 " But now, Thomas," said the lady, " we must be away 
 early in the morning ; our present and future plans and 
 purposes admit of no delay ; for, depend upon it, we 
 may expect untiring pursuers on our path, so that we 
 must endeavor to have the advantage of a good start. 
 To this end, we nuist put to the test the fleetness of our 
 horses, as well as our own skill and prudence. 
 
TT'CilAN's ENDURANCE. 
 
 251 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 We must now return to tlie main object of our narra- 
 tive. It was soon found that the little stranger proved 
 to be a great centre of attraction. Each day brouirjit 
 some new visitor to the mansion, with a contributioiM)f 
 good wishes and admiration of the beauty of the baby ; 
 and each was deligiited with the privilege of fondlinj^ 
 with it on their lap, or cutting antics with it around the 
 room. There was considerable discussion between Mr. 
 and Mrs. Le Clair as to the name that should be given 
 to their young daughter. It was at length decidecrthat 
 she should be called Lillian. Tiiis mot with universal 
 approval ; but she was generally called by its abbre- 
 viated synonym, Lilly. 
 
 Mrs. Le Clair had now added to all the duties and 
 labors incident to a large family and the management of 
 a f\irm-house, those of a maternal character | and she 
 fully realized and felt the weight and importance of her 
 new responsibilities. She began early with the deter- 
 mination, as far as lay in her power, to mould the mind 
 of her tender charge in some cynformity to her own will. 
 She soon found, however, that there were strong antag- 
 onistic powers, and deep-rooted principles of evil in the 
 very naturu of the child, tliat would exorcise to the 
 utmost her love, her wisdom, and her patience. She 
 found, too, that nature had been lavish of her favors in 
 
252 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 the mouldinf^ of tlio person of her dau^liter. Tin's was 
 often a source of intense anxiety ; for people, unmindful 
 of the radical injury they were inflicting;', would often 
 praise her beauty, at the risk of pr()niptiM<^ her pride 
 and inllatin<^ her vanity. Thus, the; mother had a 
 double task, in trying tt) counteract the influence of the 
 inconsiderate conduct of otlier.., on the mind of Lillian, 
 and in curbing" those passions which, if allowed to 
 gather streng-th, would not oidy prove destructive to her 
 own peace, but be a torment to all connected with her. 
 
 It was an enlightened policy in the mother that in- 
 duced her to cultivate at once, in the mind of her daugh- 
 ter, a proper and wholesome degree of fear, not to loosen 
 for a moment or injure in the least those tender cords 
 of affection, that entwine and bind fast together the 
 hearts of a mother and her child. But, at the same 
 time, she let her distinctly understand, that passion was 
 a fault in her nature that must be curbed ; and that 
 disobedience to her word and wishes must not go unre- 
 buked. At the same time, to correct any waywardness, 
 she lent all assistance possible to her child, by leading 
 her by gentle admonition, rather than driving her by 
 boisterous commands or angry threats. She made it a 
 point, in all her intercourse with Lillian, never to wound 
 her sensibilities, or blunt those sweet affections that 
 spontaneously gush forth from the young heart, in the 
 early recognition of the mother. But, by every little 
 art that a mother's love could devise, she tried to keep 
 these in their early freshness ; and threw out those slen- 
 der tendrils, each slight indeed, but which, combining 
 at length, form a band of love, that time, nor distance, 
 nor untoward circumstance can sever. 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 253 
 
 Wc are not hen? fiO'i'J? to introduce any remarks as 
 t(» tin; Mii|)('rlativ<? beauty of this or that baby, or that 
 tliere is only one beauty, and every niotlier has it ; l)ut 
 we do say, that nature really did mak(i an extra eftort 
 when Lillian was produced. And as slu; advanced in 
 aj^e, and her I'urin became developed, each successive 
 month seemed to add some new feature, and to give a 
 high(»r degree of pc'rfection to her entire being. 
 
 As we have alnnidy notic(;d in the case of Mr, Le 
 Ulair, that his }iersonal appearance gave clear indica- 
 tion of his Indian and French origin, developing traits 
 of both, which, harmoniously mingling, resulted in a 
 high degree of beauty ; so in the case of Lillian, she 
 gave clear proof that she had a good share of Indian 
 blood in her veins, while some of her features evidenced 
 a derivation from the same source. But all this was 
 considerably modified by the moulding she had received 
 from her English mother. As the Indian features and 
 nature had been softened and refined in Mr. Le Clair 
 by his French mother, so this process of transformation 
 had been carried on in the person of Lillian, producing 
 one of those brilliant and charming creatures so often to 
 be met with in the South, the result of a mixture of races. 
 Lillian, growing apace, soon gave evidence that she 
 had an imperious nature. When quite young, with an 
 i.aHcible temper, she could assume a terril)le sternness 
 of countenance, and a masculine rigidity of muscle that 
 wa^ 18 unyielding as her despotic will. At times; coer- 
 cion was of no avail ; and soft, aflft^ctionate words, had 
 no more influence over her than they would have had on 
 the passing v tid. Often, when this was the case, would 
 Mrs. Le Clair clasp her child to her bosom, and in an 
 
254 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 :<! 
 
 agony exclaim, " Oh I what have I done to bring such a 
 being as this into the world !" But the mother's love 
 bore her up, and with untiring patience she urg'^d both 
 mental and moral influences ; and, as the child's intellect 
 expanded, she instilUsd the sentiments and imparted the 
 instruction suited to its comprehension. On this point, 
 however, the mother appeared to have but little trouble, 
 for Lillian's mind, like her person, proved to be above the 
 common cast, with a memory most ycurately retentive. 
 Thus the labor of instruction, while it was a duty, be- 
 came a pleasure, because the pupil was apt at learning 
 and eager to advance. And then, this acquisition of 
 knowledge, and the improvement of her mind, proved to 
 be a powerful weapon in her own behalf, that she was 
 taught to wield against her passions ; and as her mind 
 became informed, and her judgment matured, she did 
 arrive at the conviction, that her passions were her frail- 
 ties, and, in part, her deadliest foes. 
 
 Deep was her mother's commiseration as she saw evi- 
 dences of the fierce strife that was being carri<^d on in 
 the mind of Lillian, between the convictions of her bet- 
 ter judgment and her deplorable posslons. After an ac- 
 cess of passion, wh(Mi reflecticm came, and the calmer 
 mood of her mind returned, the mother's love would 
 prompt those feelings that soothed and swayed the 
 softened heart of her child. And at such times, and un- 
 der the influence of such impressions, often would that 
 subdued girl bury her face in her mother's lap, and w«3ep 
 bitter tears over these sad exhibitions of her turbulent 
 nut lire. 
 
 Oh, what opposites met in that nature, that girl of 
 bright and sparkling genius, possessing those amiable 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 255 
 
 qualities of mind and disposition, and such surpassing 
 beauty of person ! If any other woman than Mrs. Le 
 CUiir had had tliis mysterious being under her cliarg-e — 
 this incongruous creature, this inexplicabh3 mixture of 
 opposites — the better part of \un' nature woukl have been 
 irretrievably overbin'ue by her lower propensities. It 
 was, under God, the wisdom and patience of Mrs. Le 
 Clair, prompted by her untiring love, that not only saved 
 Lillian from such a fate, but eventually sent her forth 
 as a beautiful example of what a mother may accomplish, 
 under the most unpropitious circumstances, with un- 
 tractable and forbidding materials. 
 
 It must, however, be said in Lillian's favor, that, not- 
 witlistanding the extreme unevenness of her nature, she 
 was a general favorite, owing to her ingenuousness and 
 the open honesty of her heart. To guile, or deception 
 of any kind, she was a perfect stranger, and she despised 
 them in otiiers. But however much she was the favor- 
 ite with oti»ers, she was especially so with the Indians, 
 for these simple children of the forest seldom visited the 
 office of Mr. Le Clair without bringing some little token 
 of their regard to Lillian ; and from this source she had 
 accumulated quite an extensive aud valuable assortment 
 of Indian curiosities. These corsisted of every variety 
 of needle-work in beads and moose-hair, and beautiful 
 specimens of work with birch-bark. 
 
 What seemed to be received with the most delight, 
 and enjoyed with th(^ great(^st glee, was a beautiful and 
 elaborately ornamented bow with a (juiver full of arrows. 
 This present suite(l exactly the restless and rampant 
 spirit of Lillian, for conlinement, f(M* any length of time 
 at once, was to her unendurable. And this bow, with 
 
256 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OB, 
 
 the quiver slung over her shoulder, was her constant 
 companion. By continued practice, so proficient did she 
 become as an archer, that but few of the Indian boys 
 or girls could surpass her in the exercise ; and many a 
 bird and squirrel, and other small anirnal, became vic- 
 tims to her correct and steady aim. This, beyond 
 doubt, was in part owing to the minute instructions of 
 the Indian from whom she received the gift, as to the 
 proper position, the right handling of the bow, and ad- 
 justing of the arrow. It was with this, as with every 
 thing else to which she turned her attention — that one 
 thing or subject, or whatever it might be, monopolized 
 for the time the concentrated force of all the powers of 
 her mind. 
 
 Such was the ardor of Lillian's nature, the energy she 
 put forth, and the clearness of her perceptions, that the 
 tedious process of patient mental drudgery was unne- 
 cessary, for she reached results by intuition, as it were. 
 Her mother had from comparative infancy, by a gradual, 
 easy, and pleasant process, opened v.p to the mind of 
 her daughter the general elements of knowledge ; so 
 that she could at a very early age read with fluency, and 
 understand clearly what she read. But music seemed 
 io captivate her the most, for her emotional nature was 
 stirred through all its depths when listening to others, or 
 when her own nimble fingers were sweeping over the keys 
 of the piano ; and for brilliancy of execution she bid fair 
 to rival even her mother. Her voice, too, while yet 
 uneducated, gave promise of being one of sur))assing 
 power and sweetness. Tliis proved a kind of safety- 
 valve for her passionate and vehement spirit ; for the 
 gushings forth of her wild nature in song often rapt her 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 257 
 
 own soul, while they held those who listened spell-bound 
 with delight. 
 
 It was often a source of unalloj'ed pleasure to Lillian 
 to sit and listen to the old Indian squaws, while they re- 
 lated to her the legendary tales of battles, victories, 
 triumphs, and exciting love-stories still current among 
 the neighboring tribes. These, together with memorable 
 incidents and thrilling narrations of the adventures of 
 remarkable individuals, were interwoven with the his- 
 tory of some of the tribes connected with her own an- 
 cestry, and, depicted in their glowing and expressive 
 language, and adorned with the florid imageiy peculiar 
 to these depositaries of Indian lore, so infatuated Lil- 
 lian, and so fired her imagination, that she gloried in, 
 and would often boast of her descent from a long line 
 of intrepid warriors. Thus, by intercourse witii the In- 
 dians, both young and old, she not only became initiated 
 in all the mysteries of Indian h)re, and an adept in all 
 their sports, but could converse with fluency iji their 
 language. 
 
 The restless and roving disposition of Lillian kept 
 her so constantly on the move, that in walking, and in 
 exercises demanding agility or fleetness, she would 
 weary the most robust and active of her playmates. 
 She at length found a companion and playmate who was 
 her equal in feats of agility and fleetness, and one that 
 she could not so easily out-exercise, and with whom she 
 could romp, jump, wrestle, and run to her heart's con- 
 tent. This playmate was a fine, young Newfoundland 
 dog. She soon succeeded in making Rollo her obedient 
 servitor, as well as faitiiful friend, whicii iiad not al- 
 ways been the case witii her former playmates. The 
 
 /i 
 

 258 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM: OR, 
 
 sagaci(jns and docile animal socnuMl to take a special 
 pride in going throngh all tlu; tricks and pranks that 
 Lillian tanglit him ; and some of these were of" a mar- 
 vellous kind, exhibiting great intellig(!nce. One great 
 delight of Lillian was to go to tin? shore; of the neigh- 
 boring Lake Ontario, in the waters of which, clad in 
 her light bathing-dress, she and RoUo wonld enjoy them- 
 selves in sports, as they had done on the land ; and it 
 was not easy to decide which of the two was the better 
 swimmer, Lillian or Rollo. 
 
 Lillian was again fortunate in discovering a pet, a 
 wild creature, with a disposition almost a match for her 
 own — a young colt, untamed, and apparently untama- 
 ble. This colt, of a vicious disposition, would permit no 
 one to approach her without an exhibition of her fiery 
 spirit. But, by some n.ysterious impulse or freak, the 
 colt was attracted to Lillian, who was quite willing to 
 improve the opportunity,, and she did all she could to 
 ingratiate herself in her favor. Soon the friendshlf) be- 
 came so strong, that neither was contented apart iVoiu 
 the other ; so that Lillian, the dog Rollo, and the colt, to 
 which Lillian gave the name of Folly, were almost con- 
 stant and congenial companions. But Lillian was the 
 controlling spirit of the trio, and it must be admitted 
 that she, at times, was rather imperious in her sway. 
 But, notwithstanding this, Folly could ill brook the first 
 attempt that Lillian made to put bitt in her mouth, or 
 saddle on her back. Folly seemed to look upon this 
 attempt to control her freedom as a step too far. The 
 brute soon found, however, that Lillian was master of 
 the situation, that her will was law, and that she her- 
 self, rebellious as she felt, must submit. But when 
 
R, 
 
 woman's endurance. 
 
 250 
 
 ko a special 
 pranks that 
 of a mar- 
 One ,uM'e;it 
 f tlie iieio'h- 
 lich, clad in 
 enjoy them- 
 md ; and it 
 •s the better 
 
 ng a pet, a 
 atch for her 
 tly untaina- 
 d permit no 
 yf her fiery 
 r freak, the 
 i willing to 
 le could to 
 endship bo- 
 apart from 
 the colt, to 
 almost coii- 
 m was the 
 e admitted 
 her sway, 
 'k the first 
 mouth, or 
 upon this 
 far. The 
 master of 
 t she her- 
 But when 
 
 Lillinn carried lier authority so far as to place herself 
 on that saddle, Polly could restrain herself no longer, 
 but breaking out into open rebellion, pranced and reare<l, 
 exhibiting in every way her impotent rage. If the colt 
 had been tame and submissive, it would not have be(>n 
 in accordance with the taste of Lillian ; as it was, she 
 Avas in her element, and the more frantic the steed, tiie 
 more excited the rider became, until she screamed with 
 delight. The colt and Lillian, however, soon came to 
 an understanding with each other — one was to rule, the 
 other to obey. 
 
 It was one of the chief delights of Lillian — accompa- 
 nied by Rollo, and mounted on Polly, with her how in 
 hand, and her quiver full of arrows slung over her shoul- 
 der — to exhibit her skill in archery, c>r the use of the 
 bow. 
 
 Many were the wild adventures and narrow escapes 
 of Lillian. We will relate a single instance, which will 
 siiflice to show her spirit and courage. Early one morn- 
 ing, in the autumn that succeeded Lillian's fifteenth 
 summer, she was taking her accustomed ride on her 
 favorite pony Polly, when she was led by her daring 
 spirit to a greater distance into the woods than usual. 
 When about to return, by a narrow and intricate path, 
 she was met by a full-grown black bear. The brute 
 seemed to be the only one of the party that was at all 
 confused by this unexpected meeting ; for Lillian, calm 
 and courageous as she was, coolly brougiit her bow to 
 position, and placing the arrow with care, witli prnm[)t 
 aim and stnuig arm sent the missile with such iorce, 
 that, entering the eye and p(uietrating the brain of the 
 huge beast, it laid him sprawling on the ground. With 
 
260 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 the cool deportment of a veteran sportsman, Lillian sur- 
 veyed her p^ame, and finding it too bulky for her to 
 remove single-handed, she started for liome, to relate 
 her encounter and its successful result. A party was 
 promptly dispatched to bring- home the valuable prize, 
 the fruit of Lillian's skill and courage. It would be 
 useless here to speculate on the danger Lillian would 
 have been placed in, had the wound inflicted on the bear 
 not proved fatal. All wonder at Lillian's success as an 
 archer will subside, when it is understood that she had 
 been under the tuition of an Indian the most skilful of 
 his tribe in the use of the bow. 
 
"> 
 
 woman's endurance. 
 
 261 
 
 Lillian sur- 
 for her to 
 e, to relate 
 . party was 
 lable prize, 
 t would be 
 illiun would 
 on the bear 
 ccess as an 
 at she had 
 5t skilful of 
 
 b 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 During al! the early days and years of Lillian's life, 
 every faculty of her mother, physical and mental, had 
 been deeply and incessantly exercised in her behalf; 
 and now, as she advanced in years, the mother's solici- 
 tude became still more intense, for she saw that a bein^ 
 of such fine personal attractions must be exposed to 
 great perils. But her fears were calmed and her mis- 
 givings silenced by the reflection, that although the per- 
 sonal beauty of Lillian was so admiringly recognized by 
 every one else, yet she herself seemed utterly uncon- 
 scious of its possession. And then, the purity of her 
 mind was evinced by a frankness and artless simplicity 
 of manners, that irresistibly commanded the respect 
 and esteem of all who made her acquaintance. 
 
 In all the intercourse of Lillian with the youth of the 
 neighborhood, as she felt, so she ever exhibited her 
 superiority, and they were quite willing to yield her 
 proper homage. From her nature, it was not possible 
 she should treat them otherwise. Yet her conduct was 
 devoid of all arrogant, supercilious assumption. She 
 owed this, in part, to the wise tuition of her mother, but 
 more, perhaps, to the nobleness of her own mind, and 
 the dignity of her nature. 
 
 Lillian was now approaching a critical period of her 
 life, when, according to the decision she should make, 
 she would direct her bark for sunny seas or stormy 
 
 i; 
 
^nmmm 
 
 262 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 g-iilfs — for weal or woe. Ilc.'r heart as yet was callow, 
 fresh, mirthful, and girlish. Wild slie was, and playfnl 
 as the young" fawn. It might be said that love, with her, 
 was out of the question, as, among the rustics of the 
 neighborhood, there was no youth who durst aspin; to 
 her hand. But she was happy, for she was approached 
 by no evil, guarded as she ever was by her parents' 
 vigilant care. And she was supremely hap|)y in the 
 sweet assurance of her consciousness that she was the 
 centre of attraction to their loving hearts. 
 
 Tliis little circle of father, mother, and daughter, 
 was now the centre of admirinor observation to tiunr 
 own domestics, as well as to their neighbors for a wide 
 circuit. Every thing, both within doors and on tlieir 
 now large and well-cultivated farm, bore the marks of 
 high prosp(;rity. Provichmce seemed to smile upon them. 
 and the minds of Mr. and Mrs. Le Clair were at ease 
 witli regard alike to the present and to the future. But 
 they did not, like too many under similar circumstances, 
 arrogate to themselves the praise for the acquisition of 
 so many blessings. They knew who it was that thus 
 caused their cup to run over, blessing th(»m in basket 
 and in store. 
 
 It has doubtless been observed, from our narrative 
 thus far, that Mr. Le Clair was a man of more than 
 ordinary vigor of body and mind. His official position 
 would naturally enlarge his capacity, and bring his 
 talents to a state of high proficiency. And this was 
 the case ; yet his talents were often put to a severe 
 test by the difficult questions he was called upon to 
 solve, in connection with the fierce passions and bit- 
 terly vengeful spirits he had to contend against. lie 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 2<)3 
 
 was far more successful than some of his best friends 
 had anticipated ; but, having employed the right means 
 to secure it, they said that he deserved success, ^fr. Le 
 Clair found less difficulty in fashioning the general fea- 
 tur(!S of his farm to his taste and purposes, than in 
 keeping under proper restraint the passionate and ob 
 durate natures of the Indians under his charge. A case 
 Koon arose that defied his skill and tact, and which he 
 failed amicably to adjust to the satisfaction of the parties 
 interested. Two of the most turbulent beings among all 
 the tribes within his jurisdiction had had a serious dis- 
 agreement about, the division of the spoils of a hunting 
 excursion. After long wrangling between themselves 
 without arriving at any result, they agreed to n^fer tlio 
 subject in dispute to the decision of their Chief. Wiicn 
 the case was brought up for his adjudication, Mr. Le 
 Clair, fearing the worst effects, whichever way it might 
 terminate, formed the resolution, let the consequences 
 be what they might, to judge between the two litigants 
 accordi' g to the principles of strict justice. After ii<ar- 
 ing both sides of the case, he found, as he had antici- 
 pated, that the Indian who had the weakest side of the 
 plea was in almost continual altercation with nearly 
 every member of his tribe, and was at once hated and 
 feared by them all ; and that, consequently, the case 
 must be decided against him. 
 
 Air. Le Clair gave his view of the case in a frank and 
 clear statement, and awarded the disputed points so as 
 to satisfy every member of the tribe except the irritable 
 savage who had lost his suit. This fellow left the com- 
 pany and the presence of Mr. Le Clair with a ferocious 
 look, muttering threats of vengeance against some one. 
 
 n 
 
264 
 
 THE BLACK rilANTOM; OR, 
 
 Tli<! t\\m<j!; paHsod over for the time beinpc, and littlt; was 
 Haid or thoug-ht on tlie subject. However, deep, black 
 reveng'e was rankling- in the bad heart of the de;,p(!rate 
 Indian. Within a month after the decision in the above 
 case, Mr. T^ Clair was found lying dead at a short dis- 
 tance from his own house, with his heart pierced by an 
 Indian arrow. 
 
 The news of this dark deed flew in every direction, 
 causinj^ consternation and the deepest indig-nation wher- 
 ever it came. So g-eneral and overwlujlining was the 
 soriow, that every private interest was lost si<i:ht of, and 
 tears flowed freely, — a deserved tribute to the memory 
 of the lamented dead. But, as may be supposed, no- 
 where did this calamity press so heavily as in his own 
 liome, on the hearts of his own sorrow-stricken loved 
 ones. Mrs. Le Clair received the fatal news with 
 blank paralyzing- dismay. No tears would come to her 
 relief. Oh ! that silent agony of the soul 1 Then^ was 
 little outward manifestation of her feelings, scarcely a 
 ripple on the surface ; it was all deep down in those 
 dei)ths wliere the inward nature is wrung with unutter- 
 able torture — evidenced by the unstrung and nerveless 
 frame, the blanched countenance, the iixoA and glassy 
 eye, the bloodless and wordless lips. Her recognition 
 of person and place seemed lost ; her whole being waa 
 stunned and blasted, as if the withering hand of fate 
 had struck her down. That wise, that good, that vir- 
 tuous woman, who from early youth had obeyed the 
 dictates of an enlightened conscience, and followed the 
 leadings of a higher intelligence — on her had fallen a 
 train of evils beyond her own power to remove, without 
 fault on her part, either in thf»ir origin or consummation. 
 
little; was 
 !(>p, bhick 
 ck'.porate 
 lie above 
 short (lis- 
 ted by an 
 
 direction, 
 ion wher- 
 "\vaa the 
 ht of, and 
 3 HKunory 
 losed, no- 
 bis own 
 [cn loved 
 ?ws vvitli 
 me to lier 
 'her(! was 
 scarcely a 
 in those 
 1 n nutter- 
 nerveless 
 id g-lassy 
 ?cof^iiition 
 )eing waa 
 id of fate 
 that vir- 
 )eyed the 
 lowed the 
 i fallen a 
 ;, without 
 immation. 
 
 woman's ENDURA.<iCE. 
 
 2G5 
 
 Why is it, Heaven I that the p^ood, the noble in heart 
 and soul, are made to pass throuj^fh the fire, and wade 
 through such deep waters ? 
 
 But, how was it with Lillian ? The contrast was 
 great between Mrs. Le Clair and her daughter. The 
 one, bowed down and thoroughly brokb.i in spirit, was 
 the personification of deep, silent sorrow. The other 
 was terrible as the roused tigress. She wished to hunt 
 down the murderer of her father. If she could only 
 catch him, she would tear him to pieces — she would tor- 
 ture and slay him. Nothing could allay her maniac 
 fury and soothe that terribly excited being, until the fires 
 raging in her breast burned themselves out. Even then, 
 her entire frame shook and heaved with convulsive 
 tln-oes, long after the first paroxysms of her wrath had 
 subsided — like tlie dead swell of the ocean, after havinir 
 been lashed to fury by the storm. 
 
 How changed was that so lately quiet -•'nd happy 
 home ! Every member of that family circle was pros- 
 trated by the fatal blow. They mourned the loss of (me 
 whose place could not be supplied. 
 
 After a searching investigation of the cause and man- 
 ner of the death of Mr. Le Clair, but one conclusion could 
 be arrived at ; and that was, that he had been murdered 
 by the dark-minded villain against whom, in the litiga- 
 tion of his suit, Mr. Le Clair had so righteously deci(l(!d. 
 The next point to be considered was, how to arrest the 
 guilty fugitive. He was known to be daring, cunning, 
 and unscrupulous, and no one would dare to attack hi in 
 openly. As to stratagem, he was a matcii for the whoh.' 
 tribe. It was concluded by the neighboring tribes that 
 they would hunt him down like a wild beast. 
 
 12 
 
 /I 
 
200 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 Tliouu^h tlms imitful in purpose and prompt in action, 
 llicy soon found tliuir dcsiji^'n not easy of acconipiiHli- 
 rnunt ; for, after tlie perpetration of the foul deed, the 
 fiend had ntarted off in a direct nortliern line. It was 
 not possible to find iiis trail, as he had h.'ft no footprints 
 or any other indications that marked his line of projj^ress 
 throujj^h the dense and tang-led forest. Weeks and 
 months passed, but without any trace or tidings of the 
 outlawetl vacjabond. At leni^th a party of his tribe, far 
 away in the North on a huntinj^ excursion, had their at- 
 tention attracted f)y the trunk of a large oak-tree which 
 had been riven and prostrated by a stroke of lightning-. 
 The party approached the spot to examine the thing* 
 more closely, and found, to their utter astonishment, 
 close to the shattenfd and blasted tree, the entire l)ar(! 
 and bleached bones of what, on examin.ation, proved to 
 be the remains of an Indian. Their suspicions were at 
 once excit<'d that these bones might prove to be tiie rcv 
 mains of the man who Inid' murdered Mr. Le Clair. A 
 bow and arrows, and a number of Indian ornaments 
 and other articles, found at the spot, confirmed them in 
 the correctness of their conjecture. Another proof this, 
 that though the guilty one may escape punisinnent by his 
 fellow-man, he is sure at lengta to meet the vengeance 
 of Heaven. It was generally supposed that the wretch 
 had taken shelter under the spreading branches of the 
 tree, to screen himself from a passing storm, and that, 
 being attacked and devoured by wolves, his shelter 
 proved his ruin. 
 
 But, to return to the home of the late Mr. Le Clan-. 
 Fearful indeed to his family were the result's of their 
 sudden bereavement. Beforw this calamity, Mrs. Le 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 2f57 
 
 n action, 
 
 ^oinplirtii- 
 
 (Iced, tin; 
 
 It wiirt 
 
 footprinl^ 
 pro<2:iH'SS 
 
 L'cks and 
 ^a of tlic 
 tribe, far 
 [1 their at- 
 :ree wliich 
 lightninj^. 
 the thing- 
 Diiishmcnt, 
 iiitire har(! 
 provinl to 
 ns were at 
 ) be the re- 
 Clair. A 
 )rnament8 
 led theui in 
 proof this, 
 iient by his 
 vengeance 
 the wretch 
 ches of the 
 11, and that, 
 his shelter 
 
 r. Le Clair, 
 lifs of their 
 ,y, Mrs. Lc 
 
 Clair had known wliat it was to (Midurc the loss of a 
 fond hnsband in tin; death of Captiiin Walters. But 
 that affliction can»e upon her by slow degrees, so that 
 slie had tinu* and opportunity afforded her to nerve her- 
 self, and to brace her mind to meet it. But in this case, 
 80 sudden was the shock, that it gave her mind no 
 chance to rally its forces ; and her native energy, which 
 had so often carried her triumphantly through other 
 trying scenes, was now paralyzed and impotent. Both 
 mother and daughter seemed at times as if brought to 
 the very verge of lile. But their vigorous constitutions, 
 with tender care, carried them througii, and they were 
 soon in the enjoyment of their wonted health. Yet, a 
 chill had {)assed over their spirits that seemed to have 
 new-moulded their natures, and to hav(^ given a subdued 
 tone to their whole being. Mrs. Le Clair was most cer- 
 tainly a sadder woujan. She sometimfc-s thought, she 
 would say, that she was a centre where the ills of life 
 C(mverged, directing their barbed shafts at her very 
 soul. In spite of her eft'orts to fortify her mind with the 
 higher sentiments of divine truth, these thoughts would 
 too often intrude. But tiiis sad event had accomplished 
 for Lillian what other occurrences in her past life wero 
 Dowerless to effect, for she came out of this fiery ordeal a 
 sedate and thoughtful woman. Prior to this, no sorrow 
 had ever touched her heart ; but now her nature was 
 soft(med, her spirit humbled, and her slumbering sym- 
 pathies for her mother fully aroused. The memories of 
 her father were n(,w clustering around iier heart, afford- 
 ing inexhaustible and elevating subjects for reflection. 
 She now saw his virtues, which she had not appreciated 
 in the living parent, stand out in bold and striking promi- 
 
268 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 ncnce. And those sympathies and memories prove(i, as 
 it were, a balhast, to steady her hitherto wild and erratic 
 nature. She had grown wis(ir at a fearful expense, but 
 the lessons she had learned, cvnd the discipline she had 
 been subjected to, mig'ht yet be of priceless value to 
 her. To employ language that will fully meet her case, 
 we would say that she was decidedly more domestic in 
 all her habits. 
 
 Lillian had, by nature, a strong and vigorous intellect, 
 and her mind had been highly cultivated by both father 
 and mother. Her imagination had been excited and 
 fed by listening to the old Indian squaws, who related 
 the glowing legendary tales current among their tribes ; 
 and her fancy was of the liveliest type. As she had 
 become of late more reflective, she would often sit bv 
 herself in silence, as though musing on some dee|)ly 
 absorbing subject. Then again, she would warble some 
 plaintive tune, as though actuated by a superhuman 
 agency. Indeed, she seemed inspired by the very spirit 
 of song, for she would often breathe fortli her very soul 
 in entrancing melody. 
 
 One day, when Lillian was bordering on the age of 
 seventeen, she had wandered away some distance from 
 the house, near to the neighboring woods, and within 
 sight of the banks of Lake Ontario. Sitting down on 
 the trunk of a fallen tree, while the luxuriant foliage of 
 a large maple formed a canopy that shielded her from 
 the rays of the sun, she was soon lost, in this seclusion, 
 in one of her dreamy fits, her eye wandering over the 
 expanse of water before her. She plu(^ked a beautiful 
 wild-rose from its stem, and, in a state of mental abstrac- 
 tion, separated the rose leaf by leaf, laying the leaves 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 260 
 
 oved, as 
 1 erratic 
 >n8(;, but 
 she had 
 value to 
 her case, 
 nestic in 
 
 intellect, 
 ith father 
 •ited and 
 o related 
 ir tribes ; 
 i she had 
 en sit by 
 ne deeply 
 rble some 
 perhuman 
 ery spirit 
 very soul 
 
 he ag-e of 
 ;anee from 
 ,nd within 
 down on 
 foliasje of 
 her from 
 seclusion, 
 r over the 
 , beautiful 
 al abstrac- 
 the leaves 
 
 on her lap. She would now and again raise her eyes, 
 survey the lake and the woods, and then look tow- 
 ards the house, her home. A deep sigh would now and 
 then escape her, when she would pluck another rose, 
 then another, and still another, until on her lap, and all 
 around her, lay the wreck of many roses. At leng;th, 
 as though she had been seized with somewhat of her old 
 wild spirit, she struck up one of her favorite love-ditties. 
 At once, she seemed to be completely beside herself ; 
 her soul seemed rapt, and her spirit ready to take wing 
 and fly away. The very wootls, too, seemed inspired, 
 for echo answered to echo, with such varied cadence, 
 that it was as if a company of minstrels were chanting 
 praises in unearthly strains. When she had finished 
 the song, she again relapsed into silence and musing 
 as before. But hark 1 what is tiiat she hears ? It was 
 surely the same tune that she herself had just been war- 
 bling. Was it the Great Spirit of whom the old squaw 
 had so often spoken, who v/as thus answering lier from 
 his dwelling-place ? If not, what could it be, she had 
 never heard any thing like it before ? Her mind, im- 
 pressed with a kind of a.v- . v-ras agitated, and in this 
 state she started for her home. It was more of a reli- 
 gious feeling with which she was impressed than alarm, 
 for she was not so easily frightened ; but this was so 
 very strange ! When she arrived at home, she tri(!(l in 
 the best way she could to explain to her mother this 
 strange and wonderful music ; but it was utterly unex- 
 plainable, it was so unearthly — it must be the Great 
 Spirit. Her mother came to the conclusion that Lillian, 
 falling asleep in one of lier musing fits, had been dream- 
 ing, and awaking from her dream, had started home 
 
 
270 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 in a frig-ht. Lillian's protestations to the contrary did 
 not chan<>:e the mind of Mrs. Le Clair, who still believed 
 her dang-hter must in some way bo mistaken. Thon^-h 
 fully satisfied, Lillian determined on investigating the 
 matter further, and for this purpose visited the same 
 place on the following afternoon. Arriving there, she 
 cha,nted one of her sweetest songs, which she had no 
 sooner concluded, than she heard the same strain re- 
 peated, but with a soft, flowing sweetness to which her 
 ear was a stranger. She now became fully enlightened 
 as to the nature and source of the sweet strains with 
 which she had been so enraptured — some person, hear- 
 ing her sing, had responded by repeating the same tune 
 on the flute. Her curiosity was so far excited, that 
 she wished for a more intimate knowledge of the per- 
 former who could produce such dulcet melody from his 
 instrument. Her wish was sooner gratified than she 
 had anticipated. On turning her attention and direct- 
 ing her steps towards a narrow path that led through 
 a dense undergrowth of brush into the woods, a man 
 emerged from this path, and fully confronted her. He 
 was dressed in the prim uniff)rm of a sergeant of the 
 English army. They were both greatly confused, stand- 
 ing silently contemplating each other, as if, for the mo- 
 ment, they had lost all power of utterance. At length, 
 the sergeant, raising his cap in a very graceful manner, 
 said— «- 
 
 " Excuse me. Miss ; I hope I am not rudely intruding 
 myself on youi' privacy V 
 
 Lillian, greatly embarrassed, and with face suffused 
 with blushes, replied — 
 
 " 1 liave been too venturesome, I fear, in coming thus 
 
woman's endurance, 
 
 271 
 
 trary did 
 [ believed 
 
 Thon^-h 
 ating the 
 the same 
 there, she 
 e had no 
 strain re- 
 v^hich lier 
 lightened 
 airis with 
 ijon, hear- 
 lame tune 
 ited, that 
 
 the per- 
 from his 
 than she 
 nd direct- 
 l through 
 is, a man 
 her. He 
 int of the 
 ed, stand- 
 )r the mo- 
 \.t length, 
 I manner, 
 
 intruding 
 
 suffused 
 
 ning thus 
 
 far alone ; but I was attracted by music executed by 
 some person playing on the flute." 
 
 "Yes," said the sergeant, holding out a beautiful 
 silver-mounted flute, with a number of silver keys at- 
 tached, "it was I who was playing, in response to some 
 delightful vocal strains that reached my ear from tin's 
 direction. I heard a melody that used to be a favorit<' 
 one of my mother's— one with which she used to delight 
 me when a boy. You may be sure that, as I listeiu'd, 
 my mind was stirred with sweet memories of other davs 
 and places, and of loved ones I may never see again. 
 If I have grown too stern for tears, believe me, A[iss, 
 that I find my heart still in possession of all its native 
 tenderness." 
 
 As hp uttered these words, gazing upon the lovely 
 girl be!'( re him, his soul seemed speaking from every 
 feature ; so that it was not so much the words as the 
 impressive manner of their delivery that gave a still 
 deeper tinge to the blushes on the face of Lillian. He 
 had excited her sympathy, and with much feeling she 
 asked — 
 
 " Have you a mother ?" 
 
 " I had," was the laconic reply. 
 
 " Have you a father, then ?" asked Lillian, with much 
 simplicity and assured confidence. 
 
 " I had one," was again the reply of the sergeant. 
 
 At this stage of the interview Lillian began to show 
 signs of restlessness, ;i,nd, looking in the direction of her 
 home, said, witli much feelino' — 
 
 " Excuse me, sir, I must be going ; my mother will 
 l)e expecting me, and will consider me as tarrying too 
 long ;" at the same time, with a gentle movement of 
 
272 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 l»or hand and an inclination of her lioad, in her tender 
 musical tones taking leave of hiin with, " Good-day, sir," 
 she turned to go towards her home. The sergeant, re- 
 spectfully raising his cap, and with much gallantry 
 thrown into a graceful bow, bade her adieu. But the 
 sergeant found it not easy to leave the spot, for he stood 
 there, looking after Lillian, admiring the dignity and 
 grace of her movement as she receded from him. The 
 words escaped his lips, " Wliat a beautiful girl ! what a 
 brilliant creature !" We would inform the ri'ader that 
 Sergeant George Hargreaves belonged to a r(;giment 
 then stationed in Canada, and the company of this regi- 
 ment to which he was attached was then on detached 
 duty close by the residence of Mrs. Le Clair. They had 
 been placed there, only a few days before the above in- 
 terview took place, in consequence of some apprehended 
 difficulty with one of the tribes of Indians and some of 
 the farmers on the outskirts of the white settlements. 
 
 As Lillian wended her way homeward, she found that 
 she carried with her a new image imprinted on her heart. 
 When she arrived at homo, she informed her mother 
 that she had found out all about the music she had heard 
 iu the woods — that it was a person playing on a flute ; 
 but she said as little as possible about the performer 
 him.self. However, if she said little, she ihought much, 
 and felt still more ; for Cupid had shot his arrows, and 
 they had entered her heart. Previous to the above in- 
 terview, Lillian had had little if any intercourse with 
 people of the outsnie world. Her acqu.'iintance had been 
 confined to the sonc and daughters of the neighboring 
 farmers, and to the Indians who visited her father's 
 office on affairs connected with their own personal inter- 
 
WOMAN'S ENDURANCE. 
 
 273 
 
 tender 
 ly, sir," 
 ant, rc- 
 illantry 
 But tlie 
 le stood 
 ty and 
 1. The 
 
 what a 
 ler that 
 jgiment 
 lis regi- 
 etached 
 hey liad 
 bove in- 
 jhended 
 some of 
 ents. 
 md that 
 ;r heart. 
 
 mother 
 id heard 
 a flute ; 
 irformer 
 it much, 
 •vvs, and 
 bove in- 
 rse with 
 lad been 
 ;liboring 
 
 father's 
 lal inter- 
 
 ests, or those of their diflerent tribes ; so that, when 
 she first saw Sergeant Hargreaves, with his handsome, 
 manly form and features, his neat-fitting di'ess, his su- 
 I)erior action, and his dashing manner, she at once con- 
 cluded that he must, of courso', be of high rank in the 
 army, and that he must be good, as he spoke so tenderly 
 of his mother. With this general outline, her imagina- 
 tion was not slow in filling up a picture suited to her 
 fancy, and this picture was engraven in deep and in- 
 effaceable characters on her soul. It was the same with 
 Hargreaves in regard to Lillian : although he had trav- 
 elled and seen much of the world, and his heart had 
 been thus far impervious to the charms of the fairer 
 sex, yet now, when he saw Lillian, it yielded like the 
 delicate rose to the influence of the genial shower and 
 the life-awakening rays of the sun. The appearance 
 and manners of Lillian had carried his heart captive ; but 
 there was a doubt whether she could ever be his. He was 
 but a sergx^ant ; and if she belonged to an aristocratic 
 family, might not his profession and inferior position 
 prove insuperable obstacles to his suit ? At all events, 
 on the morrow he would call at their residence. Sleep 
 made but fitful visits to the eyes of Hargreaves during 
 the intervening night — his thoughts were with Lillian, 
 fluttering in ecstasy around her, admiringly contem- 
 plating her fine form, her lofty mien, the sparkling 
 splendor of her eyes, every feature of her noble counte- 
 nance. 
 
 Hargreaves paid the purposed visit on the following 
 morning, with a trembling heart and many misgivings. 
 He did not forget, however, to take his flute with him, 
 the magic influence of which had already been ackiiowl- 
 
 12* 
 
274 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 edged by Lillian. He introduced himself with a cour- 
 teous freedom, explaining- the cause of himself and lua 
 company being in the neighborhood ; then, in an oil- 
 hand way, alluded to his interview of the previous even- 
 ing with Lillian, attracted thither by hearing her sing 
 an air with which he was familiar, having learned it 
 from his mother when a boy at home. 
 
 He kept the conversation going in a spirited and 
 agreeable style for some time, when, observing the ele- 
 gant piano, with a pile of music close by it, he, without 
 showing much apparent interest in the thing, approached 
 it, and, sitting down on the stool, swept his fingers over 
 the keys, eliciting a burst of admiration from both Lillian 
 and her mother. Then, playing the tune he had heard 
 Lillian sing the day before — exciting and interesting still 
 more deeply those wliose good opinion he wished to se- 
 cure, and having, as he no doubt divined, made an im- 
 pression on their minds favorable to himself — with all 
 the suavity that he could throw into his manner, urging 
 the calls of duty, he left them. But he was not allowed 
 to depart without receiving an invitation, while his com- 
 pany remained in the neighborhood, and as opportunity 
 offered, to pay them a visit. 
 
 After Hargreaves had left the houso, Mrs. Le Clair 
 and Lillian expressed the opinion that, while a finished 
 musician, his manners were those of a polished gentle- 
 man. In the course of their conversation, Mrs. Le Clair 
 was pained by the revelation of a fact she had before 
 little dreamed of. Lillian, she saw, from her exagger- 
 ated praise of the personal appearance and mental at- 
 tractions of the gay-looking and gifted sergeant, had 
 lost control of her feelings ; and she began to throw 
 
woman's p:ndurance. 
 
 2Y5 
 
 1 a conr- 
 aiid his 
 ri an otl- 
 )iis even- 
 her sing" 
 iarned it 
 
 ited and 
 r the ole- 
 , witliout 
 proached 
 ^ers over 
 th Lillian 
 ad heard 
 5ting still 
 ed to se- 
 ie an im- 
 -with all 
 r, urging" 
 t allowed 
 ; his com- 
 portunity 
 
 Le Clair 
 L finished 
 d gentle- 
 , Le Clair 
 ad before 
 exagger- 
 lental at- 
 sant, had 
 to throw 
 
 out words of caution, and to urge disparaging probabili- 
 ties in regard to the stranger. The difference, she said, 
 between the rank and position of her first husband, Cap- 
 tain Walters, and this Hargreaves, who was only a ser- 
 geant, was too great. But this was now a waste of 
 words ; it came too lat<.', for tlie mischief was already 
 done, if there was mischief in it ; it was like throwing 
 oil upon the smouldering fire. As usual in such cases, 
 her mother's words but increased her fervor in defendin*'- 
 Hargreaves. A man who so prided himself in recollec- 
 tions of his mother, she pleaded, and ch(U"ished such feel- 
 ings in her regard, must have a pure and tender heart, 
 and certainly could not be a bad man. 
 
 Sergeant Hargreaves visited the house of Mrs. Le 
 Clair on the following morning ; for, with heart en- 
 thralled and vibrating between hope and fear, he could 
 have no happiness but in assurance of the success of 
 his suit. He was yet ignorant of the influence he was 
 exerting over the heart of Lillian. When he made his 
 appearance, he might have perceived by her manner, 
 and the hearty reception she gave him, that his presence 
 was not unwelcome. Though Mrs. Le Clair exhibited 
 her usual affability, and seemed to give a cordial recep- 
 tion to Hargreaves, yet there was a strong under-current 
 setting in an opposite direction. She, however, knew 
 the resolute mind and determined will of Lillian, and 
 rightly concluded, that if the passion of love once gained 
 possession of her heart, it would overbear all obstacles, 
 and even a mother's arguments, commands, and entreaties 
 be powerless to control it or change its coiu'se — it would 
 burn on. As we have said before, if there was mischief 
 in that, it was already accompMshed. Lillian had lost 
 
276 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 all control over her feelings, so strong was the passion 
 of love in her heart. The presence of Hargreaves had 
 now become necessary to her peace and happiness ; for, 
 (luring his absence, she was restless and unsatisfied with 
 every thing. It was tlie sauie with Hargreaves, who 
 was never himself while out of the company of Lillian ; 
 hence all the time he could connnand was spent in her 
 society. 
 
 Mrs. Le Clair observed with a painful interest the 
 scene passing before her in her own home, and in which 
 Lillian was, to her, the most prominent object, but which 
 she had been powerless to change in any way. She 
 dreaded the k)ss of her only child, in her now widowed 
 and lonely state. And then she knew, herself, what it 
 was to be a soldier's wife, to have no settled resting- 
 place, but to be a wanderer over the world, even with 
 the privileges and advantages at the command of a 
 captain. Then, how must it be with the wife of a ser- 
 geant, at the best but little superior to one of a private 
 soldier ? It was agonizing to reflect on the exposure to 
 temptation, tlie dangers and discomforts to which Lillian 
 would be subjected. All this she urged on her daughter, 
 but to no purpose. She frankly and calmly informed her 
 mother, that but one choice was left her — between 
 George Hargreaves as her husband, with whatever con- 
 sequences might follow, or an early grave. Mrs. Le 
 Clair was eventually compelled to yield, though with a 
 tardy and unwilling acquiescence. 
 
 When things had come to this state, Hargreaves him- 
 self began to take a more sober view of circumstances 
 than he had hitherto done ; and asked himself, wliat, if 
 he did marry Lillian, would he do with so beautiful a 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 277 
 
 creature, either on the march, in camp, or in barracks ? 
 So perplexed was his mind with these th(juglits, tliat he 
 ventured to throw out a liint on this subject to Lillian, 
 lie soon found that he was steppinjj;' on sacrcnl g-rouud. 
 His thought was no sooner broached, than Lillian, fully 
 comprehending its import, directed a look towards him 
 that seemed to penetrate his inner being, for he quailed 
 before her. She proudly asked him if he doubted the 
 purity or the sincerity of her love, or the strength of her 
 mind ? But the candid and manly avowal of his full and 
 entire confidence in her at once calmed her excited spirit, 
 and the current of their love went smoothly on as ev(n". 
 
 After this, not a day passed without their spending a 
 portion of it in each other's company ; and at each in- 
 terview some new feature in their character was devel- 
 oped, which tended to strengthen their attachment : 
 they each found in the other some mental excellence, 
 some accomplishment, that they little dreamed of at 
 their first acquaintance. 
 
 When he first met Lillian, Hargreaves saw she was 
 beautiful, but she might prove to be an uninformed rus- 
 tic girl, brought up in the woods, and who had asso- 
 ciated only with the untutored youngsters of the neigh- 
 borhood. What was his surprise when he found her 
 able to converse fluently in several languages, while her 
 knowledge of music was of a high order ; with a voice, 
 in power and sweetness, of rare excellence, and nothing 
 of the rustic in her bearing and manners ! She, on the 
 other hand, found in the sergeant at once the polished 
 gentleman and the ripe scholar. 
 
 In this connection, we may as well give the reader 
 some general idea of the antecedents of Hargreaves. 
 
278 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 Ho was a yoniif^cr son of an aristocratic family in tlio 
 Houth of En<;*lan(l, which had been reduced in circiini- 
 stanccs hy boinf^ on<^a^cd in a lonj^ and expensive law- 
 suit, the wlujle estate having been thrown into the Court 
 of Chancery. Although he had received a hig-h classical 
 education, yet Hargreaves had been so rcduc(?d as to 
 be without any present means of obtaining a living. 
 Being of too proud a spirit to labor in a subordinate 
 position, or to be dependent on relatives without labor, 
 and also of a romantic turn of mind and fond of ad- 
 venture, he went to a distant part of the country, where 
 he was not personally known, and there enlisted as a 
 common soldier, with the determination of raising him- 
 self in the army by his own merit. At the time of his 
 first introduction to our notice, in his interview with 
 Lillian, he was about twenty-three years of age ; and 
 in the short space of two years, had, by good behavior 
 and strict attention to the duties of his station, risen to 
 the position of sergeant in tiie company to wliich he 
 belonged, with a fair prospect of still further advance- 
 ment. 
 
 Here, then, Hargreaves and Lillian are presented to 
 us, as a couple of young, ardent, and romantic beings, 
 comparatively ignorant of the world, and of the stern 
 realities and demands of the world's life. Hence, to 
 rush into each other's arms and link their fortunes for 
 life, was a present bliss ; and tbey were not anxious to 
 pry far into the future. As usual, in such cases, tiie 
 good wishes and congratulations of the young and un- 
 thinking outweigh the doubts and surmisings of cooler 
 and more thoughtful heads. But, be it for weal or for 
 woe, the union was now a fact, to the joy of the two 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 279 
 
 in tlift 
 ircurn- 
 e law- 
 Court 
 assical 
 . as to 
 living, 
 rdiiiate 
 labor, 
 of ad- 
 , where 
 ;d as a 
 ng him- 
 ; of his 
 w with 
 e ; and 
 ehavior 
 ris(3n to 
 liich he 
 dvance- 
 
 nted to 
 beings, 
 le stern 
 L^nce, to 
 nnes for 
 xious to 
 ses, the 
 and iin- 
 f cooler 
 al or for 
 the two 
 
 most deeply interested. After the nuptials, none could 
 be niore hapjty than the wedded pair just launchcil upon 
 a summer sea, with a favoring breeze, their bark well- 
 provisioned, and bound for elysian eiim(.'s. But, meta- 
 piior apart, as far as material necessaries and even lux- 
 uries were concerned, they were am[)ly provided ; and so 
 on that score their lunirts were at ease. 
 
 Lillian, soon after her union with Hargreaves, was 
 deeply pained by the arrival of marching orders for 
 the company to which he belonged. Of course he 
 had to go with the command. Here was now njalized 
 one of the contingencies that had so perplexed and 
 aillicted the mind of Mrs. Le Clair, and now it came 
 home with all its distressing force to the mind and heart 
 of Lillian. She had to leave her mother, and her home, 
 with all its tender associations and terrible recollections. 
 She visited the grave of her murdered father, and, as 
 she had often done, bedewed it with her tears. But, 
 when the moment came for her to bid adieu to her fond 
 mother, she manifested intense sorrow. In a paroxysm 
 of agony she cried out — 
 
 " My mother 1 oh, my mother, how can I leave you ! 
 you, to whom I am so deeply indebted — you, who have 
 borne so mildly with my wild freaks, and so patiently 
 striven to inform my ignorance, and C(jrrect all my way- 
 wardness — you, to whom I owe whatever of good I pos- 
 sess ! But I know the nature of the vows I have as- 
 sumed ; and I know, too, that my heart and my person 
 now belong to another, and duty demands our separa- 
 tion, howler painful it may prove to our feelings. 
 But, mother, when I erase to remember you, when my 
 warmest affections c A in the least towards you, may 
 
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280 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 Heaven no longer smile upon me 1 But, mother, tliiit 
 can never be ; no, never will I forget you, my motlier !" 
 
 Her motlier was deeply moved at this passionate dis- 
 play ol" Lillian's vehement feelings, and the wounds of 
 her heart seemed to he opened alrcsh. She. however, 
 had more command over herself than had Lillian ; for 
 she had already been led through deep waters, had been 
 in many a fiery furnace, and had not come out of them 
 altogether unscathed, and still bore the marks of them 
 burned into her very soul. Bowing with deep submission 
 to this heavy affliction, she held her peace, fully believ- 
 ing and acknowledging that this, as well as other be- 
 reavements she had endured, were among the " all 
 things" that would eventually work together for her 
 good. 
 
 After the departure of Lillian with her husband, Mrs. 
 Le Ol'iir calmly considered her situation, and felt all the 
 loneliness of her condition. But a comparatively short 
 time previous to this, she was happy in the possession 
 of every earthly good, — with a loving and tender husband, 
 and a daughter, who, with unsurpassed attractions, had a 
 heart as pure as it was affectionate, she was rich in all 
 the blessings an indulgent Providence could bestow. 
 But now she was a widow ; and, to add to all her other 
 sorrows, she had lost her daughter, her only child — 
 leaving a dreary blank in that household of which she 
 had been the chief ornament. But, stricken and smitten 
 as she was, she bravely bore up, and with her usual 
 fortitude met every duty, assiduously supervising every 
 department of labor that required her attention on the 
 farm, as well as the more immediate household work. 
 As if a stranger to fatigue, she was up early, and late 
 
W O M A N's endurance. 
 
 2S1 
 
 ber, that 
 nother !" 
 natc dis- 
 )iinds of 
 iowevor, 
 ian ; for 
 lad beeu 
 of them 
 of them 
 bmission 
 y believ- 
 Dther be- 
 the "all 
 • for her 
 
 and, Mrs. 
 ilt all the 
 ely short 
 lossessioii 
 ■ husband, 
 ons, had a 
 rich in all 
 i bestow. 
 
 her other 
 [y child — 
 tvhich she 
 id smitten 
 
 her usual 
 i'mg every 
 ion on the 
 liold work. 
 /, and late 
 
 took rest ; and she had the pleasing- satisfaction to 
 know, that not only was hers the largest, but that it 
 was also the best cultivated farm in all that district, 
 and promised the finest and most abundant crops. 
 
 There had been a good deal of private gossip at Lil- 
 lian's expense between Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Brown, both 
 before and after her marriage with Sergeant Hargnsj.ves. 
 It had been a matter of astonishment with them that 
 Lillian did not look higher than a sergeant for a hue- 
 band ; and they were much surprised that Mrs. Le Clair 
 did not use her authority, and not allow her daughter to 
 marry a stranger like Hargreaves. Why, in their esti- 
 mation, it was no better than if she had married a pri- 
 vate soldier I 
 
 " As to that," said Mrs. Jones, " he may be reduced 
 to a private yet, for what one knows, if he should get 
 out with any of the officers." 
 
 " Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Brown, " for Fve often and 
 often known that to be the case." 
 
 " Yes, indeed, and so have I," said Mrs. Jones ; " and 
 then what'U become of all the fine things the old Indian 
 witch said about her ? But," she continued, " I always 
 thought, and said, that it was nothing but downritrht 
 blasphemy ; and it has all come to what I always thought 
 it would — that it would all end in smoke." 
 
 We give merely an outline of what was the general 
 tone of their conversation ; but, as we have said, this 
 was all private. 
 
*482 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 We will now follow Lillian and her husband, and 
 learn how circumstances g-o with them. Lillian had 
 been provided with a private conveyance to Montreal, 
 she not wishinp^ to go with the baggage of th<» company. 
 When they arriv(!d in Montreal, Hargreavos procured 
 private lodgings for his wife, in a retired place not far 
 from the barracks ; and in this place, free fnjm the in- 
 trusion of the inquisitive and the prying eyes of the 
 curious, they enjoyed themselves and were happy. But 
 Lillian, who had aforetime roamed abroad at will, and 
 breathed the pure and invigorating air of hf^avcn, could 
 not act the recluse. By the directions of her husband, 
 as well as to gratify her own wishes, she would often 
 stroll along the bank of the noble St. Lawrence, admir- 
 ing the grandtnir of the scenc^ry, and rambling whither- 
 soever her inclination led her. But a person of her ap- 
 pearance could not long pursue this course without at- 
 tracting the observation of men, and osjtecially that of 
 the officers of the regiment to which Hargreaves be- 
 longed. One might presume that it was (at the latter 
 part of the last century, though, of course, it is not so 
 now) the main object of the lives of a majority of the 
 officers of the British army to find out, to admire, to 
 insult, if not to seduce, beautiful women. It appeared 
 that one of the younger officers had noticed Lillian while 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 288 
 
 ind, and 
 lian had 
 Montreal, 
 company, 
 procured 
 e not far 
 m the in- 
 es of the 
 3py. Bnt 
 , will, and 
 /en, could 
 husband, 
 )uld often 
 ce, adniir- 
 r whithcn-- 
 [)f her ap- 
 ithout at- 
 ly that of 
 eaves be- 
 the latter 
 irt not so 
 ity of the 
 iidinire, to 
 appeared 
 llian while 
 
 on one of her excursive rambles, lie was esp<'cially 
 attracted by her ihw fi«z;ure and majestic; mien : of more 
 tlian these he was not able to judjj^e, for her face was 
 covered by a heavy veil. But he hud seen enou<^h to 
 excite his curiosity, and was not lon»>; in communicating 
 the knowledge of his discovery to some of his chums. 
 This information caused quite a flutter amont^ the mem- 
 bers of the officers' mess-room. Inquiry was mad(?, and 
 conjecture exhausted, as to who this strange beauty 
 could be. On the morrow, to learn who she was and 
 her place of residence, scouts were thrown out in every 
 direction, who visited every place where it was under- 
 stood she was in the habit of taking her accustome-d 
 walks. 
 
 The mystery these conspirators against female virtue 
 had set out to solve remained for som(> davs ui.devel- 
 oped ; but this was not for want of vigilance in the 
 pursuers of mischicif. At length, howev(>r, these harpies 
 were so far successful as to fiivd out that Lillian was a 
 married woman, th(; wife of Sergeant IIargreav('s. They 
 were surprised at this discovery, and disappoint<.*d ; but 
 they were not dismayed, for it could not be supposed 
 that a sergeant would be allowed to stand as an ob- 
 stacle in the way of the attainment of the wishes of his 
 superiors. They therefore laid their heads together and 
 set their wits to work to obtain possession of the coveted 
 prize. Many schemes were suggested, discussed, and 
 then laid aside, as being impracticable. But thc.'re was 
 one of these officers — and w(; are not sure tl:at he was 
 more deeply steeped in vice, or that his soul was more 
 oblivious of virtue than the rest — who suggested that 
 Hargreaves should be dispatched on some message that 
 
7—f 
 
 284 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 would require his absence from tlie regiment for ten 
 (lays or a fortnif^ht. This would afford tliom ample time 
 to accomplish their diabolical purpose. Tiie sclieine so 
 deliberately planned was soon in process of execution, 
 llargreaves, with a file of men, was sent to a distant 
 locality to arrest a deserter, who, the conmiand had 
 lately been informed, was residing at the place indi- 
 cated in the warrant. No sooner had Hargreaves been 
 started on his journey, than the officers who had joined 
 in this nefarious plot were all on the alert. They visited 
 all the places which Lillian was known to have fre- 
 quented, but to no purpose. She was not to be found 
 for some time, and that for the very good reason that 
 she had never left her own room since her husband went 
 away. But at length, her patience having been severely 
 tested, and anxious for the return of her husband, Lillian 
 stepped to the door, and was standing there, her eyes 
 glancing one way and another, when one of the boldest 
 and most dashing officers of the regiment came suddenly 
 up to her, and in a very polite and gallant way raised 
 his hat, and making his obeisance, said — 
 
 " Mrs. Hargreaves, I presume ?" 
 
 Lillian, with a dignified air, and without much embar- 
 rassment, said, " Yes, sir." 
 
 He then said, " I have, for some time, felt a strong 
 desire to make your acquaintance, I have heard so much 
 of your personal attractions ; but now I find that the 
 half has not been told me. Where has so much excel- 
 lence been hiding itself until now, my sweet creature ?" 
 
 As the officer was thus proceeding with his empty and 
 fulsome fiattery, Lillian kept stepping backwards, while 
 the officer continued his advance towards her, until they 
 
WOMAN S END U RANG K. 
 
 285 
 
 wore both within the room, when he closed tlic door. 
 Lillian's face became suffused with a deep scarlet ; but 
 this was not like the blushes that often came in response 
 to the fond caresses of her husband. It was an unmis- 
 takable indication of stern resentment, and an indicnant 
 rebuke of her insulted womanhood. Her eyes Hashed 
 dn.'adful fire-;— her whole fram<; became ri^id, and seemed 
 to assunjc vaster proportions. The oflQcer seeing* this, 
 and supposing' it to be evidence of fear, presumed to 
 place his hand upon her bare shoulder, saying- at the 
 same time, " Do not be alarmed, my sweet angel." The 
 words were scarcely out of his mouth when Lillian ex- 
 hibited somewhat of her old rage, for, like the arouscnl 
 tigress, she flew at him, and caught him with a gripe 
 from which he was utterly unable to extricate himself. 
 And then, with more than mnsculine strength, she 
 dashed him with such force to the floor, that for a mo- 
 ment lie appeared stunned. Now, with one hand she 
 held a Arm gripe on his throat, and plied his face with 
 the other with such vigor, that it was soon so disfigured 
 that his friends would hardly have recognized him. 
 
 At this stage of things, who should open the door 
 and step into the room but her husband. As may be 
 supposed, he stood there confounded, immovable, for a 
 moment. But when his first feeling of amazement, which 
 was but for a moment, had subsided, he sprang forward 
 and endeavored to lift his wife from off her prostrate 
 victim ; but so tenacious was her grasp upon his throat, 
 that it was only by an exertion of his main strength 
 he could make her let go her hold. And even then he 
 with difficulty restrained her, as she seemed determined 
 to take his life. In fact, there was something superhu- 
 
' f 
 
 286 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 mtiii ii» licr wrath and in hor wholo appearance — so iniicli 
 so, that even her liusband was terriiied at tli(i Hi<;lit. 
 1T(M' Indian hlood was hoilin*^ within her — lier brain was 
 on lire; — and she was consequently re<^ardles8 of" any 
 results tiiat might follow. It was fortunate for the of- 
 ficer, and even for Lillian herself, that Ilargreaves made 
 his appearance when he did, for the officer niipcht, other- 
 wise, in a short time liave been with those beyond the 
 flood. 
 
 While Ilargrcaves and Lillian were thus wrestling, he 
 to restrain Ikt, and she, fierce as a tiger, striving to re- 
 new the attack, the officer, thus liberated, was not slow 
 in making good liis retreat, with his handkerchief over 
 his disfigured face, making his way as best he could to 
 his (piarters. When there, he sent for the surg(.'on of 
 the regiment, to whom he mad(; a lame and impotent 
 excuse for the condition iii which that gentleman found 
 him ; and it was only to two or three of the officers, 
 who were in the secret of the plot, that ho made a state- 
 ment of his experience in his encounter with Lillian. 
 He declared that Lillian was, beyond all question, the 
 moat beautiful woman he had ever seen ; but, he said, 
 she is a perfect she-devil. 
 
 It was some time before Lillian calmed down suflfi- 
 cieutly to give Hargreaves anything like an intelligible 
 statement of the above circumstances, a part of which he 
 had himself witnessed. Having heard the whole story, 
 he could not but approve of the conduct of Lillian, al- 
 though he foresaw that trouble to himself was almost 
 sure to arise out of this untoward event. And it was 
 not long before he found, to his intense mortification, 
 that nearly all the officers of the regiment made it a 
 
 11 
 
WOMANS ENIU'RANCii. 
 
 287 
 
 -so iniH'li 
 Mi) Hi<;-lit. 
 brain vvas 
 J8 of any 
 or the ot- 
 ivos made 
 rht, other- 
 uyoud the 
 
 ostling, lie 
 ving to rc- 
 8 not sl(AV 
 chief over 
 le could to 
 snr}j^(.'on of 
 .1 impotent 
 nnan found 
 
 le officers, 
 ide a state- 
 itli Lillian, 
 lestion, the 
 
 t, he said, 
 
 own suffi- 
 intellip^ible 
 f which he 
 hole story, 
 Lillian, al- 
 was almost 
 And it was 
 ortification, 
 ; made it a 
 
 point to outrage his feelings in every possible way. 
 'rh(\y soon found a paltry pretext as an excuse to break 
 him as a sergeant, and reduce him to the ranks, al- 
 1 hough ho had purposely been on his guard, highly ex- 
 emplary in all his words and actions, and att<Mitive to 
 his duty. But, guilty or not, tlu-y had injured him, 
 therefore they could not forgive him. They had been 
 disappointed in their nefarious schemes upon the honor 
 and virtue of his wife, therefore they made him the ob- 
 ject at which they aimed their envenomed darts. The 
 military profession, through all its grades, is # system 
 of espionage and sycophancy, the inferior cringing to 
 the superior, and the superior lording it over the infe- 
 rior. Hence, if it was desinul by a superior ollicer to 
 make his inferior an otlender for a word even, he had 
 always his tools at hand, to assist him in carrying out 
 liis purpose — ready to swear away the character of the 
 innocent. And oh, how sadly, was this put in practice 
 in the case of George Ilargreaves ! Every ear being 
 closed against him, there was no tribunal to which he 
 could submit his complaints. He was but a privato 
 soldier, and it was his duty to submit without a mur- 
 mur, however harsh and overbearin«>: mi<rht be the con- 
 duct of his superiors. Such was the dictum of his 
 self-constituted judges. He now clearly saw that evil 
 was hedging him around, and that he was without any 
 way of escape. With feelings tortured by the insults 
 and contumely he was daily suflfering, it would be no 
 wonder if a word should escape him, in some measure 
 expressive of a sense of the unmerited wrongs he was 
 enduring. We give an instance in point. The second 
 lieutenant, a small, beardless upstart, was inspecting the 
 
288 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 Jirtiis and accoutrciix'uts of tlio compiuiy, and on oominfi^ 
 to Uaij^Tcavcs, wlio wuh always one of" the tvininu'st, 
 and clci. 'M'st-l(M»kin^ men of the conij)any, unjustly 
 taunted him with heinj^ ne^lig-iMit and dirty. On liear- 
 ing this aspersion cast upon him, Ilarj^reavcs turned, 
 and said, with some abruptness, that when he cU'aned 
 tliem, he left not a spot upon them. The boy-ofiiccr, 
 witli an assumption of false dij^^nity, and his face red- 
 dening with raj^e, said, " Do you char«^e me with bein<;- 
 a liar, sir?" and calling- a c<-)rporal and a file of men, 
 ordered them to take Hargreaves to the guard-house. 
 It was (jasy for the officer to bring witnesses who, with 
 a little coloring of the circumstances, could make out of 
 this a gross act of disobedience when on duty and in 
 the ranks ; and, as the maintenance of strict discipline 
 in the regiuKMit was indispensable?, this aggravated case 
 cojJd not be overlooked, and must not be allowed to 
 pass unpunished. 
 
 A case was soon made out against Hargreaves, and 
 a court-marshal convened for his trial. We would re- 
 mark here, that Hargreaves had scrupulously kept from 
 Lillian the knowledge of all the annoyances he had en- 
 dured, from a fear that she might charge herself with 
 being the cause of all his suffering, by the deserved 
 chastisement she had inflicted on the officer who insulted 
 her. When she did first hear that he was placed in the 
 guard-house, and was about to be tried by court-martial, 
 she was greatly excited ; and with untiring solicitude, 
 availing herself of every chance to obtain a hearing, she 
 pleaded earnestly for his release. But she sued in vain ; 
 they were determined on avenging the shame and suf- 
 fering of a brother oflBcer, Nothing, therefore, would 
 
woman's ENDtlKANCE. 
 
 2S0 
 
 riimnost, 
 unjustly 
 3n Insir- 
 5 tunuid, 
 i clcaiK^d 
 )y-offic«r, 
 face rcd- 
 itli hii'n\p: 
 of men, 
 ird-houac, 
 ivho, with 
 ike out of 
 ty and in 
 discipline 
 ^ated case 
 til owed to 
 
 Mives, and 
 would re- 
 kept from 
 ic had en- 
 rself with 
 d(}served 
 ) insulted 
 ced in the 
 t-inartial, 
 solicitude, 
 aring, she 
 d in vain ; 
 e and suf- 
 ■jre, would 
 
 satisfy tliein but tin; (lis;xrace of their vietinj, as a fitting 
 atonement for their vvouiidt'd pride and dis:ip|)ointed 
 lust. As tiie self-cre.ited judges of llars^Teaves had idl 
 things tiicir own way, it was easy for them to select 
 their tools as members of tluj court-martial. 
 
 When the day arrived for this court to convene and 
 sit in solemn dignity to carry out the farce of a trial, 
 the ujanacled victim was brought before them ; and 
 while he stood there, in all the dignity of conscious 
 imiocence, not one of his guilty judges couhl meet th(^ 
 steady gaze of his flashing eye. But the })«n'poso of 
 these men was to try, to condemn, to punish, and it was 
 to mask their purpose with the forms of law, that the 
 Judge-Advocat(3 (ielivered his pomjtous harangue, and 
 th<' few suborned witnesses were all examined. I'rom 
 the address of the Judge-Advocate, one w(mld have 
 thought that the prisoner had been guilty of treason, or 
 some other high crim(! against Government. He espi;- 
 cially dwelt upon the great necessity of (curbing the 
 insubordination of the connnon soldier ; and (h'scanted 
 upon the great disparity that existed between them and 
 the officers of the British army, who were invariably 
 s(!lect(.'d from the upper and educated classes. And 
 tiiat the diiJerent grades might fully und(Mstand their 
 proper level, and the duties of their separate stations, 
 and that the lower might not infringe upon the upper 
 with impunity, he called upon the members of the 
 court-martial to make an example of th(j prisoner Ix;- 
 fore them, as a warning: to everv common soldier in this, 
 or any other regiment under the British crown. After 
 this insult to humanity and common sense, to say nothing 
 of justice, the court were left alone with closed doors, to 
 
 13 
 
i>!M) 
 
 THE BLACK THAN TOM; OR, 
 
 l)riii<j;' in tlnir fimllni;', wliicli was an caHy iiiattrr, and 
 <|iii<'kly done. Tin' findini^s of tiic court wcif, that tlic 
 prisoner, (ivitv^f Ilar^reuves, li.td boon g'uilty of j^ross 
 insubordination in tiio ranks, usin<^ iinp<M*tin(Mit and in- 
 sulting^ Ian<^ua;^e to his ofliccr, while that officer wuh 
 IMTlorFninfj;' his official duty, according to the usaj^es and 
 general practice of the Firitisli army. And that the said 
 court, each and all of them, declare the prisoner guilty, 
 and adjud^^e liim in the iniiiction and punishment of nine 
 hundred lashes, to be received on his liare ba(;k. Pray- 
 in<^ that this verdict may be sanctioned and approved 
 by the general commanding this military district ; and 
 that li(! appoint the time and placv for said verdict to be 
 put in execution. 
 
 At the time when this transat.'tion occurred, Montreal 
 was included in the military district of Quebec, in wliicl; 
 city the general c«)mmanding then resided. As, how- 
 ever, the general was expected to be up in Montreal in 
 a few days, the case <jf Hargreaves was kept in abeyance 
 until his arrival. The general came as expected, and, 
 without inquiry or investigation, endorsed the fmdings 
 of tl»e court-martial, by affixing his signature, and ap- 
 pointing Monday morning of the following week as the 
 time, and the bar. ' <rk-yard as the place, for the consum- 
 mation of this iniquitous and inhuman infraction of the 
 laws of our cointnon humanity. On the finding of the 
 court, the sentence, and the order of the general in com- 
 mand being communicated to Hargreaves, as he lay in 
 tlie dark, damp dungeon of the guard-house, the only 
 ex{Messions to which he gave utterance were, " My God ! 
 is it s(j? can it be possible ?" However deeply his mind 
 may have been exercised, there was no perceptible alter- 
 
WOMAN S KNDU RANGE. 
 
 201 
 
 ttcr, iind 
 lliat Oh; 
 
 (if yri-uHH 
 
 , \i\u\ iii- 
 icor waH 
 ii«^«,'S and 
 , the Haul 
 LT puilty, 
 lit of iiin«' 
 k. Pray- 
 approvi'd 
 rict ; and 
 diet to be 
 
 , Montreal 
 ;, in whit' 
 As, how- 
 [ontreal in 
 [ abeyance 
 cted, and, 
 e findings 
 , and ap- 
 eek as the 
 le consuni- 
 tion of tiie 
 ing of the 
 ral in corn- 
 he lay in 
 .^ the only 
 " My God ! 
 y his mind 
 tible alter- 
 
 ation in his outward appeiMMiK-e, it was not a stolid 
 hanhicss or stoical indill'erenct! tliat supported him, but 
 a manly coura^-e, inspired l)y a consciousness of his in- 
 no(MMH'e of any actual or intended wroni;. T\w only re- 
 (piest he made was, that he mi^iit be ptMinitted to see 
 liis wife. II(! knew well that tlie principal aim and 
 dcsijj^n of his persecutors was to punish him, in order to 
 brin<j^ ^-rief to her h(?art, as tlie only satisfaction they 
 could obtain to their fierce iiate. 
 
 When the deeply stricker '^jillian enten.'d the cell 
 where her husband was confii.' 1, and was made fully 
 aware of the lengths to whicli these fiends in human 
 form, defiant at >»ice of all if?ht, of <"''uih, and of justice, 
 were determined to go, her he; vt sank within her, as 
 she hung u[)on his breast and wept bitter tears. With 
 deep emotion, she asked : '" Oli, my d(!ar George, do you 
 blame me for all this?" Tenderly and atfectlMTiately he 
 begged her to banish all such thoughts from her mind ; 
 counselling her, as they had been brought into this inex 
 tricable and inexplicable maze of suflering without any 
 misdoings on their part, to allow providence to solve its 
 own enigma ; that, if it should be that we can have no 
 redress or satisfaction in this wcn'ld, we may be sure 
 there will be full compensation in the next. After 
 deeply sympathizing with each other, and piously com- 
 mitting their cause into His hands who seeth the end 
 from the beginning, Lillian left her husband, and with 
 hasty steps and a sad heart iv tired to her own njom. 
 And when there, as soon as she could collect her 
 thoughts, she sat down and wrote to her mother a state- 
 ment of the above gainful events. 
 
202 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 As there will be some time intervening before the 
 carrying out of the senteiice in the case of Hargreaves, 
 we will take advantage of the interim to pay a visit to 
 the upper province, and learn how things are progress- 
 ing on the farm of Mrs, Le Clair, the late home of Lillian. 
 It must be understood that the events of our narrative 
 which are now being developed, are at least twenty 
 years in advance of the arrival of Captain and Mrs. 
 Walters at their new home. At that time it was a dense 
 forest ; the woodmrln's axe had scarcely made any im- 
 pression ; and it was difficult for a novice to thread his 
 way through the tangled brush, or to follow the winding 
 and intricate paths that had been formed by the red- 
 man, and the scarcely less savage animals with which 
 it abounded. But now there was a complete transform- 
 ation : fruitful fields and smiling plenty blessed and 
 rewarded those who had spent years of patient toil for 
 this pleasing result. The ornamental trees and shrubs 
 that had been planted by Captain Walters, or soon after 
 his death, now, by their vigorous growtl), tiieu- luxuri- 
 ant and beautiful foliage, lent a special charm to the 
 scene, that captivated the eye and gratified the taste of 
 the lover of the picturesque. And as may be supposed, 
 great and important changes had taken place in the per- 
 sonal and relative positions of all the parties composing 
 
WOMAN'S ENDURANCE. 
 
 293 
 
 )ofore the 
 irgreavcs, 
 
 a visit to 
 
 progress- 
 of Lillian. 
 
 narrative 
 1st twenty 
 1 and Mrs. 
 ras a dense 
 de any im- 
 
 thrcad his 
 he winding 
 jy the red- 
 ith which 
 
 transform- 
 llessed and 
 lient toil for 
 
 nd shrubs 
 soon after 
 
 i(;ir luxuri- 
 Jarm to the 
 Ithe taste of 
 |e supposed, 
 in the per- 
 composing 
 
 tlie original company. Mr. Brown and Mr. Jones had 
 cacli been presented with valuable allotments of hind 
 by Mrs. Le Clair ; and by tijeir industry and skilful 
 management, had brought their improvements to a high 
 state of pcirfection. The son of Brown and the daugh- 
 ter of Jones, arrived at mature age, had linked their for- 
 tunes for life ; and having been presented with a snug 
 little farm by Mrs. Le Clair, were living in hopes of soon 
 being surrounded by little pledges of their affection, to 
 sw(;eter. and adorn the future of their domestic life. 
 Our old acquaintance, the facetious little Baptisto, now 
 grown gray, feels the weight of years pressing heavily. 
 Still, he appears to be a useful appendage to the home 
 of Mrs. Le Clair. There was not much of him to look 
 at when in the prime and vigor of life ; but he is now 
 dwindled down to a mere shadow. Small in person 
 as he may be, his consequential dignity and self-impor- 
 tance have expanded to vaster proportions. But Bap- 
 tiste must soon be gathered to his fathers, and these 
 pages may be the only voucher of his ever having lived. 
 Th(j one who lias been the principal theme of our narra- 
 tive, does not present the bloom and vigor that she did 
 when she first came under our notice. A period of moie 
 than twenty years has elapsed, and made sad work with 
 the frame and figure of Mrs. Le Clair. But it has not 
 been eftected so much by the wear of time, as by the 
 events through whicii she has had to pass. Her heartr 
 sorrows have borne heavily upon her ; and though her 
 tongue mar be mute and uncomplaining, still that noble 
 countenance is a teller of sad tales. Although present- 
 ing the appearance of a careworn matron, yet she has 
 such elasticity of mind and mental vigor, that, if her 
 
294: 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 words are few, they are weighty. And her personal 
 influence is greater, as there is a more irnpHcit obedience 
 accorded to her wishes ; indeed, a profound deference is 
 paid to her. This was seen in the progress made in all 
 the operations on- the farm in the year that Lillian left 
 her home. It had been better and more extensively 
 cultivated, and had yielded a more abundant crop than 
 in any former year. And that crop had been carefully 
 gathered and successfully garnered, so that her mind 
 was comparatively at ease as to the future, and her 
 time was more at her own command. She was thus left 
 at liberty to give full scope to the benevolence of her 
 dispijsition ; and as Providence had been so bountiful to 
 her, she felt and acted as though she were only the al- 
 moner of Heaven. Many a naked family were clothed, 
 many a sad and sorrowful heart was made glad, by her 
 synipatiiy and her material aid. 
 
 One day Mrs. Le Clair started on one of her errands 
 of mercy to a poor family in the neighborliood, and her 
 own heart felt, as the good and pure under like circum- 
 stances always feel, that in blessing she was blest. On 
 returning, when at some distance from her home — 
 that home which, but a few hours before, she had left 
 abounding with such plenty — she was alarmed at seeing 
 dense volumes of smoke filling the entire atmosphere. 
 Her woi'st fears were excited ; for, judging from tlu; 
 direction in wiiich the smoke was blown by the wind, it 
 might prove to be her own property that was then in 
 flames. And sure enough, as she emerged from tlio 
 woods, there was spread out before her one vast sheet 
 of flame, enveloping all that she possessed on earth, 
 excepting what she then had with her. She saw all her 
 
woman's endueance. 
 
 295 
 
 personal 
 obedience 
 (ference is 
 lade in all 
 Liillian left 
 xtensively 
 crop than 
 I carefully 
 
 her mind 
 3, and her 
 ,s thus left 
 rice of her 
 ountiful to 
 )nly the ai- 
 re clothed, 
 lad, by her 
 
 her errands 
 Dd, and her 
 ike circum- 
 blest. Ou 
 ler home — 
 he had left 
 3d at seeing 
 atmosphere, 
 g from the 
 the wind, it 
 vas then in 
 id from the 
 3 vast sheet 
 d on earth, 
 ! saw all her 
 
 own domestics, as well as numbers of her neig-hbors, 
 running about in a state of bewilderment, and unable to 
 arrest the devouring element, or to save any of her 
 property, either from the house or any of the outbuild- 
 ings. Owing to the long spell of dry weather, and the 
 consequent parched state of every thing, the flames 
 made very quick work. Horses, cows, grain, fodder of 
 every kind, the hcjuse, with all its valuable furniture, 
 and many souvenirs that she prized above all money 
 value, all were swept away, nothing remaining but a 
 smouldering heap of ruins. Baptiste had been with 
 Mrs. Le Clair as her driver, and on seeing the extent of 
 the disaster he wept bitterly. Mrs. Le Clair herself sat 
 motionless and speechless, more like a statue than a 
 living human being, so apparently lost was she to all 
 consciousness. The vast clouds of smoke soon attracted 
 the attention of the neighboring farmers,, who crowded 
 to the spot, on foot, on horseback, and in wagons. But 
 so complete and quick had been the work of destruction, 
 that all these parties could do, was to utter lamentations 
 at the desolation. They expressed themselves as being 
 ready and willing, by all the means in their power, 
 whether by personal exertions or by material aid, to 
 contribute towards the restoration of the home of one 
 whom they all respected and admired, for tiie largeness 
 of her benevolence and the overflowing goodness of her 
 heart. 
 
 Mrs. Le Clair still sat in her wagon, silent and immov- 
 able, until Mrs. Brown directed Baptiste to drive her to 
 her own house. So prostrated was she on arriving there, 
 that she was carried from the wagon to the house like a 
 child. This was another severe blow to her mental and 
 
296 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OB, 
 
 physical constitution, and she lay for some days without 
 exhibiting much thought, or expressing- any anxiety re- 
 specting the irreparable loss she had sustained. But at 
 length, her mental forces rallying a little, she asked 
 where she was, and why they had brought her there. 
 Then, in a thoughtful mood and with a serious look, she 
 said she had been in a dream, and had dreamt that slie 
 saw a large fire. In this way she passed through suc- 
 cessive stages of mental recuperation, until full con- 
 sciousness returned. At length, when fully restored, 
 she was informed of the nature and extent of her mis- 
 fortunes. All were surprised at the submission with 
 which she bowed to the dispensations of Providence, for 
 she murmured nc''., but said — " The Lord gave, and the 
 Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the name of the 
 Lord." 
 
 When she became able to leave the house, she re- 
 quested Baptiste to hitch the horse up to the wagon, 
 and drive her to see the place of her former but now 
 desolate home. While she was contemplating the scene, 
 a falling tear now and then evidenced her regrets. In 
 the sadness of her mind, and the desolateness of her 
 more than widowed heart, she was driven to the place 
 where the remains of her two husbands lay in their 
 beautifully-sequestered graves, and where she herself, 
 too, expected soon to retire to her final rest. And now, 
 on returning to the comfortable home of Mrs. Brown, 
 her mind was depressed with a deep sense of her own 
 homeless and desolate state. 
 
 In this state of mental depression, with gloomy fore- 
 bodings as to the future, Mrs. Le Clair began to think of 
 Lillian. A number of letters had already passed between 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 297 
 
 i without 
 ixiety re- 
 But at 
 tie asked 
 er there, 
 look, s]ie 
 that she 
 jugh sue- 
 full con- 
 restored, 
 f her mis- 
 ision with 
 idence, for 
 e, and the 
 me of the 
 
 se, she re- 
 le wagon, 
 r but now 
 the scene, 
 grets. In 
 ess of her 
 the place 
 in their 
 le herself, 
 And now, 
 rs. Brown, 
 of her own 
 
 loomy fore- 
 to think of 
 ed between 
 
 o 
 
 ^y 
 
 them, breathing all the tender sympathies that we might 
 sii|)p()He would How from two such hearts, and one de- 
 lailing to the other their daily experience.s, and the 
 course of events as connected witli themselves. Mrs. 
 Le Clair concluded to sit down and write; to Lillian, giv- 
 ing her a full statement of her late disastrous misfor- 
 tune. The letter finished, she dispatched it by the first 
 conveyance. On the third day after sending her letter 
 she was gratified by the receipt of one frouj Lillian, sup- 
 posing it contained some cheering news that would ex- 
 ercise a soothing influence over her own mind. But 
 when she opened and read it, and found it to contain a 
 narration of the circumstances with which the reader is 
 already acquainted — the rude attack on her own person 
 by the officer, the subsequent ill-treatment to which her 
 husband had been subjected in consequence, his being 
 reduced to the ranks, the false and malicious charge 
 brought against him, his trial bj'^ court-martial, and his 
 sentence to undergo the infliction of nine hundred 
 lashes — when Mrs. Le Clair had read this fatal letter, 
 her cup of sorvow was full and overflowing. No tea/ a 
 came to her relief when she was struck down bv her 
 own late misfortune ; but now, when she read of the 
 distress and sufierings of her own daughter Lillian, she 
 wept as though her heart would break. She was now 
 more deeply impressed with the thought of her own 
 utter helplessness ; for she had no means at her disposal, 
 and indeed no resources whatever, wherewith to snpfdy 
 the wants or assuage the sorrows of her suffV-ring and 
 deal daughter Lillian. 
 
 Mrs. Le Clair had for some time sat steeped in sor- 
 row and affliction, having read and re-read the letter of 
 
 13* 
 
298 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 Lillian, and .so deeply absorbed in her own Had thoughts 
 as to be entirely oblivious of every thing around her — 
 wiien, in this state of sad and perplexed rclleetions, a 
 (carriage of more than common beauty and fniish, and 
 drawn by a pair of dashing, spirited horses, drove up to 
 the wicket-gate in front of Mr. Brown's house, and from 
 it alighted a lady, attired in a rich and fashionable trav- 
 elling dress, who straightway approached the door and 
 inc^uired for Mrs. Le Clair. On being introduced to 
 Mrs. Le Clair, she took her liand and saluted her with a 
 warm and iiearty kiss, saying that she was sorry to 
 find her in such deep distress. She bade her to cheer 
 up, for brighter days were now before her, and she would 
 be compensated for her long years of suffering. All 
 this, however, fell upon the ears of Mrs. Le Clair as 
 words without meaning — in her case especially, for, as 
 she said, her life had been onC of sorrow, and, so far as 
 this life was concerned, she had scarcely a gleam of 
 hope in the future ; but still she felt thankful that she 
 could look forward with confidence to that world where 
 the weary were at rest, and where the wicked would 
 cease from troubling. On saying this, she handed the 
 letter of Liliian to the lady to read, who, after reading 
 it, returned it to Mrs. Le Clair, at the same time assur- 
 ing her that she had long sympathized with her in her 
 suiferings ; that she had never lost sight of her ; that 
 she had always kept a watchful eye over her from her 
 childhood ; that, though unknown to her, she had ever 
 taken a deep interest in her welfare ; that she had al- 
 ways seen that she was well cared for, and all her 
 wants fully supplied. All this seemed very strange 
 to Mrs. 1*3 Clair, who rose from her chair, and 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 299 
 
 loughts 
 1 her— 
 tions, a 
 sh, and 
 e up to 
 id from 
 le trav- 
 )0Y and 
 need to 
 • witli a 
 jorry to 
 cheer 
 e would 
 ,g. All 
 Clair as 
 , for, as 
 o far as 
 learn of 
 that she 
 d where 
 d would 
 ided the 
 ' reading 
 lie assur- 
 !r in her 
 er ; that 
 from her 
 had ever 
 e had al- 
 i all her 
 ■ strange 
 lair, and 
 
 looking- steadily at the lady, asked, in an earnest 
 manner—" Why, who are you ?" 
 
 At this, the lady stepped outside the door ; and in a few 
 minutes returning with her driver, presented a complete 
 transformation in appearance— dressed, in fact, as the 
 reader will remember to have seen them in other parts 
 of our narrative. The grotesque-looking couple ap- 
 proaching Mrs. Le Clair, asked if she had ever seen 
 tiiem before. Mrs. Le Clair, looking at them in a kind 
 of dreamy bewilderment for some moments, cried out, 
 with much agitation in her manner, " Why, it is the 
 black phantom I What can all this mean ?" and again 
 sat d(jwn in her chair, overcome by her feelings. 
 
 The lady, throwing off the cloak and hood,*'and clasp- 
 ing Mrs. Le Clair in her arms with affectionate tender- 
 ness, said — 
 
 " My dear, I am your own father's sister, and have 
 from your infancy been as a mother to you : for the se- 
 crecy I have maintained, I will give you reasons here- 
 after. But we have other and more important work on 
 hand to occupy our immediate attention. However bear 
 this in mind, that all your present wants of every de- 
 scription are cared for ; and I now trust that by the 
 blessmg of God, your future days of happiness and 
 peace will prove some compensation for the sorrows 
 you have . ndured. As I have always written in the 
 letters you have received from me, ' What thou knowest 
 not now, thou shalt know hereafter.' There will be a 
 full development of my wishes and plans, which, I trust 
 will not only satisfy you of the propriety of my'conduct 
 under the circumstances, but which will make it clear 
 that Providence will not allow the wicked so far to 
 
300 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 triumph in their selfish and nefarious schemes as finally 
 to escape punishment ; or virtue eventually to g-o un- 
 vindicated and unrewarded. It is true, your patience 
 has often been put to a severe test, and my faith sorely 
 tried ; but, my dear, I firmly believe that your Christian 
 virtues and graces will come out of this fiery ordeal as 
 gold purified^ and that you will yet be able to say, as I 
 wrote in my letters, that * Jehovah reigneth, let the earth 
 rejoice.' " 
 
 The news was soon spread abroad that an important 
 change for the better had taken place in the circum- 
 stances of Mrs. Le Clair, and hearty were the greetings 
 and congratulations she received. So deep and wide- 
 spread had been the sympathy in her behalf, that prep- 
 arations had already been extensively made to replace 
 by new buildings those that had been destroyed by the 
 late fire. But now these preparations were rendered 
 unnecessary ; yet her gratitude to her numerous friends 
 was none the less, though their aid was not needed. 
 
 Divested as Mrs. Le Clair had lately been of every 
 kind of movable property, there was but little labor 
 and preparation required to get her ready to depart 
 with her aunt, the Lady H., on her journey. At the sug- 
 gestion of that lady, deeds were made out, conveying 
 the farm to Mr. Brown, Mr. Jones, and their married son 
 and daughter, it being to be divided among the three, 
 as a memorial of her gratitude to them for their atten- 
 tions to her, and also in remembrance of the connections 
 chat subsisted between them and her first husband, Cap- 
 tain Walters. All this done, they were read}' for their 
 departure ; for Mrs. Le Clair, as well as Lady H., was 
 anxious to leave, that they might aflford some consola- 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 301 
 
 tioii to Lillian and her husband in thoir sad condition. 
 Before bidding- a final adieu, however, they made anotluM* 
 surv(;y of the place and its surrounding's, where Mrs. Le 
 Clair had spent ho many happy days, and where she had 
 endured so many sorrows. They lingered long at the 
 graves of those who, each in their time, had been the 
 beloved idols of her heart, and beside whom it had been 
 her wish and expectation that she might one day be laid. 
 On leaving the justly revered spot, she plucked a few 
 "wild-flowers, the lingering relics of departing summer, 
 placing them between the leaves of her Pocket-Bible. 
 
 The state of things, as we have revealed them to the 
 reader, was a perfect enigma to Mrs. Jones and Mrs. 
 Brown. They were involved in a perplexing maze, on 
 learning the contents of Lillian's letter, in which she 
 mentioned the reduction of Hargreaves to the ranks, 
 and all the painful circumstances connected with that 
 event. These, to their minds, were a justification of 
 their fears and prognostications, as well as proofs of 
 the short-sightedness of both mother and daughter — of 
 the one, in marrying a sergeant ; and of the other, in 
 allowing her daughter to take so imprudent a step. 
 They were also, in their estimation, a refutation of the 
 wild predictions of the old Indian witch. But then, 
 something might come to pass yet to bring about the 
 fulfilment of what the old Indian said about Lillian, from 
 the unexpected change that had taken place in the cir- 
 cumstances of Mrs. Le Clair. With many hopes, fears, 
 and doubts in regard to Lillian and her husband, these 
 two gossips were forced to leave things as perplexed as 
 they found them, for they were not, like the old Indian, 
 gifted with second-sight. 
 
302 
 
 THE BLACK I'UANTOM; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 WniLR Mrs. Le Clair and Lady H. are on their event- 
 ful journey, driven by the faithful and long-tried Thomas, 
 we will ag-ain return, and learn how tliing^s are progress- 
 ing in Montreal, with George Hargreaves and his beau- 
 tiful and affectionate, but now suffering wife. It will be 
 remembered that we left Hargreaves in his cell, under 
 sentence to be flogged on the following Monday morn- 
 ing ; and Lillian, weighed down in spirit by her heavy 
 sorrow, in the retirement of her own room. We have 
 already mentioned, that at tlie time to which our narra- 
 tive now refers, Montreal was only a military outpost of 
 Quebec. Of course, the general in command of the 
 military district resided in Quebec, the headquarters of 
 the district. The general, as we have already stated, 
 was now in Montreal transacting important official busi- 
 ness connected with his department, and had affixed his 
 signature to the finding of the court-martial in the case 
 of Hargreaves. It was now Sunday evening, and all 
 the officials of the military department were busy, as 
 there had just arrived from England a heavy mail. Such 
 an event, at that time, was one of very great import- 
 ance ; it was necessary for every one to be at his post, 
 the general no less than his subordinates. In turning 
 over the papers and letters addressed to himself, he 
 found one marked special, which induced him to pay his 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 303 
 
 first attention to tliat. This packaj^o contained sevnal 
 (locunients, apparently of very ^reat importance!, aw tlicy 
 were sij^-ncd by the conwnandcr-in-ehij.'f, at the IIorKe- 
 Giiards, London, with the Heals of that officer affixed 
 thereto. Turning the docunjents over one by one, he 
 examined them with {^reat care, becoming, as he read, 
 more and more deeply excited by their contents ; as if 
 they contained information of apj)alling import. Scru- 
 tinizing again the seals and signature, and reperusing 
 the documents with increasing agitation, he arose from 
 his seat, and calling the orderly, wht) was waiting his 
 connnands at the door, asked Inni if he knew a soldier 
 of the name of George Uargreaves, 
 
 " Yes, siv," was the response ; " it is he who is sen- 
 tenced to be flogged to-morrow morning." 
 
 " I thought so," said the general. " That was my im- 
 pression, as I have a faint recollection of signing the 
 finding of the court," his words half-choking him. 
 
 He returned to his desk to exannne the documents 
 still more closely, but only became more bewildered 
 than ever. He walked the room back and forth, in deep 
 thought, muttering to himself the while, with now and 
 then a horrid oath, uttered with a sharp, hissing vehe- 
 mence, while his face was crimsoned by passion. He 
 seemed pondering some movement, and undecided what 
 course to adopt ; for he told the orderly to call a ser- 
 geant and a file of men, and then, with much confusion 
 in his words and manner, countermanded the order. 
 Then giving him the necessary written notice to the 
 officer of the day, he bade hijji go to the guard-house 
 and bring the prisoner Hargreaves before him. But 
 he had no sooner given this order, than he demanded it 
 
304 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 l):ick, and in a pusrtioii tore it up, and tlirovv tlic frapj- 
 iMciits oti tin* Hoor. At last, calling for a Kcr^eant and 
 a lllc of mm, and puitin^ on liis military ovcrc()iit, In; 
 commanded tliom to lead the way to the ^uard-houae. 
 On their arrival at that place, they found tlu? sentiin-l 
 walking;' his silent and solitary beat. He called out, 
 "Who comes there?" The response to which was, 
 " Rounds ;" when the furth(;r demand was made, " What 
 Rounds?" to which the reply was, "Grand Rounds.'' 
 The order was now given, "Advance, Grand Round.s, 
 and give the countersign." This was accordingly done, 
 while the startling information was given that the gen- 
 eral was in waiting, to be admitted to the guard-house. 
 On the reception of this news, the sentinel called out at 
 the top of his voice, " Guards, turn out to receive the 
 General." Prompt as well as exact in all their move- 
 ments, the guard was soon in line in front of the guard- 
 house, with their arms brought to the position of salute, 
 a necessary manoeuvre to do honor to a superior officer. 
 The general was promptly introduced into the guard- 
 house by the officer of the day, with his sword brought 
 to the salute. It may be supposed that some trepida- 
 tion would be manifested by the guards, at this unex- 
 pected visit of the general, at so unseasonable an li<nir 
 of the night. But they were still more astonished when 
 he gave the order to bring the prisoner Hargreaves from 
 his cell. The huge key was soon turned in the lock, and 
 the strongly-barred door thrown open. The poor man- 
 acled prisoner was brought forth, and he now stood be- 
 fore the general. There was no tremor in his well-built 
 and firmly-knit frame, nor any thing like conscious guilt 
 iu his manly countenance. But it was noticed by the 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 305 
 
 iiit and 
 •ojit, In; 
 l-liouac. 
 lentiiu'l 
 cd out, 
 h was, 
 " Wliat 
 loiituls." 
 Hounds, 
 ly done, 
 tlie gon- 
 d-house. 
 d out at 
 eive tlie 
 ir move- 
 3 guard- 
 t" salute, 
 ■ officer. 
 B guard- 
 brought 
 trepida- 
 is unex- 
 II n hour 
 od when 
 ves from 
 ock, and 
 oor man- 
 tood be- 
 vell-built 
 yu8 guilt 
 d by the 
 
 lookers-on that the general was ill at ease, as he gave 
 the command to take tin; tetters from th<' prisoner. Then 
 writing an order for the release of Ilargreaves, and 
 signing it with his own name, as military commander 
 of the district, he handed it to the oilicur of the guard. 
 What greatly increased the amazement of all pres<!nt, 
 was that the general, on leaving, t(Jok Ilargreaves with 
 him, and treated him with respect. 
 
 After the departure of the general and IIargreav(>8, 
 with the sergeant and file of men leading the way in the 
 dark, the minds of the officers, non-commissioned officers, 
 and the privates on guard, were fertile in conjectures as 
 to what all this could niean. 
 
 Early on the following morning, when all were await- 
 ing the performance of what was likely to prove a 
 tragedy — the soldiers pained at the infliction of such a 
 punishment on one of their comrades — the strange pro- 
 ceedings of the previous night were noised abroad. 
 Coming to the ears of the officers who had been the 
 guilty actors in the dastardly and iniquitous plot, their 
 guilty souls quailed within them, for they saw nothing 
 before them but exposure, disgrace, and ruin. But we 
 must now follow the general to his own rooms. We 
 would here say that Hargreaves himself had been taken 
 by surprise. Without a hope, as he was, of escaping 
 the infliction of the threatened punishment, all the pre- 
 parictions for carrying out his sentence having been 
 made, what, he thought, could be the purport of this 
 strange conduct on the part of the general ? It was 
 utterly beyond his power to divine. He would wait pa- 
 tiently the solution of the enigma. 
 
 On their arrival at the general's office, there was no 
 
 r 
 
306 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 / 
 
 OHO pi'cseDt but his private secretary. Hargreaves hav- 
 ing- been requested to take a seat, the general himself 
 to(jk another close at his side. He asked Hargreaves 
 a number of questions about his family, which lie 
 promptly and candidly answered. He informed the 
 general, in this conversation, that he was a younger 
 member of an aristociatic family in the south of Eng- 
 land, which had been reduced to comparative poverty by 
 a long course of litigation ; and, as his own personal 
 interests had suffered in the disaster which had over- 
 taken his family, he resolved to enlist as a private sol- 
 dier, with the hope that he might, by his own talents, 
 raise himself to distinction, if not to fortune. He then 
 gave a detailed statement of his meeting with Lillian, 
 of his marriage, their arrival in Montreal, and all the 
 painful incidents which finally resulted in the mock 
 trial, his sentence, and his incarceration, until his lib- 
 eration that night by the general himself. This state- 
 ment was ixiven with such an honest and fearless bold- 
 ncss, that the general seemed agitated during its delivery, 
 and self-condemnation was visible in his countenance. 
 The general then informed Hargreaves that his two se- 
 nior brothers were dead ; that the suit in the court of 
 chancery had come to a close, and had been decided in 
 his favor ; that he was the rightful heir-at-law to all 
 the family estates, as well as to the title ; and that he 
 was now Sir George Hargreaves. Tiie general then 
 presented him with an honorable discharge from the 
 British army ; and moreover enclosed with the neces- 
 sary legal documents which he handed him, an order for 
 one thousand pounds sterling, to be paid him out of the 
 military chest. These documents being delivered into 
 
 -.-J Vv 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 307 
 
 Hargreave's hiinds, he gave tlie general a receipt for 
 the same. 
 
 At tlie C(.nclusioii of the matters they had had in hand 
 — the general still exhibiting extreme nervousness, while 
 Hargreaves, if possible, showed a higher degree of in- 
 trepid boldness, the latter saiu — 
 
 " Then it appears, general, that I do not owe any 
 thing to your oflQcial interference on my behalf as a com- 
 mon soldier, falsely charged with crime — as you must 
 have known, if you had investigated the case — unjustly 
 tried, and cruelly sentenced to be flogged. No, it is to 
 Sir George Hargreaves to whom you have been so very 
 attentive. Providence interfered in my behalf ; you 
 would never have done so. The poor, condemned, suf- 
 fering private soldier, might have died under the inflic- 
 tions of tlie lash, and you, regardless of his case, of the 
 justice or injustice of his sentence, would have stood 
 aloof from the suffering wretch — if by so doing you 
 could have kept or won abettors of the intrigues by 
 which 3'ou have been raised, step by step, over the heads 
 of mon? deserving men. But ncjw, general, you have 
 taken tlie final step, Tiiere is not a man, private or ot- 
 ficial, in all the command now in the barracks, who is 
 not fully acquainted with your antecedents, and all your 
 tyrannical and corrupt course. Owing to their subor- 
 dinate position, however, they have been impotent to re- 
 sist your tyranny, or to call in question any of your cor- 
 rupt practices. But now, by your agency, though not 
 through any good feeling or designed kindness on your 
 part, I am put in possession of the power, and be as- 
 sured, general, that 1 have the will, to avenge the moral 
 worth you have so long trampled upon, and the inno* 
 
308 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 cence you have insulted and injured, in the course of 
 your official govcu-nment. And believe me, general, that 
 I will leave no stone unturned to bring you to justice, 
 by having a thorough official investigation into all your 
 actions." 
 
 With this fearless declaration of his purposes, inspired 
 by the recollection of the wrongs he himself had endured, 
 Ilargrcaves left the presence of General H., and made 
 his way to his beloved Lillian, who had spent the most 
 of the night up(m her knees, asking her heavenly Father 
 to grant that patience and endurance for her beloved 
 and suffering husband which, in all probability, he would 
 so much need on the morrow. 
 
 But Lillian had had other and severe sorrow to endure 
 besides that on account of her husband, for the past 
 three days ; for she had received her mother's letter, 
 wherein she detailed the disaster which had befallen her 
 in the destruction of her property by fire. This letter 
 had passed on the road the one she had sent to her 
 mother with an account of her own sorrows. On reading 
 her mother's letter, the poor girl, as may be supposed, 
 was deeply affected ; for she now felt more keenly than 
 ever that she was a stranger among strangers, with no 
 one to whom she could go for comfort or consolation, or 
 on whom she could lean for support, while her husband 
 was a prisoner, awaiting a severe and degrading punisl> 
 ment. Was it possible for a human being to descend 
 lower in the scale of adversitv? Years seemed to have 
 been added to her age, as the direct result of the suffer- 
 ings she had undergone. Her heart was destined to 
 suffer still another pang ; for a little after midnight a 
 number of the officers of the regiment passed her dwell' 
 
woman's p^ndurance. 
 
 309 
 
 course of 
 leral, that 
 o justice, 
 o all youi' 
 
 g, inspired 
 d endured, 
 and made 
 ; the most 
 inly Father 
 er beloved 
 ^, he would 
 
 V to endure 
 n' the past 
 ler's letter, 
 befallen her 
 This letter 
 sent to her 
 On reading 
 supposed, 
 jkeenly than 
 |n's, with no 
 isolation, or 
 ler husband 
 [ling punisl> 
 to descend 
 ned to have 
 If the suffer- 
 destined to 
 midnight a 
 id her dwell- 
 
 ing, singing their ribald songs, and giving vent to their 
 feelings in Hts of boisterous laughter. Whether this 
 was merely one of their thoughtless drunken frolics, or 
 intended as an insult to lier already deeply lacerated 
 feelings, she knew not. 
 
 When Hargreaves arrived at his own quarters, he 
 could scarcely realize the sudden cljange in his circum- 
 stances, and that it was not, after all, a dream. What, 
 then, must have been the impression upon the mind of 
 Lillian, receiving in the depth of her sufferings so won- 
 derful a revelation ? She at first supposed that the suf- 
 ferings of her husband had made him frantic, and that in 
 his madness he had overpowered his keepers and made 
 his escape ; and that, under the influence of a bewil- 
 dered brain, he was talking unreasonably of his dis- 
 charge, his sudden possession of great wealth, his prop- 
 erty, and of his accession to the title of his ancestors. 
 In truth, Lillian's alarm greatly diminished her joy at 
 thus unexpectedly seeing her husband ; and it was only 
 after her collected thoughts enabled her to give a close 
 and critical scrutiu}^ to all the documents placed in the 
 hands of her husband by General H,, that she could be 
 fully persuaded that there was indeed a reality in the 
 strange and romantic narrative just related by her hus- 
 band. But" when the truth was fullv broujxht home to 
 her mind, and she realized that there could be no room 
 for doubt, her joy was unbounded She told her hus- 
 band that she had all along been impressed with the 
 thought that Providence would in some way interfere in 
 their behalf, and not allow wicked and bloody-minded 
 men to triumph in their wanton cruelty and villainy. 
 After recovering somewhat from the first feelings of joy 
 
310 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 at their deliverance from such dreadful evils, present 
 and future, Lillian handed to her husband the letter she 
 had received from her mother. Here was intelligence 
 which, under other circmnstances, would have filled 
 him, as it had Lillian, with dismay ; but as it was, it 
 only required a moment for Hargreaves' kind and tender 
 heart to propose their immedicte departure?, to carry to 
 their mother the j^lad tidings of the change in their cir- 
 cumstances, to alleviate the heavy sorrow pressing upon 
 her. Things were soon put in train for their journey, 
 for a soldier's outfit is but light, and his encumbrances 
 few at most ; and in this case their afl'ection gave ac- 
 tivity and speed to all their movements. They were 
 soon on their western route, with their rude, homely-built 
 vehicle, but with a splendid span of horses, bought by 
 Hargreaves for the purpose. 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 311 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 Now that Hargreaves and his young wife are started 
 on their western journey, we will again take a look into 
 the room of General H, and learn something of his do- 
 ings and sufferings. After Hargreaves had left him 
 writhing under the scathing that he had received from' 
 the released prisoner, he paced the room in great per- 
 turbation of spirit, conscious as he was that the declara- 
 tions of Hargreaves were all too true. His thoughts at 
 ength becoming somewhat settled, he took his seat at 
 bis desk, for the purpose of further investigatii.cr the 
 matters brought to his notice by the dispatches he had 
 received by the last mail from England. As he turned 
 over one paper after another, he found a letter from the 
 steward of his own father's estate. He eagerly opened 
 It, and read its contents. This letter contained the as- 
 toundmg news that his elder brother had lost his life 
 by the upsetting of his carriage, and his sister, who was 
 with him at the time, though still living when the letter 
 was dispatched, was supposed to be fatally injured 
 And then there was the further startling information' 
 that a claim had been set up to a great part of the' 
 estate by a daughter of his father's deceased brother 
 It appeared from this letter, that some mysterious doin.>-s 
 iiad been lately brought to light-some foul dealings on 
 the part of his father, in connection with the death of his 
 
312 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 
 brother nearly forty years ago. Tlie father of Gcnieral 
 H. had supported that the infant daughter of his broth(^r 
 liad ))erished with lier fatlier and motiier, wlien their 
 r(?sid(»nce, by some mysterious agency, was destroyed 
 by fire. Now, however, tliat daugiiter liad turned np 
 Komewhere in Upper Canada, bearing the name of L(j 
 Chair, and it was beli(.'ved she was on her way to Eng- 
 bind, to cLaim in her proper person tlie restitution of her 
 fatlier's property. His father, under the influence of 
 remorse of conscience, and fearful of consequences, had 
 yielded his claim to the property, and it was now in the 
 hands of the attorney of the claimant. 
 
 Here we might as well relieve our narrative of a little 
 of its obscurity, by informing the reader that General 
 II. is the same person who, more than twenty years be- 
 fore, joined, as lieutenant, the regiment to which Cap- 
 tain Walters then belonixed ; and that lieutenant H. and 
 Mrs. Walters are first cousins, being own brothers' chil- 
 dren. 
 
 The startling revelations of the above letter brought 
 vividlv to the mind of General H. the statements of 
 Hargreaves ; for the letter gave the former and present 
 name of the claimant of his father's estate. So that he 
 saw clearly she could be no other than Lillian's mother. 
 He now saw the wrong he had done to his own cousin, 
 when Mrs. Walters, and to her husband. Captain Wal- 
 ters, and the gross injustice he had, through his guilty 
 indifference, been the means of doing the innocent daugh- 
 ter of his cousin, and especially her husband, Hargreaves. 
 These things were no light burden upon his mind. But 
 superadded to all this, his whole life had been one con- 
 tinued series of wrong-doing. Like his father, he was 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 313 
 
 General 
 is brother 
 hen their 
 destroyed 
 nrned np 
 nic of Le 
 ,y to Eng- 
 ion of hoA' 
 fluence of 
 nices, liad 
 low in tiio 
 
 of a little 
 ,t General 
 
 years be- 
 hich Cap- 
 mt H. and 
 tliers' chil- 
 
 iv brought 
 [cnients of 
 nd present 
 So that he 
 n's mother, 
 wn cousin, 
 ptain Wal- 
 i his guilty 
 ;ent daugh- 
 [argrcaves, 
 mind. But 
 !n one con- 
 ler, he was 
 
 the slave of every vic«;. Now lio could take no praise 
 to himself for the act by which he liberated llargreaves, 
 for his punishment would modt certainly have takci! 
 place but for the timely arrival of the English mail 
 
 Now what sh.mid tiiis wretched, guilty man do to 
 avoid exposure, and dismissal from the British army 
 with disgrace, or, it might be, a fate even worse than 
 that? He determined to anticipate the awards of jus- 
 tice and the approaching storm of execration which he 
 saw looming up in the distance, by adopting the remedy 
 of the desperate and despairing. On retiring to his 
 room at night, for the purpose of repose it was 'thought, 
 it was observed that he carried with him a bottle, fro.n 
 which, on entering his room, he took a draught. On the 
 following morning he was found dead in his bed, and tlie 
 report was circulated that he had died of a fit' of apo- 
 plexy. The public prints, in noticing his death, extolled 
 him as an intrepid soldier, and a faithful and efficient 
 servant of his sovereign. His loss, they said, was great, 
 and his place could not be supplied by his equal. In all' 
 the walks of life, filling every office and performing 
 every duty, as a man, a soldier, and a Christian, he was 
 held up as a pattern and example worthy the imitatior 
 of all. 
 
 / 
 
314 
 
 THFJ BLACK PHANTOM; OH, 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 We have already informed the reader that the letter 
 written by Mrs. Le Clair to Lillian, and the one written 
 by Lillian to her mother, passed each other on the road. 
 It so happened that each received her letter on the same 
 day. It occupied both about the same length of time in 
 making preparations for their journey. Each, it must 
 be borne in mind, was uninformed as to the changed 
 circumstances of the other. Thus, Lillian and her hus- 
 band supposed they would find their mother domiciled 
 in the house of some friend, near her late residence, and 
 involved in deep distress, mourning over the loss of her 
 property. Mrs. Le Clair and her aunt, Lady H., were 
 equally certain that they were going down to Mon- 
 treal to soothe the sorrows and assuage the grief of Lil- 
 lian, as well as to convey some comfort and consolation 
 to the lacerated and disgraced George Hargreaves. 
 
 The reader may perhaps recollect that when Captain 
 and Mrs. Walters, and their party, were on their journey 
 to their new home in Upper Canada, they remained for 
 a few days at a house on the margin of a river, about 
 half-way between Montreal and the place of their desti- 
 nation, and where several French Canadian families re- 
 sided. At the time of which we are now writing, con- 
 siderably more than twenty years had come and gone 
 since this place was first brought under our observatioa 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 315 
 
 he letter 
 B written 
 the road, 
 the same 
 ^f time in 
 1, it must 
 ! changed 
 d lier hus- 
 domiciled 
 ^ience, and 
 oas of her 
 y H., were 
 [I to Mon- 
 
 rief of Lil- 
 ;onsolation 
 
 javes. 
 311 Captain 
 eir journey 
 mained for 
 iver, about 
 their desti- 
 families re- 
 ■riting, con- 
 and gone 
 )bservation. 
 
 The general features of tlie locality, however, are nearly 
 the same ; a small extent, only, of the rich soil is culti- 
 vated, and that surrouiidfsd by the dense, primitive 
 woods. But the social condition of the people has, since 
 the period to which we refer, greatly changed. Of the 
 few families then residing here, some of their members, 
 who were past the middle age, have since filled up the 
 measure of their days, and stepped from the stage of 
 life ; and another generation has sprung up to hale 
 and hearty young manhood and womanhood, to supply 
 their places. Those with whom we formed an acquaint- 
 ance then — the busy, active members of these families — 
 have advanced many stages in the march of life. It so 
 happened that, starting from the adverse points of Mon- 
 treal and Upper Canada, both parties met at this place, 
 and that each was ignorant of the near proximity of the 
 other. The reader may therefore imagine the feelings 
 of each, at the first moment of their mutual recognition, 
 in such an out-of-the-way place, and under such remark- 
 able circumstances. The first to arrive at this place 
 was George Hargreaves and his wife Lillian ; and in 
 about two hours after them, Mrs. Le Clair and her newly 
 found aunt. Lady H., in her carriage driven by her ser- 
 vant-man in liver3^ This last party had been ferried 
 over the river in the flat-bottomed boat, and the first to 
 step on the bank of the river, in full view of the front of 
 the house, were the two ladies. 
 
 The attention of every member of the French families 
 was soon directed towards the new-comers, and among the 
 rest, that of Lillian and her husband, who were observ- 
 ing them from the front-room window. No sooner did 
 Lillian get a glimpse of the persons of the approaching 
 
310 
 
 TIIK BLACK phantom; OR, 
 
 ladioH, tliaii slio passionately exclaiiiicd, claspin<>: her 
 hands, and pressing- tliein convidsively against her lore- 
 head — 
 
 "Can it be possibh' — can tliat be my rncjther !" 
 Hari;reaves noticed tlie violent emotion of Lillian, but 
 n-as at a loss as to the caTise of her excitement ; while 
 Lillian, under the influence of her surprise, and oblivious 
 of Jill around her, darted from the room, and made her 
 way towards the approaching strangers. Ignorant of 
 the favorable change in Hargreaves' affairs, and meet- 
 ing Lillian so suddenly and unexpectedly, Mrs. Le Clair 
 lost her self-control, and in a state of alarm endeavored 
 to avoid the impetuous advances of Lillian, wild and 
 frantic with delight. Recovering her self-possession, 
 however, in an instant they were locked in each other's 
 arms. With a vehement but half-choked utterance, Lil- 
 lian cried out — 
 
 " My mother I my mother ! Oh, my mother !" 
 Mrs. Le Clair, with less apparent fervor, but still with 
 strons: inward emotion, exclaimed — 
 
 " My Lillian ! my own darling daughter I" 
 They hung long in each other's embrace, and wept 
 tears of joy. After the subsidence of the first gush of 
 their affectionate feelings, caused by this transcendently 
 delightful surprise, it was with extreme difficulty that 
 each could convince the other of the reality of the as- 
 tounding train of circumstances that had reversed so 
 completely and happily all they had believed they would 
 have to encounter in the revelations of the future. At 
 first, this new state of things broke upon their minds dimly 
 and vaguely, like the glimmer of dawn upon our half 
 awakened vision. After a full explanation on each side, 
 
\V O M A N S J'. N 1 ) U It A N C !•:. 
 
 ?A7 
 
 and a clour realization by all of the true Ktiit<,' of tliin,Q,'s, 
 tlicy marvL'llod cxcccdinj^'ly at the cours(^ of cv^Mits, anl 
 
 )d th 
 
 d< 
 
 )Ut 
 
 Jititndc for tlio h 
 
 t'X))rossL'u iMcir (icvoui g-ruiiindc lor in(^ Ma|)|)in('ss 
 which tlujy had n^sulted. Lady 11. exclainieil with vc- 
 luMiicncc — 
 
 "Tiii.s moment, this hjjppy niifoldini;' of thinp,"s, is an 
 Jimplo r(!ward for all the time; I have waited, \\iv toil I 
 have endured, and the mean.s I have expcmded ; for it is 
 a consummation, in part, of my utmost and best wisiujs, 
 1 now feid that I can say with more assurance than 
 ever, 'Jehovah reij^neth, let the earth rejoice.'" 
 
 The utterance of tlx^se words, with the manner in 
 which the}'' were spoken by Lady H., caused ALrs. Le 
 Clair to cover her face with her handkcu'chief, and sob 
 aloud, so overcome was she by her emotions 
 
 When the members of this now happy <^roup came to 
 understand their several wishes and purposes, it was 
 found that the ruling desire of all of them was to visit 
 Europe at as early a period as possible. 
 
 Lillian and Harg'reaves, accompanied by Mrs. Le 
 Clair and Lady H., with her man-servant, the trusty 
 Thomas, had now to retrace their steps to Montreal. 
 But, before starting from this place, th<,'y concluded tliat, 
 as the party was small and the carriage of Lady H. was 
 a roomy one, thc^y would dispose of the rude vehicle 
 brought by Ilargreaves from Montreal, and placing the 
 horses in one team, drive down four-in-hand. This j>laii 
 was soon adjusted, and all mad(» ready for dcitarture. 
 So far as the party themselves were concerned, the jour- 
 ney could not be otherwise than an agreeable one. But, 
 as it was getting late in the fall, and the roads were not 
 in good condition, they had to make the best of their 
 
318 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 timo by piittiiij^ their liorses on their mettle. Overcoin- 
 iiio; all (liffii.Miities, they at length reached Montreal in 
 safety. Arrivinj^ just in time; to taktj advantage of" the 
 Hailin;^ of a ji^overnrnent ship that was then on the point 
 of leavini^ for Europe, the horses and carriage were 
 soon sold, all arran^^einents made, and the party quickly 
 stepped on hoard, when the anchor was raised, and they 
 were soon on their long and perilous journey. Starting 
 on their voyage at so late a season of the year, the pas- 
 sage must have been far from being a pleasant one. On 
 descending the noble river St. Lawrence, they had a fine 
 southwest breeze in their favor, which carri(Ml them far 
 out on their way, and soon gave them plenty of sea- 
 room. 
 
 Previous to leaving Montreal, Mrs. Le Clair wrote, 
 for the infijrmation of her friends, a clear statement of 
 events in regard to herself, since she left Sweet-brier 
 Gnive. But she dwelt more especially upon the remark- 
 able circumstances connected with the changed position 
 and prospects of Hargreaves and Lillian. Nor did she 
 neglect to mention Hargreaves' newly acquired title, 
 that he was now Sir George Hargreaves ; that he had 
 inherited this title, and all the estate, which had been 
 borne and posses- ed by men of whom honorable mention 
 was made in liistory ; and that he was then on the eve 
 of his departure for England, for the purpose of assum- 
 ing his rightful possessions. She concluded by stating 
 that it was her intention to write to them again on lier 
 arrival in England, or as soon after as circumstances 
 would allow. For, as she said, she felt a very strong 
 attachment for the place and people, where and among 
 whom she had spent so many years of her life. 
 
woman's endurancp:. 
 
 319 
 
 Ov(.'rc(*in- 
 (iitrt'iil in 
 
 ^C of tln! 
 
 the point 
 ajre wore 
 y quickly 
 and they 
 Starting 
 •, the pas- 
 one. On 
 had a fine 
 them I'ar 
 :y of sea- 
 
 lir wrote, 
 itenient of 
 weet-brier 
 le remark- 
 d position 
 or did she 
 ired title, 
 at he had 
 
 had been 
 le mention 
 )n the eve 
 
 of assum- 
 by stating 
 ^ain on her 
 lumstances 
 ery strong 
 ind among 
 
 On th(! reception of this letter by Mrs. Jones and Mrs. 
 Urown, they carefully read and seriously pondered its 
 very significant contents. For a while they were Jit a 
 loss what to say, as they had so unreservedly committed 
 themselves with regard to Lillian and Ilargreaves. Hut 
 with her usual boldnt^ss and reckless inconsistency, Mrs. 
 Jones, in the face of her previously expressed opinion, 
 said — 
 
 "Well, I always thought that there nn'ght be some- 
 thing in what the old Indian said about Lillian, and it is 
 now very likely to be all fulfilled. And dear knows,'^ 
 said she, " I do hope and trust it will be so, for, poor 
 thing, she has seen a mighty sight of trouble already, 
 and hc" so young." 
 
 " Well," said Mrs. Brown, " that was just what the 
 old woman prophesied, that she would have trouble 
 first. After all," said she, " it is real queer hov things 
 does turn up sometimes." 
 
 We have little inclination to dwell upon the rccita] of 
 the incidents that occurred on the passage, as these are 
 of the same general character, and are attended with 
 discomfort at all times — though with more, doubtless, at 
 the period of which we write. But they passed securely 
 through every storm, bravely encountered every priva- 
 tion and inconvenience, and arrived safely at the port 
 of their destination. 
 
 No time after theii arrival was lost by any one of the 
 party, as each of them had important business to trans- 
 act. But, as there are distinct interests in view, those of 
 Mrs. Le Clair and Lady H. on the one hand, and those of 
 George Hargreaves and Lillian on the other, and as Mrs 
 Le Clair and Lady IL have the prior claim on our atten- 
 
 '1 
 
820 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; 
 
 OR, 
 
 tion, on account of their seiiioi-itj', we will first notice 
 the doings of these. 
 
 It was necessary, on the part of Lady H., to make 
 the best of her way up to London, in order to consult 
 with her attorney. We would here say, that she had 
 been fully informed as to the exact state of things, from 
 month to month, by this faithful and trusty man of 
 business ; and she had also fully informed him of all 
 the movements of her niece, Mrs. Le Clair, from the day 
 she landed in North America until a si ort time before 
 leaving it. There could not, therefore, be any success- 
 ful opposition raised as to her identity. But, should 
 attempts be made to dispute her claim to b(Mng the re- 
 puted daughter of the brother of Lord H., there were 
 certain marks upon her person which could be referred 
 to as indisputable evidence on the point, known as they 
 were to reputable parties Who Iiad been in the secret. 
 As the sequel will show, nothing of this kind was ne- 
 cessary ; for, according to the information of the attor- 
 ney, his lordship had been so completely foiled in all his 
 schemes of personal aggrandizement, his children hav- 
 ing been cut off one after another as by some mysterious 
 providence, that he himself had been actually appalled 
 at the fearful arrny of circumstances against him. So 
 that further mischief on his part, or the perpetration of 
 any additional villainy b}' him, was now out of the ques- 
 tion. The attorney, as well as Lady H., had been I'ully 
 persuaded that if any opposition were raised against 
 the wrong-doing of her brother, Lord H., in the first 
 place, it might utterly frustrate all tiieir hopes of ever 
 putting their charge, the then infant Eliza, in possession 
 of the property of her father. Consequently it was their 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 321 
 
 t notice 
 
 to make 
 consult 
 s\ie had 
 gs, from 
 man of 
 m of all 
 1 the day 
 le before 
 • snccess- 
 t, should 
 ig the re- 
 ere were 
 referred 
 n as they 
 lie secret, 
 was ne- 
 le attor- 
 in all l:is 
 dren hav- 
 ysterious 
 appalled 
 lim. So 
 ;ration of 
 the ques- 
 )een fully 
 against 
 the first 
 s of ever 
 )Ssessioii 
 was their 
 
 first and main object to place the rescued infant in some 
 place of safety, out of the reach and beyond the knowl- 
 edge of her cruel and avaricious uncle. And in order 
 to carry out this plan the more eifectually, her aunt, 
 Lady H., proposed to take upon herself the entire over- 
 sigiit and charge of the infant. For this purpose, she 
 proposed to devote the whole of her private fortune to 
 the accomplishment of this noble purpose. Well know- 
 ing that to attain his ends and to accomplish his sin- 
 ister purpose he would put conscience and all princi- 
 ples of justice aside, they concluded that it would be 
 the best policy to stand out of his way, and thus afford 
 providence full sway to deal with this unprincipled man 
 in its own way, and to bring home to him the deserts of 
 his crimes in its own good time. 
 
 As the tiger, after roaming forest and plain, and 
 spreading death and destruction, is checked in his career 
 by the decay of his powers, and retires to his lair to 
 die ; so this overbearing monster, who had revelled in 
 crime, witli no human power to stay his hand — who nei- 
 ther feared God nor regarded man — was now reduced 
 to alm(»st childish imbecility, both in body and mind. 
 But the vital spark still aui, ated and informed in some 
 degr'jo the emaciated old man, until the arrival at the 
 old family mansion of the attorney-at-law, Lady II., and 
 Mrs. Le Clair. By direction of the wretched imbecile, 
 they were introduced into his room. He sat there more 
 an object of pity and commiseration than of anger or 
 vengeance, with grim despair hol*!ing undisputed sway 
 over his haggard countenance. Still, he fully compre- 
 hend(»d the purport of llirix visit, and was quite ready 
 aud willing to attach Ijis signature to the documents 
 
322 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 that gave full and undisputed possession of all the family 
 estates to Mrs. Eliza Le Clair. After this important 
 transaction, Lady H. caught the hand of Mrs. Le Clair, 
 and, with features expressive of extreme happiness, 
 said — 
 
 " My dear, this is the crowning act that I have so 
 long waited for ; and this the happiest moment of my 
 life. These things will explain what you always found 
 in my letters to you, * What thou knowest not now, thou 
 shalt know hereafter ;' " and pointing at the pitiable, 
 cowering wreck of humanity before them, she said, ' This 
 is also a full attestation of that other sentiment, ' Jeh<.- 
 vah reigneth, let the earth rejoice.' " 
 
 All that Mrs. Le Clair could do or say in answer to 
 this was, " Amen," accompanied by a gentle pressure 
 of the hand, while her eyes were swimming in tears. 
 
 After this Lord H. survived only a few days, but there 
 was crowded into that short space of time, in mental 
 agony and remorse, suffering that would tax the capa- 
 city of an angel to endure — giving clear and strong evi- 
 dence that the way and the end of transgi'essors are 
 hard. 
 
 After the death of Lord H., the people under his con- 
 trol, tenants or otherwise, seemed to breathe more freely ; 
 for he had been a terror and a scourge; to them all, 
 avaricious, grinding, and oppressive. Hence, it is no 
 wonder there was sucli a universal and spontaneous 
 outpouring of good feeling, in the first grcc^tings of all, 
 on the advent of Mrs. Le Clair. And she now found 
 herself in a position congenial to her feelings, for it wax 
 the delight of her heart to redress the wrongs, to re-,- 
 tify the evils, to relieve the wants, and to assuage the 
 
 I 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 323 
 
 e family 
 iportant 
 je Clair, 
 ppiness, 
 
 have 80 
 t of my 
 s found 
 jw, thou 
 pitiable, 
 i, ' This 
 -, 'JeiK- 
 
 rswer to 
 pressure 
 ears. 
 )ut there 
 I mental 
 le capa- 
 ong evi- 
 sors are 
 
 his con- 
 e freely ; 
 hem all, 
 it is no 
 itaneoTis 
 8 of all, 
 w found 
 )r it wa: 
 3, to re*,- 
 lage the 
 
 sufferings of those whom Providence brought under her 
 charge. We cannot in this place refrain from making 
 special note of an individual wiio was one; of the? first, 
 as well as one of the most obsequious, in paying his 
 respects to Mrs. Le Clair. This was no other than the 
 Rev. James Wilson, with whom the reader is already 
 somewhat acquainted, as the chaplain of the regiment 
 to which Captain Walters belonged, and from whom 
 both she and her first husband had received such per- 
 sonal indignities, on account of their more strict ob- 
 servance of the duties enjoined by the gospel. 
 
 It appeared that this reverend gentleman had been so 
 successful in worming himself into the good graces of 
 Lord H., through the influence of his son. General H., 
 that on the death of the late incumbent of the rich livinsr 
 in the Church in the gift of Lord H., he had been in- 
 ducted. This, while it shows a remarkable tuin in af- 
 fairs, will indicate the position of the parties now before 
 us. We have said that this gentleman was one of the 
 first, as well as one of the most obsequious, in his atten- 
 tions to Mrs. Le Clair. But, with ^ his cringing, he 
 could not erase from her mind the deep impressions 
 made by the taunts and jeers he had directed against 
 her first husband, Captain Walters. But Mrs. Le Clair 
 was of too noble and magnanimous a nature, by her 
 tongue, or in any other way, to give Wilson an indica- 
 tion of the opinion she had formed of his disposition and 
 general character. Mr. Wilson was the same sleek, 
 smooth-tongued person as formei'ly, to those of the same 
 way of thinking as himself. He was at once a fawning 
 flatterer to those occupying statiqns above him, but im- 
 perious and pyerbearing to thoise below him. Where 
 
324 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 tli(!re was the least antagonism in religious sentiment or 
 opinion, he would, if he could, have been a persecutor 
 even to death. But as things were now, Mrs. Le Clair 
 was his superior, and he knew it, and was so much in- 
 fluenced by that knowledge, that he became a marvel to 
 many ; and it was generally thought that a gentle hint 
 from Mrs. Lo Clair, on the subject of his official extor- 
 tions, had induced him to remodel his tactics. 
 
 One very signal benefit arising from Mrs. Le Clair's 
 i!i 'ii'ving the estates of her father, with those of her 
 uul. vas the clearing and fencing in of many of those 
 useles.s appendages termed " preserves for game," and 
 erecting neat and comfortable cottages thereon, with a 
 good space of land attached, and placing the most de- 
 serving and industrious of the laboring poor upon them ; 
 and she soon had the happiness of receiving the grateful 
 acknowledgments of a thriving and prosperous company 
 of poor men and their families. Tnese were acts more in 
 accordance with the mission of wealth and position than 
 the breeding of pheasants and partridges. 
 
 But we must now leave Mrs. Le Clair, secured in the 
 possession of' her newly-acquired position, which she 
 adorned with true dignity and every womanly grace. 
 She had passed through a severe course of training in 
 the school of adversity, and emerged from the ordeal 
 subdued and mild in her disposition, humble in her de 
 portment, and meek in spirit. 
 
woman's endubanck. 
 
 325 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 ^nd, S>. George Hargreaves and his wife made their 
 
 2iTz *:,'""'™-. ^^■«" "=-«■ "-y -"t to «^ 
 
 CCS ul ' ''""™*-\!'"° ''»d brought his suit to a sue 
 
 ie m , f ","; ^'' ^'■"^"■"^^ ^"^ congratulations 
 were mutual and hearty, and, after making son.e neces- 
 
 Bayb«sn.ess arrangements, the attorney accomrrrd 
 
 Ha greaves and his wife to their new horn", to pu[ t m 
 
 " (gal possession. On their arrival there, they found 
 
 that extensive preparations had been made t give Jm 
 
 a befitting reception. The old family mansio-t with t 
 
 surroundings, had been trimmed up and beaut fied a id 
 
 p.-esented an entirely renovated appearance. But ali 
 
 tins was as nothing i„ comparison with the hearty good- 
 
 tTe e::l!^"''^™" ^"^ ^^'"^■•'^'' 'y =*" —tJ/with 
 
 A few days after Hargreaves' arrival, a committee 
 waited upon him, as a deputation from the principal 
 tenants of the estate, requesting him to appoint an 
 early day when they might all assemble to eel, bV e 
 h,s advent among them. This request was no soon,;, 
 made tl^n granted ; and the time named was the fir.st 
 day of May, which appeared to meet the wishes and 
 approval of ail. Nothing that had happened i t^ 
 
326 
 
 THE 
 
 BLACK phantom; 
 
 OR, 
 
 I i. 
 ■ ( 
 
 part of the country during the generation then living 
 had caused such a profound sensati(Hi as did this ex- 
 pected gala day. Of course, appropriate preparations 
 were made, and these on a scale of magnificence that 
 would fittingly display the joy that swayed all hearts. 
 It may be supposed that the farmers, together with the 
 younger branches of their families, would wish to do all 
 honor to their new and young landlord ; and, so far as 
 display in dress and of blooming youth and beauty 
 were concerned, this would be abundantly manifest. 
 Sir George himself gave instructions to have extensive 
 temporary booths built upon the spacious lawn in front 
 of the old mansion, and these decorated and festooned 
 c.'itb branches of tjie liveliest evergreens. But these 
 evergreens were almost a work of supererogation ; for, 
 on the first of May, in the southwest of England, to 
 which our narrative now refers, nature is clothed in her 
 holiday attire, and presents the appearance of one uni- 
 versal flower-garden. And then Sir George issued a 
 long programme of rural sports, suited to the tastes 
 and inclinations of the rustic mind. Ample provision 
 was also made for satisfying the cravings of the inner 
 man. 
 
 When the anxiously awaited morning arrived, it was 
 all that could be desired — one of those bright and glo- 
 rious mornings that cause the blood to flow freely and 
 briskly through the veins, giving hilarity to the spirits, 
 a livelier play to the feelings, and filling the soul with 
 delight. And then, all nature, both animate and inani- 
 mate, appeared to partake of the pervading influence, 
 for the air was redolent with sweetness, and resounded 
 with the melodious song of birds. It was, indeed, a 
 
 
' 
 
 woman's endurance. 
 
 327 
 
 living 
 his ex- 
 iratioiis 
 ce that 
 
 hearts, 
 iritli the 
 o do all 
 far as 
 
 beauty 
 janifest. 
 [tensive 
 in front 
 ;stooned 
 it these 
 on ; for, 
 land, to 
 id in her 
 one II ni- 
 issued 2. 
 e tastes 
 )rovision 
 he inner 
 
 d, it was 
 and glo- 
 :eely and 
 B spirits, 
 loul with 
 nd inani- 
 Lufluence, 
 esounded 
 indeed, a 
 
 special day in that sweet and picturesque valley of 
 Devonshire. 
 
 Tlie gathering crowds in the early part of tht; day, 
 witli their earnest and anxious fiices, gave f'lll attesta- 
 tion of the deep interest felt by the people for miles 
 around. When the company had all gathered and the 
 sports were at their height, the scene was most delight- 
 ful to contemplate. The fun and frolic, the abandon- 
 ment to innocent mirth so characteristic of the gather- 
 ings of the rural population of England, marked this as 
 a day long to be rememb'^red. The young Sir George 
 Hargreaves, with his erect, tall, manr' figure, moved 
 among the dense and delighted assemblage the most 
 deli^-hted of the throng. His hand was freely extended, 
 and received many an honest, hearty, and congratulatory 
 shake, while to every request he lent a willing ear. 
 But, amidst all this, the great centre of retraction and 
 admiration was the beautiful Lillian ; for wherever she 
 moved among the group of delighted visitors there was 
 a buzz of involuntary admiration. She was attired in 
 a plain but rich dress, for she required no meretricious 
 ornaments to set off her native beauty. And then she 
 was as buoyant and blithe as the lightest heart there, 
 and entered with equal glee into all the mirth of the 
 moment. What gave Lillian a keener relish for this fes- 
 tive scene was the presence of her mother ; and if ever 
 mortals were brimful of joy, that was now the state of 
 Lillian and her parent. To them, under the influence 
 of those higher and finer sensibilities which only deeply 
 susceptible natures can experience, it seemed the con- 
 summation of earthly bliss, after the trials and sorrows 
 through which they had been brought. 
 
3^8 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 Once, in the afternoon, Lillian approached her mother, 
 her face beaming with smiles, and with an arch, roguish 
 twinkle of her eye, whispered, " Mother, what do you 
 think of the prophecy of the old Indian witch now ?" 
 This allusion to what at one time appeared so improb- 
 able, at first somewhat disconcerted Mrs. Le Clair ; but 
 recovering her self-possession, she said, with a signifi- 
 cant look, and her face lit up with a smile, " Yes indeed, 
 my dear, I have often of late thought on the same sub- 
 ject myself." 
 
 At the close of this very memorable day, when the 
 sun was sinking from their sight, this company of happy 
 spirits wended their way to their respective homes. 
 None but pleasant memories remained as subjects for 
 the neighboring gossips to while away their evening 
 hours for many a month and year afterwards. 
 
 Sir George and Lady Hargreaves were now destined 
 to occupy a higher sphere, and the circle of their ac- 
 quaintance to be much enlarged ; for the neigiiboring 
 gentry, prompted by various and conflicting motives, 
 sought their friendship. The high standing, in the 
 county of Devonshire, of the family from which Har- 
 greaves himself had descended, gave him position in 
 their estimation. Quite a number were attracted thither 
 by the fame that was spread abroad of the surpassing 
 beauty and rare accomplishments of Lillian ; and scarcely 
 a day was allowed to pass without a social party being 
 formed, meeting in succession at each other's mansions. 
 Whether Lillian went on the visit alone or accompanied 
 by her husband, she was always driven in almost regal 
 state in her carriage and four ; and wherever she went, 
 she was the centre and life of the circle, for, with her 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 329 
 
 er mother, 
 h, roguish 
 at do you 
 ,ch now ?" 
 10 improb- 
 3kiir ; but 
 a signifi- 
 es indeed, 
 same sub- 
 when the 
 /■ of happy 
 ve homes, 
 ibjects for 
 r evening 
 
 V destined 
 ■ their ac- 
 iighboring 
 f motives, 
 g, in the 
 hich Har- 
 osition in 
 :ed thither 
 surpassing 
 d scarcely 
 irty being 
 mansions, 
 jompanied 
 nost regal 
 she went, 
 •, with her 
 
 general knowledge and native wit, she was capable^ ,>f 
 Hupportmg the most varied and intelligent conversation 
 She generally took the lead in music, both vocal and 
 instrumental ; usually extorting the admiration of h(>r 
 lady friends. The few who spoke disparagingly of her 
 performances were of that narrow-minded class who 
 depreciate in others whatever they cannot themselves 
 equal. Envy eclipsed their judgment and their taste 
 Ihis was perceived by Lillian, for she was quick at dis- 
 cei am- the characters and dispositions of her associates • 
 t)ut It had no other eflect than to urge her onward to the 
 attainment v?f a higher excellence, as will be evidenced 
 by a few instances illustrative of the nature and extent 
 of her triumphs. 
 
 Practice with the long-bow, a very healthful sport is 
 quite popular among some of the aristocratic families of 
 England. Hence, many of the nobility have shootino-- 
 butts regularly laid out, where both ladies and gentle- 
 men resort to exercise their skill in archery. Amon- 
 the associates of Lillian there were many who stood hio-h 
 as accomplished archers ; and of course these, feelino- 
 confident in their own skill, and ever ready to enter the 
 lists against all comers, soon gave the challenge to Lil- 
 lian, being unaware that she was an adept in that sport 
 Nothing daunted, she accepted it, without dropping any 
 hint that she had ever practised with the bow and arrow 
 On the arrival of the company of ladies and o-entle- 
 men at the shooting-butts, they each of them, out of 
 respect to Lillian, proposed to give her the privile-(> of 
 the first shot. She modestly but firmly declined, statin- 
 that she would prefer seeing the others commence, as 
 sjie would then know better how to act. 
 
330 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 When tho mpmbera of the party had p^ivcn cvidoncc 
 f)f their skill, with a wide margin as to resUits, the bow 
 and arrow were handed to Lillian. On receiving these, 
 she minutely examined the bow from nock to nock, and 
 then the arrow, from head to feather. She then placed 
 the arrow in its seat with care, and tried the spring, so 
 as to adjust her own strength to the strength and spring 
 of the bow. Putting herself in position, she now fixed 
 her eye on the target, and taking a cool and steady aim, 
 sent the arrow to the golden centre. Some of the gen- 
 tlemen exclaimed : " Well done, Lady Hargreaves !" 
 Several of the ladies, however, who had been considered, 
 and who considered themselves, extraordinary shots, 
 felt no little pique at being thus shorn of their laurels ; 
 and they insinuated that it was more good luck than 
 good shooting on the part of Lady Hargreaves. Where- 
 upon, when it came to Lillian's turn again to try her 
 hand, purposely taking her stand ten yards further from 
 the target, she placed the arrow precisely in the same 
 spot as before. 
 
 This feat called forth a stronger expression of admira- 
 tion from the gentlemen, and from a few of the ladies. 
 But a few of the latter, who had hitherto carried off the 
 palm in their contests at these exercises, manifested 
 some mortification, and made remarks aside, in accord- 
 ance with their feelings. The sport was carried on to a 
 further trial ; and Lillian again receding ten yards, 
 placed the arrow as before, without deviating a hair's- 
 breadth. It was now fully conceded by all present, thai 
 Lady Hargreaves must receive the crown, and hence- 
 forth be considered the champion archer of the district. 
 
 On observing evidences of wounded pride in some of 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 331 
 
 evidoncc 
 », tl)<3 bow 
 ing th<;sc, 
 nock, and 
 en placed 
 sprinji:, HO 
 ind spring 
 now fixed 
 teady aiiri, 
 if the g(;n- 
 o-reaves !" 
 ;onsidered, 
 ary shots, 
 ir laurels ; 
 luck than 
 3. Where- 
 to try her 
 rther from 
 the same 
 
 of admira- 
 he ladies, 
 ied off the 
 manifested 
 m accord- 
 ied on to a 
 en yards, 
 a hair's- 
 esent, thai 
 and hence- 
 e district, 
 in some of 
 
 T 
 
 the ladies, and a wish, on their part, to depreciate her 
 skill, a spirit of rivalry took possession of Lillian ; and 
 at times it might have been thought that she acted with 
 too masculine an energy, and exhibited too eager a 
 desire to excel. A little of this may perhaps be dis- 
 covered in the following incident. One day in early 
 autumn, a number of gentlemen were assc^nbied for the 
 purpose of having a day's sport, and before leaving they 
 formed quite an interesting group in front of th(; Hall. 
 A number of ladies were attracted to the place to wit- 
 ness the departure of the sportsmen, and, as usual on 
 such occasions, the jest and the merry laugh lent their 
 aid to eidiven the interview. One of the ladies made 
 the remark, that she would like to go with them, if she 
 had a fowling-piece, and knew how to use it. "Oh," 
 said Lillian, laughing, " I can use one," and requested a 
 gentleman to lend her his double-barrelled Manton. 
 Looking out for a bird on the wing, which she soon dis- 
 covered, she brorr^ht the piece to her shoulder and fired, 
 and the game came fluttering to the ground. Then 
 turning to the opposite direction, and seeing another 
 bird, she repeated the action with the same result ; when 
 she returned the piece to its owner, saying — 
 
 "Did not I tell you that I could use a fowling-piece?" 
 "Upon my word," said one of the gentlemen, "Lady 
 Hargreaves is not less accurate in her use of the fowling- 
 piece than of the bow and arro ^'.'' With these and 
 other feats, Lillian excited the admiration of some, and 
 the jealous}'^ of others of the company. 
 
 At the commencement of the acquaintance of Lillian 
 with the ladies of the neighboring noble families, she 
 acted in her own natural, unassuming v/ay ; but finding 
 
332 
 
 TIIK BLACK rilANTOM; OR, 
 
 thorn g^rowiii^ jealous of her superior skill, altliouj?li she 
 liad the prudence and self-restraint to hide from others 
 her impressions, she yet felt her Indian blood wrou^^lit 
 upon so far, as to inspire her with a full determination 
 to excel. And once imbued with this spirit, she lost no 
 opportunity of showing her superior' And she felt 
 
 almost contempt for these ladies, puflc. up as they were 
 by their inflated imaginations, with ideas of tlieir im- 
 measurable superiority to the poor, untitled common 
 people. If they spoke to or of these, it was with a pat- 
 ronizing- air, indicative of superiority on the one side, 
 and of inferiority on the other. 
 
 How diff'-rent from all this were the manners and 
 behavior of Lillian ! Her kind and gentle lieart was of 
 a far different mould. She would give heed to the 
 humblest, without any appearance of hauteur, and yet 
 without sacrificing her native dignit' Nay, indeed, 
 never did she display i¥) much of 'e and moral 
 
 beauty as when holding familiar converse with some 
 poor woman, listening with deep interest to some story 
 of personal or douKistic^ sorrow, and by kind and gentle 
 wcjrds, and often by more substantial appliances, sooth- 
 ing the sorrows of her afflicted heart. 
 
 Often would Lillian, in direct terms, place her ante- 
 cedents in bold contrast with those of her lady com- 
 panions, by narrating some of tiiose thrilling incidents 
 in which her own ancestors had exhibited their heroism 
 and displayed their prowess. When listening to these 
 ladies boasting of their descent in a direct line from 
 son-.c one of the leading officers belonging to the train 
 of William the Conqueror, Lillian did not hesitate to 
 declare, that she could boast of spnTiging fiom a line of 
 
WOMAN s enduran(;e. 
 
 383 
 
 ■oin others 
 (1 wrou^lit 
 LTininatioii 
 slio lost no 
 id she felt 
 tlioy were 
 r their iin- 
 d comtnoii 
 ivitli a p.'it- 
 ! one side, 
 
 mners and 
 .•art was of 
 »ed to the 
 ir, and yet 
 iiy, indeed, 
 nd moral 
 ith some 
 ;ome story 
 and gentle 
 ices, sooth- 
 
 her ante- 
 ady com- 
 incideuts 
 ir heroism 
 g- to these 
 line from 
 the train 
 lesitate to 
 n a line of 
 
 princes who flourished long anterior to the existence of 
 William, or any of his ofVicers. And when 1\\vhv ladies 
 were priding tiiemselves on the extent of their posses- 
 sions, Lilliiin wouhl place in contrast to these, the witle 
 domain over which her forefathers held sway hy the 
 potency of their own strong right arm. She would often 
 insinuate a reproach of the useless and utterly aimless 
 lives they led — spending their days and nights in a con- 
 tinual round of vitiating and enervating gayeties and 
 follies, while there were open to them so many spheres 
 of usefulness more dignifying and ennobling thjin the 
 boast of ancestry or the possession of lands and houses. 
 Lillian was at one time on a visit at a mansion some 
 distance from her own home. The conversation turning 
 on the above subjects, one of the young ladies said : 
 "We must take Lad\ Harcrreaves with us when we go 
 to those poor families, with the clothes and blankets Ma 
 bought for them, and then she will see for herself that 
 we do not always spend our time so very aindessly 
 and uselessly." Accepting their invitation, Lillian did 
 go with them on their message of mercy and labor of 
 love, and was much amused at the pomp and circum- 
 stance observed by the ladies, with the design of making 
 an impression of their condescension on the minds of the 
 poor creatures who were the objects of their bounty. 
 They visited several cottages, if filthy mud-holes might 
 be so named, with scarcely an article that had any of 
 the features of furniture within them, and with a few 
 rods of ground attached, which had been rendered as 
 solid as rock, by being used as a common play-ground 
 for years, by a multitude of shoeless and shirtless, wild 
 and untutored children, with scarcely rags enough on 
 
334 
 
 THE 
 
 BLACK phantom; 
 
 OR, 
 
 them to cover their nakedness. Abject poverty ap- 
 peared to be the general characteristic of each and all ; 
 and this was associated with idiotic, expressionless 
 countenances', in all the inmates of these miserable 
 dwellings, adults as well as juveniles. To these mis- 
 erable creatures were doled out a few pairs of coarse 
 blankets, such as the grooms or the coachmen of these 
 proud titled ladies would have scorned to throw over 
 the horses in their stables. A few other cheap articles 
 of clothing were distributed to these comparatively des- 
 titute creatures, by these panipered favorites of fortune. 
 While amused at the frivolous and empty pompousness 
 of these ladies, Lillian was deeply mortified to see them 
 apparently lost to the conviction that they themselves 
 were of the same flesh and blood, deriving their being 
 from one common origin with those whom they seemed 
 to hold at so cheap a rate. But Lillian was a person of 
 prudence, as well as of f< bold and fearless independence. 
 Slie knew how to time her remarks so as to produce 
 the most telling effect. Ana this was evidenced in the 
 present instance. On the evening of the day on which 
 the above events transpired, a number of the ladies were 
 conversing on the proceedings of the day, when a direct 
 appeal was made to Lillian for her opinion as to what 
 she thought of them. With all her peculiar honesty 
 and frankness, Lillian declared that if she had on former 
 occasions hinted that they were spending their lives to 
 little purpose, she would now say, if she must spe.;k 
 according to the dictates of her judgment, that they had 
 on that day done a serious wrong — that they had fos- 
 ten'd the feelings and had encouraged the habits of de- 
 pendence in those poor creatures ; and had thus sapped 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 335 
 
 the vory foundations of manly di-nity and conscious 
 self-re»pect. If they sincerely wished to benefit those 
 peoph', they should try to place them in such a position 
 as would enable them to cultivate; their self-esteem 
 " Place them," she said, " above the need of charity, and 
 enable them to work out their own salvation." 
 
 One of the ladies exclaimed—" Why, bless me. Lady 
 Hargreaves, you are really provokin<r ; we thought we 
 were doing them good, and preparing them to endure 
 the severities of the coming winter " In the name of 
 common sense," she continued, " how could we change 
 their position ? Do you wish that we should take ail 
 those ignorant and uncleanly beings to live with us in 
 this Hall ?" 
 
 " Oh no," said Lillian, " by no means ; that would, if 
 anythnjg, be aggravating the case-it would be makino- 
 matters worse. But I will give you my view of the case. 
 In our rambles to-day we passed a number of places that 
 are now going to waste, ano', indeed, worse than that 
 for they produce only noxious weeds and brambles and' 
 harbor reptiles and vermin, while they are well adapted 
 for profitable cultivation. Instead of being an eye-sore 
 and a disfigurement, as they now are, they mi-ht be 
 transformed into real ornaments of the place And it 
 would add much to the beauty of the locality, by having 
 neatly finished cottages erected on them. You could 
 then transfer the people we saw to-day to these cot- 
 tages ; and by giving them a fair start, by a trifling out- 
 lay at tiie first, you would soon have profitable returns 
 But, aside from any pecuniary profit to be derived from 
 this source, and the social comfort and happiness of 
 which you will have been the cause, the intellectual 
 
 fi\ 
 
336 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 clovolopniont that would follow as a natural and collat- 
 eral resuk, would redound in a still greater degree to 
 your honor. Here you will be erecting monuments 
 worth}^ of your ambition ; for in all the future, in tracing 
 back to discover the cause of results so vast and glori- 
 ous, the pen of the historian and of the philanthropist 
 will place upon their imperishable records your names 
 among those they ciu-onicle as deserving the admiration 
 of coming generations. 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 337 
 
 d collat- 
 egree to 
 iiuments 
 1 tracing" 
 Tid glori- 
 iithropist 
 r Tuirnes 
 iiiiratiou 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 Not only were Lillian and her lady companions widely 
 variant in their opinions on many subjects, but her hus- 
 band, Sir George Hargreaves, coveted as his company 
 was by an extensive circle of the neighboring gentry, 
 also found subjects which, in the discussion of them, 
 gave rise to clashing of opinion and sentiment. And 
 some of these were of vital interest. It was oi'ten the 
 case, that the more benevolent the purposes, and the 
 more large-hearted the views of Sir George, the more 
 bitterly he was opposed by some of the leading gentle- 
 men of the neighborhood. To give the reader some idea 
 of the wordy conflicts in which these parties sometimes 
 engaged, we will just say, that Sir George liad been 
 deeply impressed with the neglected state and the gross 
 ignorance of the laboring population on and around his 
 newly-acquired estate. And not only were his own feel- 
 ings thus wrought upon, but the mind of Mrs. Le Clair, 
 and the noble and active-minded Lillian, were greatly 
 exercised by the state of that unfortunate class. By 
 their joint efforts, plans had been formed, and to so!ne 
 extent been put in operation, by which this deplorabhj 
 state of things would be rectified. Not only had Sir 
 George and his wife had an eye to the mental and moral 
 culture of the neighboring poor, but they had also formed 
 the purpose of apportioning (jff the park and the pleasure- 
 
338 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 grounds — useless and wasteful !ip])endages in their pres- 
 ent form around tlieir mansion — into small allotments of 
 a few acres each, and erecting comfortable cottag-es on 
 them, as residences for these hithert(j neglected poor. 
 Then, instead of these grounds being, as now, but waste 
 places and retreats for destructive animals, they would 
 support a happy, industrious, and thriving population. 
 
 Instead of this kind-hearted and benevolent project 
 meeting with the entire approval of the neighboring 
 gentr}^, it met with their most strenuous opposition, and 
 at all their social gatherings he was bitterly rated for 
 his consummate folly. We will give an instance. In 
 October, on one of those soft delicious days for which 
 that month is especially famed in the southern part of 
 England, a large party of gentlemen had been out, and 
 had seen choice sport, having met with more than ordi- 
 nary success. Delighted witli themselves for accom- 
 plishing so nmch in their few hours of sport, a feeling 
 of good-nature and careless ease pervaded the whole 
 company. xVny trifling incident called fcjrth hnid and 
 boisterous laughter, and some of the party seemed ready 
 to engage in any lark or piece of senseless mischief. 
 By the road-side on which they were travelling were 
 two or three neglected and dilapidated cottages ; and 
 not far fr(jm these was a group of dirty, ragged childi'ea 
 playing, or rather wallowing in the mud and dirt. On 
 observing these chiWren, one of the gentlemen, in a 
 rough, commanding voice, called out to them to clear 
 away, or he would shoot them, at the same instant 
 bringing the butt of his gun to ills shoulder and pre- 
 senting it towards them ; when, to his horror, and to the 
 consternation of every one of the party, the guu went 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 339 
 
 off. Tliey were all ritiipclicd for thu mornout, supposing 
 that he had iiitentionaily sent the li<,'avy char^^e of the 
 f^im into the midst of the group of cliihh'cn. But tlieir 
 feelings were relieved on seeing all the cliildren scamper 
 off, tlieir rags streaming in the wind. When they came 
 to understand the cause of the alarming occurrence, they 
 found that, raising his gun to his shoulder in a spirit of 
 merriment, the trigger had been caught by the strap of 
 the gentleman's game-bag, and so caused the discharge ; 
 and then, instead of the piece being in a direct line with 
 the children when it went off, the strap pulled it aside, 
 so rendering that harmless which otherwise might have 
 proved a fatal disaster. This incident was the means 
 of abating the exuberance of their spirits, r.nd qui(!ting 
 the noisy clamor of their voices. 
 
 But, if the above incident had subdued the ardor and 
 sportiveness of feeling of these gentlemen, it had not 
 in the least affected the cravings of their keen appe- 
 tites. On their arrival at the mansion of their host, 
 when the varied viands v/ere spread out before them in 
 all their amplitude, little persuasion, it was found, was 
 required to enable them to do justice to the abundant 
 dainties provided. After having partaken of the rich 
 repast, wines of fine flavor and of the choicest brands 
 flowed without stint ; and the minds of both host and 
 noble guests were soon oblivious to the requirements 
 of prudence and decorum. Such a company, and under 
 such influences, were likely to find subjects for playful 
 banter, if not for more earnest demonstrations. And as 
 the rather unwarrantable and novel proceedings of Sir 
 George Hargrcaves and his active-minded wife had 
 somewhat disturbed the minds of tho ladies and gentry 
 
340 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 ? 
 
 of the noig-liborhood, what so likely as this subject to 
 occupy a prominent place in the discussions of the even- 
 ing ? Earnest and patlietic appeals had been made, but 
 had failed to deter them from pursuing a course dictated 
 by the promptings of humanity. It had been urged that 
 the plans and purposes of Sir George were fraught with 
 mischief to the upper classes. To carry out those plans 
 would be to mar the beauty and curtail tlie magnifi- 
 cence of those stately mansions and their surrounding 
 grounds, which the present occupants had inherited, 
 and which they were bound by the considerations of 
 family memories and ancestral fame to hand down to 
 their successors in the line of descent, undiminished in 
 magnitude and undimmed in splendor. Here, then, was 
 a subject connected with the social standing, and tiiat 
 touciied the self-interest of each member of tiie company 
 before us. The minds of these men were moulded in 
 the principles of caste. Yet here was one of tlieir own 
 class, who had presumed to set at naught all the con- 
 siderations that had hitherto prompted and governed 
 the movements of their order. It was in vain that Sir 
 George urged upon their attention, that wealth find in- 
 telligence had a noble and imperative mission ; and that, 
 if those upon whom had devolved such responsibilities 
 proved recreant to their duty and false to their trust, as 
 sure as niglit follows day, so sure will retributive jus- 
 tice demand a reckoiung, and the hand of the avenger 
 will execute judgment. They could not revel in wealth, 
 and boast of their knowledge, while at the same time 
 they neglected to care for the destitute poor around 
 them, and be held guiltless before God and man. Their 
 own individual interest, as well as feelings of national 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 341 
 
 pride, slioiild arouse their sensibilities, and direct their at- 
 tenti(3n to that numerous class, scattered over onr estates. 
 It would be really dangerous to our safety, if these men 
 of rude intellect and still ruder passions should become 
 fully sensible of the indignities we have inflicted, and of 
 the wrong's they have endured at onr hands, for so many 
 generations. It was his impression that they had better 
 begin to lead them by the silken cords of reason and of 
 love, before that grand crisis arrives — the signs of which 
 are gathering around us — when the distinction of class 
 and caste will be swallowed up and lost in the crash of 
 the very frame-work of society. 
 
 At a late hour, and under the influence of a more 
 genial spirit, the company separated for tlieir homes. 
 The clatter of horse-hoofs and the rumble of carriago 
 wheels awoke the echoes of the woods, and disturbed 
 the stillness of the night for a short time, and then all 
 •was silent. 
 
 A short time after the above gathering, the same, or 
 nearly the same, party assembled at the mansion of Sir 
 George Ilargreaves. Though the strife of words had 
 been warm and earnest on a number of occasions of late, 
 yet it had not led to the estrangement of families. It 
 was nearly the end of October, and, although the day 
 might be said to be fine, still there were fitful gusts of 
 wind, and black, pillowing clouds looming up in the dis- 
 tance, giving premonitory tokens of coming winter. Sir 
 George and Lillian, notwithstanding they were full}^ 
 aware of the views and feelings of their guests, on the 
 subject of the moral and social improvement of the poor, 
 evinced no desire to hide their light, bui rather that it 
 should be seen, and judged of by the influence it was 
 
S42 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 exorfinj^, and that it might pn)V(! as a boacon, either to 
 lead or to warn. 
 
 After having- enjoyed a social chit-chat within-doors, 
 they invited their company to take a stroll through the 
 grounds that lay but a short distance from the mansion 
 They had not gone far before they came to a number of 
 cottages. These cottages had been built a number of 
 years, but, by neglect, had become little better than 
 buildings u.^ed for tlie shelter of domestic animals. 
 Since, liowever. Sir George had come into possession 
 of the estate, by a complete renovation they had been 
 rendered both comfortable and respectable. And tlien, 
 there iiad l)een added to each of these cottages a few 
 acres of land, so that the occupants, by their own labor, 
 were able to supply themselves with the common neces- 
 saries of life, besides being able to pay a small rent. 
 The inmates, both male and female, were neat and clean, 
 and warmly clad ; and, addt^d to all this, tliey seemed 
 happy and cheerful, and their manners were in strict 
 accordance witli their station. The look of deep sig- 
 nificance which each face assumed cm the entrance of 
 Sir George, and the ladies and gentlemen who were 
 with him, was more than a compensation to him for the 
 expenditure of means and labor that had accomplislied 
 all this. Sir George informed his guests that his wife 
 had a number of these cottages on the estate, many of 
 them newly built ; but he believed that these would 
 prove fair specimens of the rest. He said that it had 
 long been impressed on his mind that it was full time 
 that the aristocracy of the land should take into tlieir 
 most serious consideration the case of the laboring poor 
 upon their estates. They had, for a long series of years, 
 
woman's endurancp:. 
 
 343 
 
 Mther to 
 
 in-doors, 
 )n<^h tho 
 naiision 
 iinber of 
 iinbor of 
 tor than 
 animals. 
 'Sscssi(jn 
 ad been 
 id tlien, 
 s a fow 
 Ti lab(H', 
 11 iioccs- 
 all rent, 
 id clean, 
 
 seemed 
 n strict 
 eep sig'- 
 'ance of 
 10 were 
 
 for the 
 iplished 
 his wife 
 many of 
 i would 
 -: it had 
 ill time 
 to their 
 ng- poor 
 f years, 
 
 been accumulatini^ vast wealth, the product of their 
 .patient toil, without givino- a thouirht to tiieir intellec- 
 tual, social, or moral status ; while in so acting- they 
 had deprived themselves of a source of the highc^st and 
 purest enjoyment. "Tell me not of the ii.crratitude of 
 the poor," said he ; *' why, for my part, the silent greet- 
 inor I received from those humble and simple cottagers 
 is of hig-her value to me than thousands of gohrand 
 silver-where the full tide of their grateful' feelings 
 welled up from the deep fountain of their souls, while 
 their countenances plainly told unutterable things." 
 
 The greatest and most laudable object of Lillian's 
 ambition was a large and a well-ordenMl school, located 
 at some considerable distance from the above cottajroa. 
 This school was in a sequestered spot, and surrounded 
 by nature with her most variegated and beautiful haady- 
 work ; while skill and a pure taste had given a hiu'h 
 artistic finish to the whole. Close by then? was a fomi- 
 tain, that sent forth a pure bubbling stream, where the 
 youngsters slaked their thirst witii nature's nectar. Th(» 
 company were completely surprised and highly delighted 
 in surveying this display of a combination' of nature 
 and art. But on entering the school they were spell- 
 bound, seeing so large a company of children, great and 
 small, so neat and clean, so comfortably clothed, and so 
 orderly in their behavior. But the united and unquali- 
 ficd praise of the company was elicited on beholding 
 their rosy, healthy cheeks, their bright, sparkling eyes^ 
 and their happy, cheerful, buoyant spirits. It was inl 
 deed a scene which, under the circumstances, might 
 gladden the heart of an angel. Here was exhibited the 
 legitimate and most useful employment of wealth and 
 
 V i 
 
344 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 power ;-i-and tin's was a sccruj which the Christian and 
 benevolent heart that planned and perfected it, could 
 contemplate and reflect upon with a satislaction angels 
 inlg'ht envy, and which is alike beyond the experience 
 and the comprehension of those who move in the j^ay 
 circles of fashion, or of those who patronize the race- 
 course and the gaming-table. 
 
 One would have supposed that the party could not 
 have left this arena of moral training, without having 
 imbibed sometliing of the spirit that dictated its inaugu- 
 ration and pervaded its gov(?rnment. And, indeed, a 
 number of them did leave the place with a conviction 
 of its present utility, and persuaded of its ultimate good 
 efTects. Soon, however, other feelings intruded, prompted 
 by a few captious minds, which counteracted the con- 
 victions of their better judgments. This will hv more 
 fully understood, from the conversation of some of the 
 leading gentlemen of the p«.rty. We would obs(?rve, 
 that among them was a colonel of a regiment of the 
 British army : there was also an officer of the nav}'^, a 
 captain of a British man-of-war. These men were deeply 
 imbued with the spirit that influences their class, and 
 spoke with supreme contempt of any other business or 
 profession than their own ; and they were esp(!cially 
 fluent in discussing the merits of the plans and proceed- 
 ings of Sir George and Lady Hargreaves. They con- 
 tended that those plans were fraught with evil, and 
 would only lead to evil ; and if generally carried out, 
 would have the direct tendency to raise the lower orders 
 in their own estimation ; and that then they would 
 always be troublesome to manage, in whatever station 
 they were placed. The feelings of the colonel were 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 345 
 
 ian and 
 
 t, could 
 angola 
 crience 
 he j^ay 
 e race- 
 
 nld not 
 having 
 inaugu- 
 ideed, a 
 iviction 
 to gor>d 
 ompted 
 he con- 
 )u more 
 ) of the 
 (bserve, 
 
 of the 
 nav}'-, a 
 ; deeply 
 iss, and 
 iness or 
 pecially 
 :)roceed- 
 ley con- 
 vi\, and 
 ied out, 
 r orders 
 r would 
 
 station 
 el were 
 
 quite excited, as he exclaimed : " Poor devils, what are 
 they, and what would they he, without the upjicr classes 
 to lead and direct them?" Ho declared, that if he had 
 to make the choice of lads for his regiment, between 
 those tutored in the school of Lady llargreaves iuid 
 those ragged little urchins he was very near shooting 
 the other day, he would, by infinite odds, prefer the 
 latter ; for it takes more time, and is ten times more 
 trouble, to break the spirits of these than of the former. 
 "Those ragged lads you catch wild out of the lanes and 
 streets," lie said, "may be like unbroken cidts at first, 
 but physical force is all that is required to break them 
 in, which is of easy application. But in these educfited 
 lads, you have a moral and an intellectual power to 
 contend with ; and I have found, in my military expe- 
 rience, that ten of such had to be flogged to one of the 
 other." 
 
 Here the navy officer chimed in, with a blulf, husky 
 voice : "Aye, aye," said he, "that's so ; I want none of 
 Lady Hargreaves' pious, pet pupils on my ship. Give 
 me the outcasts of society — those rough fellows that 
 nobody cares for, or thinks them worth the trouble of 
 looking after, except as jail-birds. What do I care, if 
 they cannot tell me the difference between a bee or a 
 bull's foot ? All that I want out of them, is, to handle 
 the ropes, and work the guns, and be able to stand fire ; 
 and if they don't or won't do these, why, I know a way 
 of making them." 
 
 Very great deference was paid to the opinions of tlujse 
 magnates in blue and red ; for a number of the gentle- 
 men present gave a hearty assent to the views expressed 
 by them — entertaining, like them, the opinion that the 
 
 15 
 
346 
 
 THE BLACK PUANTOM; OR, 
 
 lowor onlors were of no rnrtlier utility tlian so far aft 
 their physical powers ini^lit bt; turned to a.ccount, or as 
 a kind of useful aiiiiiial (lru<lgeH. Sir Geor^'e made sev- 
 eral attempts to ar<^uo the; point with them, and to provo 
 tliat tliere were other pursuits besides those of the sol- 
 dier and the sailor, and of an imp(jrtanc(! not inferior to 
 those in sustaining and advancing the prosperity and 
 greatness of the State ; and that to make men g(K)d 
 citizens was tlie only sure way to make them stanch 
 patriots. 
 
 On the enunciation of the terms citizen and patriot^ 
 some of the gentlemen were beside themselves with 
 rage, and the navy and military officers among the rest. 
 In the mo.st vehement manner, and with a virulent spirit, 
 they cried out — " Oh yes, we know where you were in- 
 oculated with these detestable ideas ; you have imported 
 them from across the water. We want no such importa- 
 tions into this happy and higlily-favored land;' 
 
 N(jtwithstanding this antagonism, sometintes strenu- 
 ous and bitter. Sir George and his able coadjutor Lillian 
 kept on in the even tenor of their way, not in the least 
 deterred in the accomplishment of their noble purpose, 
 and in the fulfilment of their sublime mission ; and in 
 this they had the encouragement and example of Mrs. 
 Le Clair and Lady H. They too had consecrated their 
 great wealtli and rare talents to the pleasing and praise- 
 worthy task of lightening the burdens of the 'aboring 
 poor ; and of placing within the r"acl of then' ofl'spiing 
 the means for acquiring the n( mental and moral 
 
 qualifications to enable them act their pcut on the 
 stage of life, with credit to them.-.elv' » and with profit 
 to the world. They justly observed that the intellectual 
 
WOMAN S ENDURANCE. 
 
 347 
 
 and moral irnprovcrnunt of tlio operativi; and laborinf^ 
 portion of the coiniiumity, would raiso the country liij^licr, 
 not only in the estimation of all ri<:,-iit-lliiiiking men, bul, 
 what was inlinitoly more important, in that of ileavon, 
 than all the victories achieved by navy or army since 
 the nation beg-an. 
 

 34:8 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 How oftoii are the ways of Providence shrouded in 
 sucli (h^c\) mystery, that we are ready to conclude there 
 is something- unjust, if not unwise, in occurrences that 
 take place under our observation 1 We will see an 
 illustration of this in the painful incidents we are about 
 to narrate. 
 
 The reader is already fully informed of the varied 
 vicissitudes through which Mrs, Le Clair has had to 
 struggle during the whole of her eventful life ; but 
 after her painful experiences, we have been happily re- 
 lieved by seeing her erne' ge" from a state of care and 
 suffering to the enjoyment of comfort and the possession 
 of wealth, and scattering the blessings of her bounty 
 with an unsparing hand ; and it is delightful to con- 
 template the vast amount of good that is sometimes 
 accomplished by a single self-sacrificing and generous 
 man or woman. A melancholy a!id sad sight it is to see 
 a total eclipse of the sun, when that luminary is on the 
 meridian, but it is infinitely more sad to see such man 
 or woman arrested in a career redounding so greatly to 
 their own honor, and so beneficiol to their race. 
 
 We have been greatly pained, through the whole 
 coui'se of our narrative, in narrating afflicting events in 
 the life of Mrs. Le Chiir ; but who, under happier aus- 
 pices, completely absorbed by a spirit of goodness, had 
 
 ^ 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 349 
 
 iided in 
 ie there 
 ces that 
 see an 
 'e about 
 
 ! varied 
 had to 
 fe ; but 
 3pily re- 
 are and 
 ■^session 
 bounty 
 to con- 
 netimes 
 enerous 
 s to see 
 3 on the 
 ich man 
 eatly to 
 
 ; whole 
 ^ents iu 
 ier aus- 
 3SS, had 
 
 of late, with other able lieads, been ocenpied in matur- 
 ing- in her mind a vast system to aecomplish the g-reat 
 work her benevolent heart had proposed. Bat the la- 
 bors of the day, as well as sle<!pless nig-hts, began to 
 tell upon lier yet noble frame, and, added to the efleets 
 of an over-taxed brain, gave painful evidence that her 
 endurance was not what it had been twenty years be- 
 fore. Yet her active spirit would not allow her to take 
 the repose her physical system now required. It was 
 evident that fatal consequences would ensue from these 
 long-continued labors, resulting" in the exhaustion of 
 mental force and prostration of physical energy. And, 
 indeed, so it was ; for in this debilitated state of body 
 and mind, which rendered her keenly susceptible to the 
 attacks of disease, she made her accustomed call on a 
 poor family, some of the members of which were alflicted 
 with a malignant type of scarlet fever. On the night 
 succeeding' this incautious visit, she complained of pains 
 in her head and soreness of throat. Still, she added 
 neglect to her temerity ; for she refused, until too late, 
 to seek the relief or to apply the remedies prudence 
 ought to have dictated. Alas 1 she felt too self-confident, 
 relying on the strength of her constitution and tho vigor 
 of her fvame, which had survived so many shocks, and 
 which she believed would now again rally their forces, 
 and bid defiance to the present attack of disease. But, 
 when too late, she was sadly undeceived, and then found 
 the best medical sjdll conipletely at fault, and all reme- 
 dial appliances of no avail. 
 
 Before the disease had advanced many stag(>s, Mrs 
 Le Clair was deeply impressed with the conviction that 
 her days were numbered, and that this sickness would 
 
eS50 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OK, 
 
 snrel}^ be unto deatli. NotwitliHtanding this pe'-suasion, 
 liovvevcr, lier mind exhibited more of joy than of any 
 otii(!r emotion, so far as her own case was in question. 
 But when tiie tiiougiit of the niany pensioners on her 
 bounty crossed her mind, slie exiiibited intense anxiety. 
 As she expressed herself, she was leaving them as sheep 
 without a shepherd, and as lambs among wolves ; and 
 soon, all her expenditure of time, and toil, and means 
 would be, as it wen;, scattered to the winds, and the 
 bright hopes and pleasing prospects in which many a 
 poor family had been of late luxuriating, would be for- 
 ever blighted. But so weakened, bodily and mentally, 
 did she become in the progress of the fatal malady, that 
 very soon that good and noble mind was a mere wreck, 
 driftincr at random in a sea of wild fancies and incon- 
 gruous imaginations. But whenever a few lucid mo- 
 ments were permitted her, the same praiseworthy objects 
 and noble themes that had engaged lier attention through 
 life, were still the objects of her solicitude and the bur- 
 den of her ihougiits. 
 
 That once noble frame and nobler mind at length 
 succumbed to the fiat that had gone forth — the body re- 
 turned to the dust, and the spirit to God who gave it. 
 
 In the death of Mrs. Le Clair we behold the departure 
 of no ordinary character. Her very being was closely 
 linked with the destiny of many others ; and the inter- 
 ests that held these parties in so close a bond of union 
 were of so vital a nature, and at the same time so varied 
 and far-reaching in their influence, that it was no wonder 
 the C(jnsternation at the sad event was so wide-spruad 
 and so overwhelming. And then it must be remembered 
 that it was not the wealthy and the noble of the neigh- 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 351 
 
 '•suasion, 
 11 of any 
 qiK'stioii. 
 s on hor 
 
 anxiety. 
 
 as sheep 
 ^^es ; and 
 id means 
 
 and the 
 1 many a 
 Id be for- 
 nientally, 
 ady, tliat 
 re wreck, 
 tid incon- 
 lucid mo- 
 ly objects 
 1 through 
 i the bur- 
 it length 
 ! body re- 
 ;ave it. 
 departure 
 .s closely 
 the inter- 
 
 of union 
 so varied 
 10 wonder 
 de-sproad 
 riembered 
 ;ic neigh- 
 
 borhood who were to bo affi cted by this sad bereave- 
 m(^nt, and who might have exhibited the .'ippearance of 
 sorrow by outward show and empty pageantry. No, it 
 was tlie poor and tiie destitute of the neighborhood, 
 whom Mrs. Le Clair liad befriended, and who now ex- 
 hibited the genuine emotions of their smitten hearts. 
 Tiiat was a sorrowful sight indeed, that included in the 
 rank of mourners the man and the woman of gray hairs, 
 borne down with the weight of years, the man and 
 maiden in vigorous youth, and children through all tlie 
 gradations of age down to lisping childhood— all ex- 
 hibiting in their countenances, with intense grief for the 
 loss of their best earthly friend, despair of the future. 
 These poor people had of late been living, as it were, in a 
 new world, and had been breathing a heart-reforming, 
 soul-purifying moral atmosphere. Mrs. Le Clair had 
 been their great central luminary, diffusing light and 
 gladness over the dreary wastes of their neglected 
 hearts, and eliciting those moral and social virtues, 
 which had bid fair to remodel the very structure of 
 society itself. But now, that light had been stricken 
 from the firmament of these poor people ; and from the 
 bright and beauteous beams of day, by a sudden transi- 
 tion, they had been launched into the ghjom of midnight. 
 But, perhaps the most distressing object presented to 
 our contemplation, is the sorrow and anguish of Lillian— 
 so suddenly and unexpectedly called to mourn the loss 
 of her mother. A special messenger had conveyed tiic 
 sad and startling intelligence to her. She was already 
 in full travelling dress, and waiting for her carriage to 
 make an already arranged visit to some of the neighbor- 
 ing gentry. No sooner, however, did she comprehend 
 
 V!i 
 
352 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OB, 
 
 the character of the diatresaing message, than she gave 
 a few necessary and hasty instructions to her house- 
 keeper, accompanied with a request for her husband to 
 follow her. Laying strict injunctions on her coachman 
 to drive with all speed to the next post-town, with a 
 relay of fresh post-horses, she urged on her way to the 
 estate where her beloved mother lay in so critical a con- 
 dition. But, though it was early in the day when she 
 started, owing to the distance and the state of the roads 
 it was just at sunrise on the next morning when she 
 arrived at the residence of her mother. But, wearied as 
 she was with travel, and oppressed as was her mind 
 with grief, quick was her passage from her carriage to 
 the bedside of her beloved parent. Her keen eye soon 
 discovered that her mother was hopelessly ill. It so 
 happened, however, that Mrs. Le Clair was in one of 
 her lucid moments, which alleviated somewhat the sor- 
 row of Lillian ; for she at once recognized her daughter, 
 and in a pathetic manner, and with gentle expression, 
 said : "My own Lillian, my dear Lillian, you are just 
 in time." But, no sooner had she given utterance to 
 these few affectionate words than her mind w:as again 
 wandering. In vain did Lillian, by various little arts, 
 endeavor to so fix the attention of her mother as to draw 
 a few rational words from her lips ; for the fell destroyer 
 had nearly accomplialied his work, and she could only 
 be the passive and grief-stricken spectator of the closing 
 melancholy scene before her. 
 
 JuKst as the pure spirit of Mrs. Le Chiir had taken its 
 departure, and while the first burst of Lillian's grief 
 was at its height, her husband entered the room. The 
 Borrow which he very naturally felt at the loss of Mrs. 
 
 "1 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 353 
 
 he gave 
 • house- 
 band to 
 achmaii 
 , with a 
 y to the 
 il a con- 
 hen she 
 je roads 
 hen she 
 aried as 
 er mind 
 riage to 
 ye soon 
 . It so 
 L one of 
 the sor- 
 aughter, 
 3ression, 
 are just 
 ranee to 
 IS again 
 tie arts, 
 to draw 
 estroyer 
 uld only 
 3 closing 
 
 :aken its 
 
 n's grief 
 
 m. The 
 
 of Mrs. 
 
 Le Clair, was now diverted to Lillian, who was in a 
 paroxysm of grief ^hat threatened the stability of her 
 mental powers. Tlie heart and mind of Lillian seemed 
 to be so constituted, that whatever passion liad sway 
 for the moment, it usurped the control of her whole 
 being. Whether it was love, or grief, or anger, that 
 was called into action, all other passions and feelings 
 were instinctively held in abeyance. 
 
 It was no wonder, under the circumstances, that Sir 
 George was utterly at a loss how to act. It was true 
 he had on one occasion seen his wife in a fit of anger, 
 and was terrified at the sight ; but now, touched by a 
 sympathetic feeling, he was subdued before the over- 
 whelming and passionate grief of Lillian. It was the in- 
 tensity of her love for her mother which gave such point 
 and force to her sorrow, aided as it was by the i)eculiar 
 traits of her mind. Eventful aS had been her life, and 
 trying as had been some of the scenes through wiiich 
 she had been called to pass, there had been no ailliction 
 which had made so deep an impressit)n upon her heart 
 as the one that she was now called upon to bear. It 
 was feared by her husband, as well as by her attendants, 
 that the worst consequences might follow this prostra- 
 tion of her mental and physical powers \, but what were 
 the feelings of all when they were informed by the piiy- 
 sician that she was laboring under an attack of tin; most 
 virulent type of typhus fever, caught, no doubt, in at- 
 tendance on her mother in her sickness, and intensified 
 by the morbid state of her own mind ! 15e that as it 
 may, it was soon found that neither the skill of pliysi- 
 cians nor the virtues of medicines were of any avail. 
 The disease, by its rapid strides, gave evidence that all 
 
354 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 attompts wero futile to stay its onward progress. Lillian 
 had at longtli found an enemy she could not subdue or 
 bond to her will. On the contrary, this foe soon laid 
 her prostrate at his own feet ; for in a little more than a 
 fortnig-Jit after the mournful ceremonies of her mother's 
 funeral she herself was numbered with the dead, and 
 soon conveyed to the same resting-place, and laid by the 
 side of her whom she had loved so well. 
 
 It is in vain that poor purblind mortals speculate on 
 the doings of Providence. Unquestioning submission is 
 our duty. In this case, as well as in numberless others 
 of a similar mysterious character, we should call to mind 
 and apply the aphorism which Lady H. placed in her 
 letters to Mrs. Le Clair, " What thou knowest not now, 
 thou shalt know hereafter." 
 
 1 
 
WOMANS ENDURANCE. 
 
 355 
 
 ■i. Lillian 
 subdue or 
 soon laid 
 )re than a 
 • mother's 
 dead, and 
 lid by the 
 
 culate on 
 nission is 
 ss others 
 11 to mind 
 id in her 
 not now, 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The above melancholy events, as mig-ht well be sup- 
 posed, affected painiuUy the mind of Lady H, who wiis 
 now far advanced in life, and of course not so able t„ 
 grapple with circumstances as formerly. From the in- 
 dications of her character, as they have been unfoldcMl 
 to our view in the foregoing narrative, it must have 
 been perceived that she was a wcjman of undoubted 
 piety, of great decision, and of strong convicticjns. To 
 all outward appearance, the gr_at purposes of her life- 
 labor, and the objects of her Christian patience, had 
 equally been doomed to partial disappointment, in so 
 far as she had cherished the hope of placing jier niece, 
 Mrs. Le Clair, not only in jxxssession of the patrimony 
 of her father, but in the enjoyment also, through a long 
 life, of her high position, in which she could emph.y 
 her newly-acquired wealth in supplying the wants and 
 soothing the sorrows of many a child of woe. But, mi- 
 der this painful bereavement, with the consequent pros- 
 tration of her long-cherished hopes, there was no fretful 
 questioning (;f the doings of Providence ; en the con- 
 trary, a meek submission to the dispensation. She re- 
 marked, that if she could be favored with a personal 
 interview with her Saviour, and were permitted to inter- 
 rogate Him on these mysterious doings, Pie would, no 
 doubt, say to her, " Wliat 1 do thou knowest not now 
 
356 
 
 THE BLACK PHANTOM; OR, 
 
 but tlion shult know hcroaftor." In this spirit of Cliris- 
 tian rcsi^'iiation to the divine will she lived but a few 
 iiioiitlis, when she too was gathered to her home in 
 peace. 
 
 The same tomb incloses the precious dust belonging 
 to these three, choice spirits ; aiid it shall rest there, till 
 it be reaTiiniated, and raised in the full vigor and glory 
 of the sons and daughters of God, on the morning of tlie 
 resurrection. To die was gain to these tiiree worthy 
 women, but by their death a void was left in the locality 
 in which they had been so honorably occupied, which, to 
 all appearance, could not again be filled. Sir George 
 Ilargreaves, though so stanch and noble in his manhood, 
 had linally to succumb to the overwlu^lming influenc^e 
 brought to bear upon him by the neighboring aristocrats, 
 and all the improvements accomplished and in progress 
 under the energetic and able administration of Lillian, 
 were swept away. Things again reverted to their old 
 conditi(m, that of a moral and social wildernes^' The 
 nobility and gentry of the neighborhood breathed with 
 more freedom, now that the elevation of the lower or- 
 ders — by educatioij, and consequent moral and social 
 improvement — seemed to be indefinitely postponed. But, 
 ah ! could we have the opportunity of whispering in the 
 ears of these self-deluded dupes, we would tell them that 
 the time is not far distant, when it will not be the influ- 
 ence of a few women with which they will have to con- 
 tend, but with the stern wills and determined energy of 
 heaven-inspired men. These men may enlist on their 
 side the sympathies, and perhaps the passions, of the 
 masses ; and what then, if the pleadings of reason and 
 the demands of justice should be disregarded? Why, 
 
woman's endurance. 
 
 357 
 
 of Cliris- 
 
 but a few 
 
 home in 
 
 belonginj^ 
 there, till 
 and 1^1 ory 
 inp,' of the 
 :e worthy 
 10 locality 
 , which, to 
 ir Georn'e 
 manliood, 
 influence 
 ristocrats, 
 1 prof2;'ress 
 uf Lillian, 
 3 their old 
 les- The 
 ithed with 
 lower Gr- 
 ind social 
 ned. Bat, 
 ■ing in the 
 them that 
 the influ- 
 ic to con- 
 energy of 
 t on their 
 ins, of the 
 'easoQ and 
 i? Why, 
 
 the flimsy barri(3rs of conventional lines may prove but 
 as cobwebs bef(jre the united demonstration of an indig- 
 nant nation. 
 
 We cannot allow our narrative to close, without a 
 parting allusion to the charactr and doings of the Rev. 
 James Wilson, rector of the. «' : ,h, and recii)ient of 
 large revenues, as the incumbent of the church con- 
 nected with the estate lately held by Mrs. Le Clair. 
 We have already alluded to the apparent reli(;f exi)e- 
 rienced by the majority of the neighboring nobility and 
 gentry on the death of the three ladies wiio have been 
 the subjects of our narrative. Their fears had been ex- 
 cited, and they had been tormenting themselves with all 
 sorts of surmisings, as to what might be the results of 
 the dangerous enterprise in which these benevolent 
 ladies were engaged with so much zeal. But, jjerhaps, 
 there was not a single individual in all that district of 
 country, whose actions evinced so clearly as Wilson's 
 that he was now relieved froiu the restraint under which 
 he had been held by the strong mind of the late Mrs. Le 
 Clair. He now felt himself free to -j^ct according to the 
 dictates of his own selfish and avaricious disposition. 
 It is really a misfortune when a man of a kind and gen- 
 erous heart is bound down and trammelled by a vicious 
 system, to which he must shape his whole conduct in 
 his intercourse with those from whom he must receive 
 his support. There is almost sure to be engendered a 
 spirit of bitterness, induced by the very workings of tlie 
 system by wliich all the business transactions with each 
 other must be regulated. But, in the Rev. James Wil- 
 son we find a mind in every way formed, and ever ready, 
 to act in full accordance with the worst features of the 
 
35S 
 
 THE Br.ACK phantom; or, 
 
 13' 
 
 1 •' 
 
 *<ystem now uiulor coiiHidcration. With a mind stuffed 
 with mental abstractions, witli knowlcdg'o chiefly maao 
 np of teclinicalitios, aitl ouf^h well versed in booWogic, 
 he was, nevertheless, utterly unable to read or to under- 
 stand the log-ic of events. Hence, \'C may naturally 
 suppose that he would prove a stickler lor all his vested 
 rights, and would, without any scruples, sternly demand 
 his pound of flesh. The vicious system under which he 
 acted, threw a safeguard around all his exactions, and 
 his victims lay utterly helpless at his feet ; and to all 
 their appeals to his better nature, he replied by referring 
 them to the laws both of church and state, which secured 
 to liira his tithes. At the same time, he could not n?- 
 move the impression from the minds of his parishioners, 
 that what he extorted from them by tithe-gathering, was 
 nothing less than legal robbery. And at their social 
 gatherings and convivial meetings, with a full glass, 
 and a hearts cfood-will, they would drink their favorite 
 
 ney 
 
 toast — " T(^ the death of the black slugs that devour a 
 tenth of the poor man's earnings 1" 
 
11(1 stuflbd 
 icily rnacio 
 )ook-l()<^-i(;, 
 ' to iin(l<M-- 
 natn rally 
 his vested 
 ly deinaiul 
 ' which he 
 itioiis, and 
 irid to all 
 ,'■ referring 
 ;h secured 
 jld not re- 
 •ishioners, 
 sriiig, was 
 leir social 
 ull glass, 
 r favorite 
 , devour a