Mark Logan, the bourgeois

Front matter

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Chapter 1

On a summer’s day, one of the longest and hottest of the year, all the world was astir in the little frontier town of Detroit.

The twofold epithet with which we describe this now stately city will carry the reader back to a period when the century was yet “in its twenties;” a period when the great Northern Lakes were a barrier separating “the interior,” as military people were wont to call the civilized world, from the almost unpeopled wilderness beyond.

These vast and magnificent waters had hitherto been traversed only by the canoe of the Indian, the Mackinacboat of the fur-trader, or the small schooner sent out at intervals to transport supplies or troops to the upper posts, with, peradventure, the family and belongings of some emigrant hardy enough to tempt fortune in the fertile wilderness adjacent to the old French settlements of Green Bay and Prairie du Chien.

It is not surprising, therefore, that the announcement, “A steamboat for the upper Lakes,” should cause a general sensation in a community where events were rare, and that high and low, rich and poor, should share in one ^ general fever of excitement.

Who would be coming from the East under favor of

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such an opportunity for visiting scenes hitherto locked inexorably from the pleasure-seeking traveller? Would any of the gentler sex Venture themselves on board the craft of the redoubtable Captain Blunt ? Or might it, by some chance, have come to their knowledge that this Autocrat of the Lakes had, upon one occasion, ordered a timid lady passenger into the small boat, and actually towed her for a considerable distance at the stern of the schooner he at that day commanded, by way of teaching her courage ?

The hotels of the goodly little town (there were but two deserving the name) were holding high holiday in their unwonted accession of guests ; for all who could had flocked in from the settlements around, to gaze on strangers or salute acquaintainces, as the case might be ; while the citizens, on their part, with the customary hospitality of frontier life, immediately on the arrival of the “Uncle Sam,” threw wide their doors to visitors, and with parties, drives, and merry-makings, were soon recommending their Western home as the most delightful in all Christendom.

So all was, as we have said, “ astir” at this happy season. The streets were filled with oflicers in uniform, ladies in their most fashionable attire, humbler citizens in their holiday garb — a gay, happy concourse, bringing to the mind of any transplanted son or daughter of Connecticut that glorious old election-day, when all the world swarmed to Hartford to witness the entry of the Chief Magistrate, on his way to take the oath of office. Who can forget those resplendent platoons of “ Governor’s Guards,” in their white-and-red regimentals, formidable buff caps, and dusty velvet gaiters, as they seemed to carry the interests of the whole State at the point of their bayonets ? And do not our consciences give us a twinge as we recall how, like little reprobates, we would keep ourselves snug in our convenient station by an upper window, and gaze patiently over at the meeting-house steps during the long prayer and still longer exhortation of the chaplain, instead of trooping in with the procession and edifying? But this is a digression.

Such of the strangers as had not been feted and made much of were at length growing impatient as time wore on and the departure of the Uncle Sam for Lakes Huron and Michigan was deferred, the excellent captain having, in answer to importunate inquirers, set the period of starting at the indefinite point of “whenever he was ready. It will not be wondered at that there began to be a good deal of grumbling, not always in the choicest terms, among those who were travelling on their own business and at their own expense. There were some, however, to whom the delay brought no discontent, — the commissioners, for instance, for the settlement of some question of disputed boundary between certain adjacent tribes of Indians: these, being paid by Government at a generous rate per diem for fulfilling their duties, ought to have been in haste to reach the scene of their labors and finish what was appointed them to do; so far were they, however, from complaining of their detention, that one would actually have believed they thought each extra day a very capital thing, and that they even would not have murmured could the delay have been made to cover extra mileage as well.

There were military officers, too, returning from furlough, who, in all conscience, should have been longing to be at their posts, drilling their companies and going their rounds of daily and nightly duty; these, if the truth must be told, exhibited a deplorable indifference to the possible state of the regiment in their absence, and never once, as far as could be observed, pestered Captain Blunt with de-

1 * mands that he should hurry matters and speed them on their way*

As for the bevy of young engineers who were being sent up to explore the localities and bearings of the rivers and natural harbors along the upper frontier — instead of dilating with impatience upon the claims which the safe navigation of these waters had upon their prompt attention, they followed the example of their betters, and took the goods the gods provided, without a word of remonstrance; while the young ladies, of whom’ there were a few, accepted with resignation their share of the gayeties and diversions, and abstained from troubling either their escorts or the captain himself to put an end to their duration.

It may be that one and all appreciated the stupendous amount of preparation necessary to insure the safe passage of the little steamer (she seemed a giant in those days) across the tempestuous waters of Thunder Bay and Saginaw, and through the perilous tossings of the long stretch beyond Michillimackinac, until she should double, at length, that fearful point, “ Death’s Door,’^ which guards the entrance to the green and tranquil expanse upon whose bosom all their fears would be lulled to rest.

The hour for departure, “ sartain this time,” was at length announced, and the passengers were notified that they must be promptly on board the Uncle Sam, if they wished to sail in her, at midnight.

An evening party at the Governor’s was to be the climax of the series of hospitalities. The breaking-up at an early hour, the changing of toilets, possibly a scramble for berths after the company should arrive on board, were matters of minor consideration. Who ever, at that day, gave up a party on grounds so insignificant ?

Among the travellers who, failing to find admission at the principal hotel, had been fain to accept that of the long,

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rickety, yellow structure which held the second place, was a young man in military costume, but with so little that was soldierly in his air and bearing, that one saw at a glance he was a novice in his profession. For some reason, his brother officers had apparently taken no pains to secure his companionship at the Mansion House, where such as had not friends were quartered, and he had, whether accidentally or not, been left out of two or three of the pleasantest of the entertainments that had been given. These omissions may account for the discontent visible in his looks and manner, and also for the readiness with which he seized upon any tangible subject of complaint, whenever he could find a person obliging enough to listen to his criticisms and animadversions.

I don’t think much of this town of Detroit,” he remarked, as he paced up and down the shabby parlor of the hotel, on the last afternoon of his sojourn. “ It is a very contemptible little one-horse place — not a quarter as large as New York. I’ll be hanged if I believe it’s as large as Brooklyn, even.”

The listeners to whom the remark was addressed were a short, stout man, with a good-natured face, spite of the ardent color of his hair and complexion, and his wife, a thin, faded-looking woman, much dizened with finery of a by-gone fashion. They had been fellow-travellers with the young officer from Buffalo, but all their overtures towards an acquaintance had been superciliously rejected until now that he was driven to condescension by grievances with which he craved sympathy. The wife took up the word.

“ Contemptible ? I quite agree with you. A little, insignificant place, not to be compared to Cattaraugus I I am terribly disappointed in it; not that I see much of it, to be sure, mewed up in the house as I am with these two

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children. Gussy, do shut your eyes and go to sleep. How you do worry ma I And the weather hot enough to bake a body alive 1 I wonder if they always have such hot weather out West? Being kept here, too, at expense all this time. This is the fourth day ”

“ The third, Mrs. Hale,” corrected her husband.

Well, the third — it amounts to about the same thing. I dare say they’ll make us pay a whole week’s board.”

“ Then the longer we stay the more we gain,’^ said her husband, pleasantly.

“Yes, Mr. Hale, I should think that would be just about one of your ways of making money. But I, for my part, shall be glad to get away. All the time I’ve been here there’s not a single soul been to call on me, or ask me so much as to break bread in their house. I wmnder what Mr. Slater meant by going on as he did about Western hospitality, when he was advising us to come out and take up a farm on some of his land ?”

“ I guess he meant that we should make a purchase,” said Mr. Hale.

“ Well, I must say,” continued the lady, “ that I think the inhabitants are standing in their own light when they treat strangers in this sort of way. There is no saying but what, if they had behaved as they ought, we might have made up our minds not to go any farther, but have settled down among them. However, if they’ve no more sense of what is due to people who have come so far and given up so much of what’s civilized and comfortable, why, the fault’s their own, and they must take the consequences, — that’s all I’ve got to say.”

“ They seem to be a very merry set of people, anyhow,” observed the husband ; “plenty of visiting, and music, and all that sort of thing.”

“Yes, oh, yes,” said the young officer, with an air of

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assumed indifference, there is no want of entertainments, as I suppose they call them. I have been invited to several, but I can’t say they are much like what I’ve been accustomed to.”

“ No, I dare say not,” was the lady’s emphatic assent. “ The girl” (meaning the chambermaid) “ was describing some of them to me — she seems to think them wonderfully grand ; but I don’t imagine they are much like what you've been used to. Judging the people by what I see out of my window, I should call them downright outlandish.”

“Certainly,” responded the young man, “there can be no dispute about that — everything in the place is outlandish. I rather think my sister Lavinia would laugh if she were to look at some of the hats and dresses that parade the streets. 1 don’t think I’ve seen a real, genuine Navarino since I’ve been here — and as for a bishop sleeve, I don’t believe they would know what it meant if you were to ask them. Nothing but legs-of-mutton, which are all gone out. Oh, there’s nothing that’s the least bit like Broadway 1”

“Well, I must say, I think the meals are uncommonly good, at any rate,” remarked the married man. “ I quite like those great fish we have at breakfast, and the venison-steaks, and what they call prairie-chickens, ai-e first-rate.”

“ I’m glad you like them,” said the young gentleman, with a superior air; “I can’t say I’m fond of wild game, unless it happens to be at a dinner at Sykes’s or Niblo’s. As for eating fish without anehovies, who ever heard of such a thing ?”

“To be sure! Who indeed?” exclaimed the lady, wondering very much at the same time what anchovies could be. “ That is what I always say — how can people fancy things they are not accustomed to? I don’t like what I

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have to pub up with here, because I’m not accustomed to it. Being shut up in this way, without society, and with the care of these two children ”

“ I’m sure, Mrs. Hale, I offered to take care of the children and let you walk out to take a look at things,” interposed her husband, good-naturedly.

“ Walk out all alone by myself, in this strange place ?” screamed the lady. “Why, I might have wandered off into the woods and got lost I”

“You wouldn’t if you had kept in the streets, my dear.”

Well, in the streets some great Indian might snap me up and tomahawk me 1 Such things have happened — the girl was telling me of several instances. One was of a beautiful young lady who was walking along in the dusk of the evening, when a great, overgrown Indian, with nothing on him but a blanket, rushed round the corner and scalped her before anybody could snatch her away — and the poor thing has had to wear a wig ever since.”

“ Dear me I can that be true ?” said the young officer, in an agitated tone. “ I had no idea that such things were practiced nowadays. Was it lately that this happened ?”

“ Well, I think,” said the lady, not wishing to be disagreeable to her companion, “that she did say it was during the war, some fourteen or fifteen years ago.”

“ Oh I that alters the case,” said the officer, with a sigh of relief. “ Still, I must say, I wish myself back in Bowling-green Place, with all my heart.”

“ Bowling-green Place 1 Is that where your people live ?” asked the lady, with an air of interest.

“ Yes — in the city of New York. It is the place where the most wealthy and fashionable people live — quite the most elegant part of the city.”

“Is it, really? How delightful it must be to be so

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elegant ! I dare say your people live splendidly I What did you remark their name was?”

“ Oh, Mrs. Hale ! upon my word — that is what I should call a leading question,” said the husband, laughing. “ Not that I’m ashamed of the young man’s knowing that my name is Hale, aud that we come from Cattaraugus County. I’m above asking for any more than I’m willing to give.”

“ I’m sure I’ve no reason to be ashamed of mxj name,” said the young man, drawing himself up. “My name is Lieutenant Smithett, of the United States Regular Army. My father is Alderman Smithett, the great hide-and-tallow merchant. I dare say you have heard of him. I’m pretty sure you must have read of him in the papers, for he ran once for mayor of the city, though, owing to the fraudulent conduct of a majority of the voters, he was not elected.”

“ Dear me I how shameful I I hope he never ran again ; I do like to see people paid in their own coin,” said the sympathizing Mrs. Hale. “ But do tell me how you came to leave such a splendid home and wander out into this miserable, uncivilized country.”

“ Why, the fact is,” said the young man, “ that my father, for all he’s a man of such wealth and standing, has some queer notions ; and one is, that young men ought to be doing something for themselves, and not be hanging on to the old folks. For my part, I don’t see, if fathers have made a fortune, why their children shouldn’t benefit by it, and live at their ease ; but that isn’t my father’s doctrine. So, as my mother and sister thought the Army was a very genteel profession, and one easy to get along with, I concluded to • try it. I had undertaken to study law once, but it did not agree with me — it was too dull and confining.”

“ Well, really, now,” Mr. Hale ventured to say, “ I

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should have thought you would have found West Point a deal more confining than a law office.’^

“Ah, but, you see. West Point was a thing we managed to get rid of. My father, being a man of wealth, has a great many friends in Congress, and he got some of them to speak to the President to give me what they call a citizen’s appointment; so I did not have to go through that disagreeable four years’ preparation.”

“ You are lucky — and if that way will do just as well, I wonder so many of our young men are willing to go through that long apprenticeship by way of learning their military profession.” There was a touch of sarcasm in Mr. Hale’s remark, which was, however, quite lost upon the lieutenant.

“ Ah, but you must remember that it is not every man who can get such a favor for his son. It is only a chosen few,” he explained, with a grand air, which greatly enhanced Mrs. Hale’s esteem and admiration.

“ It is plain to be seen,” she exclaimed, fervently, “ that your father could have anything he wanted for just asking. You are accustomed, I know, to everything that is handsome and genteel — of course you must be very much surprised to see us travelling in this poor way, without a girl or anything of the sort, and me taking care of the children myself. I assure you I feel it very humiliating — but the truth is, I tried very hard to get somebody to come out with me, but I could not succeed. Girls seem to have grown so grasping ! Perfect Jews, as one" may say I We could not, of course, just breaking up, and looking for a new home, offer a great deal in the way of wages ; but then the advantages of travelling, and the experience that a young person would gain in such a journey, ought, as I remarked to Mr. Hale’s mother, to count for something. And she quite agreed with me, — which is what she doesn’t often do.”

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“Experience counts for something, but wages is the easiest reckoned,” observed Mr. Hale, sententiously.

“Well, these creatures,” continued Mrs. Hale, without noticing her husband’s interruption, “ they wouldn’t look at you except for a price that I considered exorbitant and was principled against giving ; so I showed them my independence, and came off without them. And now, here at the West, I find it much the same thing. I have been talking to the girl to try and find me somebody to whom wages wouldn’t be much of an object, but she has not succeeded, and here I am — left in this mortifying situation !”

The young officer had been walking about in a rather fidgety manner while Mrs. Hale rehearsed this explanation. Perceiving that he did not enter with any degree of sympathy into her individual troubles, she quitted the subject, and returned to one which she knew would fix his attention.

“ Did you ever see people get about as they do here ?” she asked.

“Get about? Do you mean their walking? Isn’t it like other people’s ?”

“ I’m not talking of their walking, but their riding. I was looking out of my chamber window just before dark yesterday — of course, being shut in with the children at their bedtime, I’ve no other amusement — but that is my misfortune, not my fault — I was looking into the street, and what should I see coming along but a cart ! — a one-horse cart ! — a little, common, square cart I And sitting down flat on the floor of it were two ladies ; at least, they were dressed like ladies. The cart drove up before the door of that large brick house just above here, and what does the driver do but wheel round and back up his cart and let out his load, just as if they had been two barrels of potatoes 1 The ladies, if you will believe it, shook out their

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skirts and ran into the house, just as if it was something they were quite used tol”

“You don’t tell me sol” exclaimed the young man, with a look of intense disgust. “ A cart ! a common horse-cart I Well, all I can say is, that I hope my father will apply to Congress to get my station changed. I don’t at all relish the idea of having to associate with such people ”

“ And the worst of it is,” chimed in Mrs. Hale, “ to think that these very people have, like as not, got girls at home to take care of their children.”

The sound of voices and steps in the hall betokened the approach of company. The young New Yorker drew away from the immediate vicinity of Mr. and Mrs. Hale, and stationed himself at the farthest window, looking out in the direction^ of the river, as if that were the only object that had at any time presented itself to his aristocratic contemplation.

Poor Mrs. Hale, finding herself thus unceremoniously thrown into the background, lost no time in gathering up her sleeping children, and, with her husband’s aid, transporting them to her own apartment. '

Chapter II

The quaint and venerable mansion of the Governor stood, as did many another delightful, old-fashioned residence, a little below the town, on the banks of the broad, beautiful river.

The shore opposite was dotted with the homesteads of the old Canadian families, and ornamented, at frequent intervals, with odd-shaped little red windmills, kept in almost

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incessant motion bj the counter-currents which form so peculiar a meteorological feature of this region. The white sails of the few small vessels passing and repassing gleamed and glittered against the blue of the waters, while far away in the landscape rose the little Huron church, the work of saintly missionaries gone long years ago to their reward.

Gardens and orchards, planted by former generations, surrounded the mansion, and trees of age immemorial drooped over its long, low, mossy roof, and, with the vines which climbed around its sraall-paned windows, embosomed it like a bower. Nothing more picturesque and attractive could be imagined than its outward aspect, — nothing more genial, refined, and inviting than its hospitable interior.

The social reunion which was to herald the departure of the Uncle Sam was, of course, in compliment to the strangers recently arrived. Among these were two young ladies — sisters — now on their way from Quebec to their home on the Mississippi. They were accompanied by an elderly French or rather Canadian gentleman — their neighbor at home — and they were ostensibly under his care ; though a slight observation was sufficient to show that the elder of the two Miss McGregors was the person who had charge, not only of her younger sister, but also of M. Tremblay himself.

The impression produced by the sisters may be gathered from fragments of a conversation between two of the young engineer officers, and a secretary of the Governor who was acting as master of ceremonies on the occasion.

“ Which of the two Miss McGregors do you think the handsomest The question was from Captain Lytle, and was addressed to Mr. Ewing, the secretary.

‘‘Oh, the younger, by all means. I always prefer a blonde to a brunette. I admire, particularly, that light.

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wavy brown hair, and — no — upon the whole, I cannot say I give the preference to blue eyes, though Miss Madeleine’s are very soft and beautiful. Then her manners are so graceful and winning, so sprightly and piquant, yet without any touch of forwardness.”

“ Well,” said Captain Lytle, “ I dare say I should be as much captivated as the rest of you, only that I have, myself, a decided penchant for a brunette. If I had been Lord Thomas I should at once, and without ado, have gratified my lady mother by ‘ bringing her the brown girl home.’ Give me the large, dark eyes, full of fire or of languor, according to the sentiment of the moment— and surely no one ever saw a pair more gloriously expressive than those of Miss McGregor when her face lights up in conversation^ or more touchingly pensive when her features are in repose. Her life, by-the-by, has not been a holiday, if I am anything of a Lavater.”

^ Mr. Ewing smiled. He was not on sufficiently intimate terms with Captain Lytle to rally him on the eloquence those eyes had inspired. That gentleman continued :

“ Who are they ? Tell me something more about them, will you ? You have lived so long in the country you must know everybody. I confess to no small degree of curiosity upon the subject. I had little expected to meet, in my expedition, anything so queen-like.”

“ I can tell you nothing more than what 3^ou have doubtless already learned : that their father is a partner in the American Fur Company ; that he resides at or near Prairie du Chien, in a good deal of the old colonial style ; and that he has these two daughters, who are his only children.”

“ What countr^^man is he ? His name is Scotch, yet the eldest daughter has a good deal of the Spanish look.”

“ That she may inherit from her mother. I think I have heard it said thaUMr. McGregor married a native— a Win-

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IT nebago, if I mistake not ; and there is, occasionally, in that blood a cross of the Spanish — remote, of course, as there have been now some two or three generations since that race gave place to the French on the frontier.”

“ Pardon me, but may you not have been misinformed as to the mother ?” said a junior officer who had hitherto listened in silence. “It is impossible to admit^the idea that the younger sister can have Indian blood in her veins. What can be more perfectly fair and transparent than her complexion? Look, too, at the color of her eyes and hair I”

“ That may all be, and not disprove the mixed blood,” said Mr. Ewing. “You will meet many, particularly among those who have a cross of the Sioux or Menomonee, who retain not the slightest trace of their aboriginal descent.”

“ The countenance of the elder sister gives token of both intellect and strength of character,” observed Captain Lytle.

“ Have you no surer means of judging than by looks ?” asked Ewing. “I have seen you several times in her company already.”

“ True, but only at these merry-makings, where there is so little of any conversation but mere rattle ; where a sensible observation sounds out of place and pedantic. Scenes of amusement, you know, are great levellers. The cultivated and the mediocre appear very much alike if their movements are equally graceful and their tones of voices equally musical.”

“ If your last-named attraction were the criterion, Miss McGregor would surely bear away the palm,” replied the secretary. “You cannot but have been struck with the peculiar charm of her voice, so soft, so melodious in its tones.”

“ I dare say I should, if I had heard it unmingled with 2 *

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the chatter hy which we are always surrounded. A conversation in which I can fully appreciate it is a happiness in reserve for me, as we are to be fellow-travellers across the Upper Lakes.”

This was said lightly, and at the moment the j^oung master of ceremonies moved away to attend to a party of newly-arrived guests.

“ I find it difficult to credit what Mr. Ewing has been telling us,” said Lieutenant Stafford, his eyes still fixed on the younger of the sisters. “I would give a good deal to know if it is true.”

“Why donT you ask somebody whose word you can credit, then ?” said Lytle.

“ Why, it doesn’t seem to be just the thing to be asking questions of that kind. I suppose I shall find out about it one of these days.”

“ As you seem so much interested, I can put you in a way of satisfying yourself at once,” said the captain, in a bantering tone. “Go to the young lady and engage her in some conversation that shall have our red brethren for the leading topic. You can soon detect by her manner whether she has any personal interest in the subject.”

“ If what we have heard is true, the introduction of such a theme might give offence.”