"Nonsense," said Mr. Culpepper; "what is all this compared to an introduction to the best society of Quebec?"
"And what better than all this is done by the best society of Quebec?"
inquired Oliver.
Mr. Culpepper did not answer this question; but continued: "There is another consideration of still more consequence: As my grandson and heir, I can insure you an opportunity of marrying a lady of family and fortune."
"I would rather marry Fanny," said Oliver.
At this spontaneous and unequivocal announcement, Colonel and Mrs.
Brigham each caught one of Oliver's hands, unable to conceal their joy.
A flush passed over Fanny's face, and she half rose up, and then sat down again. At last she said, with sparkling eyes, and a curl of her lip, "How do you know that Fanny will have you?" And she pursued her work with such eagerness, that she forgot to replenish her needle, and went on sewing without a thread.
There was a silence a few moments, and then Mr. Culpepper proceeded: "In short, Oliver, you must go with me to Canada, and settle there for life."
"First listen to me," said Oliver, "for I am going to make a speech, and I intend to abide by it.--As to your being my grandfather, that is a thing I cannot help. You must not expect me to be taken with a sudden affection for you, and to feel dutiful all at once, when I never saw you in my life till yesterday. Maybe it might come after awhile; but that is quite a matter of doubt, as I fear we should never suit each other at all. Neither will I ever consent to go and live in Canada, and be under the rule of a king. My father died in trying to get free from one. I like my own country, and I like the way of living I am used to; and I like the good friends that have brought me up. And if Fanny won't have me, I dare say I can find somebody that will."
The Brighams looked reproachfully at their daughter, who held down her head and gave her sewing such a flirt, that it fell from her hand on the floor and the Lambleys picked it up.
"Another thing," proceeded Oliver to Mr. Culpepper, "this is your will, is it not?" (putting his hand on it as it lay beside the red box). "Now tell me if there are any legacies in it?"
"Not one;" replied Mr. Culpepper, "the whole is left to endow a hospital for idiots. I knew nobody that deserved a legacy."
"So much the worse," said Oliver, "it looks as if you had no friends.
You had better make another will."
"I intend to do so," replied Culpepper.
"Then," said Oliver, "this is of no use; and the sooner there is an end of it the better;"--and he threw it into the fire, where it was instantly consumed.
The Lambleys were so frightened at this outrageous act (for so it appeared to them), that they all tried to get out of the room. Mrs.
Brigham spread her hands with a sort of scream; her husband could not help laughing; Fanny again dropped her work, and nobody picked it up.
Mr. Culpepper frowned awfully; but he was the first to speak, and said, "Young man, how have you dared to do this?"
"I can dare twice as much," replied Oliver;--"I have shot a bear face to face. One hard winter there were several found in the woods not ten miles off. Suppose, Mr. Culpepper, you were to die suddenly (as you possibly may in a fit or something), before you get your new will made!
This would then be considered the right one, and your money after all would go to that idiot hospital."
"You are the most original youth I have ever met with," said Culpepper; "I know not how it is; but the more you oppose me, the better I like you."
The nephews looked astonished.
"Still," observed Oliver, "it would never do for us to live together.
For myself, I neither like opposing nor submitting; never having been used to either."
"It is not possible," said Culpepper, "that you mean seriously to refuse my offer of protection and fortune?"
"As to protection," replied Oliver; "I can protect myself. And as to fortune, I dare say I can make one for myself. And as to that other thing, the wife, I shall try to get one of my own sort--Fanny, or somebody else. And as to the name of Culpepper, I'll never take it."
"And will you really not go with me to Canada?"
"No! positively I will not. I believe, though, I ought to thank you for your offers, which I now do. No doubt they were well meant. But here I intend to stay, with the excellent people that took me when nobody else would, and that have brought me up as their own child. I know how sorry they would be were I to leave them, and yet they have had the forbearance not to say one word to persuade me to stay. So it is my firm determination to live and die with them."
He then shook hands with each of the old Brighams, who were deeply affected, and threw their arms round him. Fanny, completely overcome, entirely off her guard, flew to Oliver, hid her face on his shoulder, and burst into tears. He kissed her cheek, saying, "Now, Fanny, I hope we understand each other;"--and Colonel Brigham put his daughter's hand into Oliver's.
"So then," said Mr. Culpepper, "I have found a grandson but to lose him.
Well, I deserve it."
The nephews looked as if they thought so too.
"What shall I do now?" continued the old man dolorously.
"Take your nephews into favour again," said Oliver.
"They never were in favour," replied the uncle.
"At all events treat them like men."
"It is their own fault. Why do they not behave as such?"
The old gentleman walked about in much perturbation. At last he said to the Lambleys, "Young men, as you took a most nefarious method of discovering my intentions towards you, and as I never had a doubt respecting the real motive of all your obsequiousness to me, there is no use in attempting any farther disguise on either side. When masks are only of gauze, it is not worth while to wear them. Try then if you can be natural for a little while, till I see what can be done with you. You will find it best in the end. And now, I think, we will go away as soon as possible. The longer I stay here, the more difficult I shall find it to leave Oliver."
To be brief.--Mr. Culpepper and his nephews departed in about an hour, in a vehicle belonging to the General Wayne, and which was to carry them to the nearest village from whence they could proceed to New York.
At parting, Mr. Culpepper held out his hand and said, "Oliver, for once call me grandfather."
Oliver pressed his hand, and said, "Grandfather, we part friends." The old gentleman held his handkerchief to his eyes, as he turned from the door, and his nephews looked nohow.
In about a month, Oliver received a parcel from Mr. Culpepper, containing the little red morocco box, in which was a letter and some papers. The letter was dated from New York. The old gentleman informed his grandson, that he had been so fortunate as to engage the affections and obtain the hand of a very beautiful young lady of that city (the youngest of eight sisters, and just entering her seventeenth year), who had convinced him, that she married only from the sincerest love.
Finding no farther occasion for his nephews, he had established them all in business in New York, where no doubt they would do better than in Canada. He sent Oliver certificates for bank stock to a considerable amount, and requested him, whenever he wanted more money for the enlargement or improvement of the farm, to apply to him without scruple.
This letter arrived on the day of Oliver's marriage with Fanny; on which day the sign of the General Wayne was taken down, and the tavern became once more a farm-house only; Mrs. Brigham having been much troubled by the interruptions she sustained from customers, during her immense preparations for the wedding, and determining that on the great occasion itself, she would not be "put out" by the arrival of any guest, except those that were invited.
Colonel Brigham, never having approved of the sign, was not sorry to see it removed; and Mrs. Brigham, thinking it a pity to have it wasted, made it do duty in the largest bedchamber as a chimney-board.
In a few years the Colonel found sufficient employment for most of his time in playing with Fanny's children, and such was his "green old age,"
that when upwards of seventy, he was still able to take the superintendence of the farm, while Oliver was absent at the seat of the state government, making energetic speeches in the capacity of an assembly-man.
THE OFFICERS:
A STORY OF THE LAST WAR WITH ENGLAND.
----"All furnished, all in arms, All plumed like estridges."--SHAKSPEARE.
Sophia Clements had just arrived in Philadelphia on a visit to her sister, Mrs. Darnel, the widow of a merchant who had left his family in very affluent circumstances. The children were a son now settled in business at Canton, two very pretty daughters who had recently quitted school, and a boy just entering his twelfth year.