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CHAPTER XX.

Midnight, and an apparition,

"And didst thou not, when she was gone down stairs, desire me to be no more so familiarity with such poor people."

"I myself could make a chough of as deep chat."

"But this is worshipful society."

"It is said, labour in thy vocation; which is as much as to say, let the magistrates be labouring men; and therefore should we be magistrates." "George. Thou hast hit it; for there's no better sign of a brave mind, than a hard hand."-Shakspeare.

The madness of a lawless mob,

Is rife to do the devil's job;

More fierce, more pittiless, more fell,

Than any king that groans in hell.-Anon.

"Approve the best, and follow what I approve."

"Love

Leads up to Heaven, is both the way and guide.”—Millon.

"A young negro took our horses, with that affectation of extreme politeness and good breeding, which is so highly amusing in many of his colour, and which inclines me to think that they appreciate the character of a fine gentleman, more than any part of the community."-Latrobe.

DOCTOR CADWALLADER, whose patient she was, having conducted Mrs. Williams home, returned to the company, and found the general bowing, smiling, conversing, or listening, apparently as much at ease as if nothing had happened in any way extraordinary. The doctor passed him without speaking, and assiduously shunned him for the remainder of the evening. Mrs. Cadwallader took her husband aside, and spoke to him with warmth in a low tone. His reply was, "Never again! But where," added he, "is the young gentleman who fainted so unaccountably at her appearance?"

"Still with Mr. Littlejohn, in your study."

She joined a group of ladies, and, at the moment, Littlejohn and Spiffard entered, the latter intending to make his apologies,

and retire; but his intentions were prevented by the doctor, who immediately addressed him with inquiries, and cheerful

assurances.

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It is strange, Mr. Spiffard, that the entrance of Mrs. Williams should have such an effect upon you. Gentlemen of your profession see such a variety of character, that one might expect you to be proof against any exhibition. I am sorry that my house should have been the theatre where such a scene occurred.”

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My apology must be, sir, that I saw or fancied a resemblance to a person in whom I was formerly much interested. The sudden recurrence of images exceedingly painful-threw me off my guard and overpowered mind and body. I hope you will excuse and forget my behaviour. I wish to apologize to Mrs. Cadwallader and then steal away, unnoticed. I have caused a great confusion where only pleasure ought to reign." "No, no. You were not the cause. Why should you think more of the affair when you see how coolly the general takes it. He is a better actor than you are."

"That may well be, sir."

“At least" said Littlejohn, "on the great stage, where all are merely players.' Williams, like the old greek actors, plays in a mask. If I am not mistaken in Mr. Spiffard he is only an actor in the mimic world, and has no disguises for the great masquerade of real life. My young friend will excuse me, I hope, for saying, that, my attachment to him, recent as our acquaintance is, proceeds principally from a conviction that in private life he is no actor. He appears to me to be a creature without disguise himself, and without suspicion of disguise in others."

Spiffard looked serious, paused a moment, then replied, "As I feel the necessity of speaking of myself, permit me to say, that, at my first entrance into life as a man, I found the common opinion in respect to players was, that they were more artificial in their intercourse with the world than other men ; and having from my earliest infancy a most devout love of truth, I determined that my love of the drama should not interfere with what I considered the very essence of moral worth. I have been and I trust I shall always remain, rather one that 'wears his heart upon his sleeve for daws to peck at,' than a hypocrite or an actor in my intercourse with society; perhaps these feelings may render my manners less acceptable, but I would rather be esteemed unpolished by others, than know myself, false."

The doctor shook the young man by the hand cordially, and after a little more conversation, persuaded him to remain, for at least a part of the evening. Cooke, who had been engaged in chat with Governor Tompkins and knew nothing of what had befallen Spiffard, advanced from the inner apartment with his companion. Littlejohn introduced the two last mentioned, and the conversation that the Governor and the tragedian had been engaged in, which was theatrical, was continued; until Williams, with his courtly smiles approached and joined them. Cadwallader walked away. Doctors Hosack, McLean, and Francis advanced, and the first accosted Tompkins with a question relative to the western part of the state. Spiffard shrunk from the courteous general's approach, and appeared to place Littlejohn between him and the man of bows, as a safeguard. No introduction took place. The frank and urbane manners of the governor led to ease and cheerful chat, as was customary wherever he came; and a colloquy ensued, of which we will endeavour to give the reader a part, at the risk of holding him too long from the stirring incidents of our story.

Doctor Hosack's inquiries led to the first subject of discussion.

"Before I was married," observed Littlejohn, "I indulged my propensity to travel, which has always been very great.' "I thought, sir, you had never been in Europe," said Wil

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liams.

"Never, sir, nor in Asia or Africa. My first wish was to gain a knowledge of my native land; hoping afterwards to see others, when qualified to make comparisons. My most ardent desire at that time, governor, was to pry into the manners, and study the character of the aborigines."

"The opportunities for that study are much greater now," said Tompkins. "I have, probably, while travelling the circuit when I was a judge, passed over more Indian ground than you could penetrate through in your early days, by any effort that a white man might then be able to make."

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True, sir, but not find so many Indians.”

"They have been sadly abused and cheated," said Williams. The merchant continued. " My first journey was made under the wing of your predecessor, Governor George Clinton, when he made our treaty with the six nations, which opened the way for that immense display of the arts of civilization, now rendering the then wilderness, from the Mohawk to Lake Erie and from the St. Lawrence to the Alleghanies, a land flowing with milk and honey; teeming with beings united as

brethren and cultivating science while they cultivate the soil. I then saw enough of the red men to excite my curiosity intensely; and I prevailed upon one of the interpreters, (a white man who, when a child had been carried off and adopted by those who murdered his parents,) to be my guide into that country of the west, which although now smiling with orchards, gardens, meadows and corn-fields; studded with villages, towns and cities; was then an almost impenetrable thicket, forbidden to the white man unless he passed over it with fire and sword. With this guide, and after the treaty which opened my path, I commenced my journey; and I look back upon it as the most delightful portion of my life; probably because the most teeming with novelty, at an age when all is new.”

"But," said Williams, "I should think it very monotonous; and peculiarly unprofitable, unless it led to a speculation in furs."

"My speculations, although a merchant, have been aimed to penetrate beyond the skin, or any other covering, whether in the desert or the drawing-room. The speculations I then made, and the knowledge I obtained of facts, traditions, customs, manners, religion, superstition, impostures, (for there are impostors even among uncivilized men,) most unblushing and steady-faced impostors, wearing masks more impenetrable than any I have met with in refined society:-fellows who, though never trusted as leaders, have an influence in savage life, as great as their brethren exercise over the ignorant in polite society."

"The result of your inquiries would be very acceptable," said the governor.

"The result of my inquiries, at that time, and some little since, compared with what I can gather from books, has produced such opinions respecting the character of our Indians as differ from those of most men.' 99

"And they are-"

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First," said Hosack, "let me help you to a glass of this Madeira."

"And I will,” said Tompkins, " with his permission, fill a glass for Mr. Cooke. Cadwallader keeps the best madeira in the state. What do you think of that colour, Mr. Cooke?"

"It is brighter than that of an Indian painted for a war-dance or scalp-hunt."

“As deceitful and as deadly."

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'O, no! Mr. Spiffard, when not abused, it is as hospitable and as generous," was the apology for the bright liquor made by doctor McLean.

At this moment two black waiters bowed before them, dressed with as much attention to the fashion of the day, as any person in the room, not even excepting the handsome general, and with all the tact of European footmen they presented the splendid salvers, bountifully laden, the one with porter, wines and cordials, the other with cakes, fruits, and sandwiches.

Character is shown in trifles. Cooke threw down a bumper at one toss of the glass. Tompkins and Hosack held up the wine and looked through it at the brilliant chandelier above them, seeming to enjoy the flavour through the eye by anticipation. McLean and Francis touched glasses, and made less of the imaginary but quite as much of the real taste of the liquor. Littlejohn touched his lip to the glass, filled for him by doctor Hosack, and put it away. Williams took a plate and filled it with eatables after tossing off a tumbler of foaming brown-stout; and Spiffard gently declined the proffered temptations by an inclination of the head.

"And now, my dear sir, your opinion of our red-skins." said Tompkins.

"Or rather," said Cooke," the red-skins of the forest. We do not ask our own characters."

ed to me.

"Our Indians appear to me so essentially different from all the other races of men," said the merchant, "that the more I have examined the subject, the more wonderful it has appearThe wide difference between the savage and civilized man is obvious, and easily explained. But the very nature of the American savage, is the opposite in many respects to the savage of any other part of the globe. We have just

seen two negroes, whose ancestors were brought hither as slaves, by the ships of speculating christian merchants, freemen of England or her colonies-these were savages in the literal acceptation of the word-I meant the African negroes, not the Enropean merchants-”

"Thank you, sir, for the commentary," said Spiffard, smiling.

"Whatever lexicographers may say, I never could confound the words savage and barbarian. The first may be innocent,

the last must be cruel."

"A nice distinction, Mr. Cooke."

"Sirr, the merchants who fit out slave-ships are barbarians. They send forth their hell-hounds to hunt men for the torture of the sugar mill, as the pious cavallieros of Spain halloo'd on their blood-hounds in chase of Indians for the living-death of