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Page 39
He felt that the past was not taken from him. The happiness of former
days was a possession forever. And there was something in the mingled
sorrow of his lifetime, that became akin to happiness, after being long
treasured in the depths of his heart. There it underwent a change, and
grew more precious than pure gold.
And now came the children, somewhat aweary with their wild play, and
sought the quiet enjoyment of Grandfather's talk. The good old gentleman
rubbed his eyes, and smiled round upon them all. He was glad, as most
aged people are, to find that he was yet of consequence, and could give
pleasure to the world. After being so merry, all day long, did these
children desire to hear his sober talk? Oh, then, old Grandfather had
yet a place to fill among living men,--or at least among boys and girls!
"Begin quick, Grandfather," cried little Alice; "for Pussy wants to hear
you."
And, truly, our yellow friend, the cat, lay upon the hearth rug, basking
in the warmth of the fire, pricking up her ears, and turning her head
from the children to Grandfather, and from Grandfather to the children,
as if she felt herself very sympathetic with them all. A loud purr, like
the singing of a tea-kettle, or the hum of a spinning-wheel, testified
that she was as comfortable and happy as a cat could be. For Puss had
feasted, and therefore, like Grandfather and the children, had kept a
good Thanksgiving.
"Does Pussy want to hear me?" said Grandfather, smiling. "Well; we must
please Pussy, if we can!"
And so he took up the history of the chair, from the epoch of the peace
of 1748. By one of the provisions of the treaty, Louisbourg, which the
New Englanders had been at so much pains to take, was restored to the
king of France.
The French were afraid, that, unless their colonies should be better
defended than heretofore, another war might deprive them of the whole.
Almost as soon as peace was declared, therefore, they began to build
strong fortifications in the interior of North America. It was strange
to behold these warlike castles, on the banks of solitary lakes, and far
in the midst of woods. The Indian, paddling his birch-canoe on Lake
Champlain, looked up at the high ramparts of Ticonderoga, stone piled on
stone, bristling with cannon, and the white flag of France floating
above. There were similar fortifications on Lake Ontario, and near the
great Falls of Niagara, and at the sources of the Ohio River. And all
around these forts and castles lay the eternal forest; and the roll of
the drum died away in those deep solitudes.
The truth was, that the French intended to build forts, all the way from
Canada to Louisiana. They would then have had a wall of military
strength, at the back of the English settlements, so as completely to
hem them in. The king of England considered the building of these forts
as a sufficient cause of war, which was accordingly commenced in 1754.
"Governor Shirley," said Grandfather, "had returned to Boston in 1753.
While in Paris, he had married a second wife, a young French girl, and
now brought her to the Province House. But, when war was breaking out,
it was impossible for such a bustling man to stay quietly at home,
sitting in our old chair, with his wife and children round about him. He
therefore obtained a command in the English forces."
"And what did Sir William Pepperell do?" asked Charley.
"He staid at home," said Grandfather, "and was general of the militia.
The veteran regiments of the English army, which were now sent across
the Atlantic, would have scorned to fight under the orders of an old
American merchant. And now began what aged people call the Old French
War. It would be going too far astray from the history of our chair, to
tell you one half of the battles that were fought. I cannot even allow
myself to describe the bloody defeat of General Braddock, near the
sources of the Ohio River, in 1755. But, I must not omit to mention,
that when the English general was mortally wounded, and his army routed,
the remains of it were preserved by the skill and valor of GEORGE
WASHINGTON."
At the mention of this illustrious name, the children started, as if a
sudden sunlight had gleamed upon the history of their country, now that
the great Deliverer had arisen above the horizon.
Among all the events of the Old French War, Grandfather thought that
there was none more interesting than the removal of the inhabitants of
Acadia. From the first settlement of this ancient province of the
French, in 1604, until the present time, its people could scarcely ever
know what kingdom held dominion over them. They were a peaceful race,
taking no delight in warfare, and caring nothing for military renown.
And yet, in every war, their region was infested with iron-hearted
soldiers, both French and English, who fought one another for the
privilege of ill treating these poor harmless Acadians. Sometimes the
treaty of peace made them subjects of one king, sometimes of another.
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