The Rangers; or, The Tory's Daughter - A tale illustrative of the revolutionary history of Vermont by D. P. Thompson
page 257 of 474 (54%)
page 257 of 474 (54%)
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and change. In the stirring scenes of military life into which I then
entered,--in the hour of battle, the exhausting march, the horrors of a prisonship, the perilous escape, and the lone wanderings through the wilderness, till I again reached the soil of freedom,--in all these, the impress remained unweakened, constantly presenting itself to my thoughts by day, and shaping my dreams by night. And it was this, when, on my return, I came into this quarter, where I had learned our scattered troops were rallying, and where I found myself near you--it was this that brought me to your father's dwelling--it was this, which, in spite of the coldness of my reception by all but yourself, urged me to the repeated visit, in which I was driven with insults from your house." "Not by me, Mr. Woodburn," interposed the fair listener, in kindly and earnest tones--"not by me, nor by my consent or sanctioning. And it was mainly to show you this that I was induced to grant your request for this, on my part, I fear, imprudent meeting. No! O, no, sir, I have never forgotten--I can never forget--to whom I am indebted for my life; and gratitude as well as respect for his general character, will ever forbid aught but kind and courteous treatment at my hands. And I hope you will make some allowance for my father, who feels so strongly that the people, whose cause you espouse, are criminally wrong." "I do make an allowance," responded Woodburn--"great allowance for his imbittered state of mind towards the defenders of the American cause; but does that fully account for the course he pursues towards me?" "To be frank with you, sir, it does not," she replied, after some hesitation. "There are those often with my father, who are not backward in fanning his prejudices, and perhaps in instigating the |
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