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Файл:The Chainbearer; or, The Littlepage Manuscripts
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THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
«Why are you so moterate, T’ousantacres? why are you
so unreasonaply moterate? Why not say t’at efery man hast
a right to efery t’hing he hast need of, and so make him comfortaple at once! T’ere is no wistom in toin’ t’ings by hafs, ant it
ist always petter to surfey all t’e lant you want, while t’e compass is set ant t’e chains pe going. It’s just as much liperty to
haf a right to share in a man’s tollars, as to share in his lants».
«I don’t go as far as that, Chainbearer», put in Thousandacres, with a degree of moderation that ought to put the enemies of his principles to the blush. «Money is what a man
‘arns himself, and he has a right to it, and so I say let him keep
it; but land is necessary, and every man has a right to as much
as he has need on – I wouldn’t give him an acre more, on no
account at all».
so ineff ably free, that it is opposed to the spirit of the institutions of
the country to suff er him to be either landlord or tenant, however much
he may desire it himself (and no one pretends that either law or facts
compel him to be either, contrary to his own wishes), will feel mortifi ed at discovering that they have not the merit of fi rst proposing their
own exquisite theory; Aaron Thousandacres having certainly preceded them by sixty years. There is no great secret on the subject of
the principle which lies at the bottom of this favorite doctrine, the Deity himself having delivered to man, as far back as the days of Moses,
the tenth commandment, with the obvious design of controlling it.
An attempt to prove that the institutions of this country are unsuited to
the relations of landlord and tenant, is an attempt to prove that they
are unsuited to meet the various contingencies of human aff airs, and is
an abandonment of their defence, as that defence can only be made on
broad, manly, and justifi able grounds. As a political principle, it is just
as true that the relations of debtor and creditor are unsuited to the institutions, and ought to be abolished. – E.
481
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
«Put money wilt puy lant; ant, in sharin’ t’e tollars, you
share t’e means of puyin’ as much lant as a man hast neet of;
t’en t’ere ist a great teal more lant ast money in t’is country,
ant, in gifi n’ a man lant, you only gif him t’at which ist so cheap
ant common, t’at he must pe a poor tefi l if he can’t get all t’e
lant he wants wit’out much trouple and any squattin’, if you
wilt only gif him ever so little money. No, no, T’ousantacres –
you’re fery wrong; you shoult pegin to tivite wit’ t’e tollars, ant
t’at wilt not tisturp society, as tollars are in t’e pocket, ant go
ant come efery day; whereast lant is a fi xture, and some people
lofe t’eir own hills, ant rocks, ant trees – when t’ey haf peen
long in a family most especially».
There was a dark scowl gathering on the brow of Thousandacres, partly because he felt himself puzzled by the upright
and straightforward common sense of Chainbearer, and partly
for a reason that he himself made manifest in the answer that
he quite promptly gave to my old friend’s remarks.
«No man need say anything ag’in squattin’ that wants to
keep fri’nds with me», Thousandacres put in, with certain
twitchings about the muscles of the mouth, that were so many
signs of his being in earnest. «I hold to liberty and a man’s
rights, and that is no reason I should be defl ected on. My notions be other men’s notions, I know, though they be called
squatters’ notions. Congressmen have held ‘em, and will
hold ‘em ag’in, if they expect much support, in some parts of
the country, at election time. I dare say the day will come when
governors will be found to hold ‘em. Governors be but men
a’ter all, and must hold doctrines that satisfy men’s wants,
482
THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
or they won’t be governors long.20 But all this is nuthin’ but
talk, and I want to come to suthin’ like business, Chainbearer.
Here’s this clearin’, and here’s the lumber. Now, I’m willin’ to
settle on some sich tarms as these: I’ll keep the lumber, carryin’
it off as soon as the water gets to be high enough, agreein’ to
pay for the privilege by not fellin’ another tree, though I must
have the right to saw up sich logs as be cut and hauled already;
and then, as to the land and clearin’, if the writin’ owners want
‘em, they can have ‘em by payin’ for the betterments, leavin’
the price out to men in this neighborhood, sin’ city-bred folks
can’t know nothin’ of the toil and labor of choppin’, and loggin’, and ashin’, and gettin’ in, and croppin’ new lands».
«Mortaunt, t’at proposal ist for you. I haf nut’in’ to do wit’
t’e clearin’ put to surfey it; and t’at much will I perform, when
I get as far ast t’e place, come t’ere goot, or come t’ere efi l of it».
«Survey this clearin’!» put in Tobit, with his raven throat,
and certainly in a somewhat menacing tone. «No, no, Chainbearer – the man is not out in the woods, that could ever get
his chain across this clearin’«.
«T’at man, I tell you, is Andries Coejemans, commonly
called Chainpearer», answered my old friend, calmly. «No
clearin’, ant no squatter, ever stoppet him yet, nor do I t’ink he
will pe stoppet here, from performin’ his tuty. Put praggin’ is
a pat quality, ant we’ll leaf time to show t’e trut’«.
Thousandacres gave a loud hem, and looked very dark,
though he said nothing until time had been given to his
blood to resume its customary current. Then he pursued
20
Thousandacres speaks here like a veritable prophet. – E.
483
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
the discourse as follows – evidently bent on keeping on good
terms with Chainbearer as long as possible.
«On the whull», he said, «I rather think, Tobit, ‘twill be best
if you leave this matter altogether to me. Years cool the blood,
and allow time to reason to spread. Years be as necessary to
judgment as a top to a fruit-tree. I kind o’ b’lieve that Chainbearer and I, being both elderly and considerate men, will be
apt to get along best together. I dare say, Chainbearer, that if
the surveyin’ of this clearin’ be put to you on the footin’ of defi ance, that your back would get up, like anybody else’s, and
you’d bring on the chain, let who might stand in your way.
But that’s neither here nor there. You’re welcome to chain out
just as much of this part of the patent as you see fi t, and ‘twill
help us along so much the better when we come to the trade.
Reason’s reason, and I’m of an accommodatin’ spirit».
«So much t’e better, T’ousantacres; yes, so much t’e better», answered old Andries, somewhat mollifi ed by the conciliatory temper in which the squatter now delivered himself. «When work ist to pe performet, it must pe performet;
ant, as I’m hiret to surfey and chain t’e whole estate, t’e
whole estate must be chainet ant surfeyet. Well, what else
haf you to say?»
«I am not answered as to my fi rst offer. I’ll take the lumber,
agreein’ not to cut another tree, and the valie of the betterments can be left out to men».
«I am the proper person to answer this proposal», I thought
it now right to say, lest Andries and Thousandacres should
get to loggerheads again on some minor and immaterial point,
and thus endanger every hope of keeping the peace until Mal-
484
THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
bone could arrive. «At the same time, I consider it no more
than right to tell you, at once, that I have no power that goes so
far as to authorize me to agree to your terms. Both Colonel Follock and my father have a stern sense of justice, and neither, in
my opinion, will feel much of a disposition to yield to any conditions that, in the least, may have the appearance of compromising any of their rights as landlords. I have heard them both
say that, in these particulars, ‘yielding an inch would be giving
an ell,’ and I confess that, from all I have seen lately of settlers and settlements, I’m very much of the same way of thinking. My principals may concede something, but they’ll never
treat on a subject of which all the right is on their own side».
«Am I to understand you, young man, that you’re onaccommodatin’, and that my offers isn’t to be listened to, in
the spirit in which they’re made?» demanded Thousandacres,
somewhat dryly.
«You are to understand me as meaning exactly what I say,
sir. In the fi rst place, I have no authority to accept your offers,
and shall not assume any, let the consequences to myself be
what they may. Indeed, any promises made in duresse are good
for nothing».
«Anan!» cried the squatter. «This is Mooseridge Patent, and
Washington, late Charlotte County – and this is the place we
are to sign and seal in, if writin’s pass atween us».
«By promises made in duresse, I mean promises made while
the party making them is in confi nement, or not absolutely
free to make them or not; such promises are good for nothing in law, even though all the ‘writings’ that could be drawn
passed between the parties».
485
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
«This is strange doctrine, and says but little for your boasted law, then! At one time, it asks for writin’s, and nothin’ but
writin’s will answer; and then all the writin’s on ‘arth be of no
account! Yet some folks complain, and have hard feelin’s, if
a man wunt live altogether up to law!»
«I rather think, Thousandacres, you overlook the objects of
the law, in its naked regulations. Law is to enforce the right,
and were it to follow naked rules, without regard to principles,
it might become the instrument of effecting the very mischiefs
it is designed to counteract».
I might have spared myself the trouble of uttering this fi ne
speech; which caused the old squatter to stare at me in wonder, and produced a smile among the young men, and a titter among the females. I observed, however, that the anxious
face of Lowiny expressed admiration, rather than the feeling
that was so prevalent among the sisterhood.
«There’s no use in talkin’ to this young spark, Chainbearer», Thousandacres said, a little impatiently in the way of
manner, too; «he’s passed his days in the open country, and
has got open-country ways, and notions, and talk; and them’s
things I don’t pretend to understand. You’re woods, mainly;
he’s open country; and I’m clearin’. There’s a difference atween each; but woods and clearin’ come clussest; and so I’ll
say my say to you. Be you, now, r’ally disposed to accommodate, or not, old Andries?»
«Any t’ing t’at ist right, ant just, ant reasonaple,
T’ousantacres; ant nut’in’ t’at ist not».
«That’s just my way of thinkin’! If the law, now, would do as
much as that for a man, the attorneys would soon starve. Wa-
486
THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
a-l, we’ll try now to come to tarms, as soon as possible. You’re
a single man, I know, Chainbearer; but I’ve always supposed
‘twas on account of no dislike to the married state, but because
you didn’t chance to light on the right gal; or maybe on account of the surveyin’ principle, which keeps a man pretty
much movin’ about from tract to tract; though not much more
than squattin’ doos, neither, if the matter was inquired into».
I understood the object of this sudden change from feesimples, and possessions, and the «accommodatin’ spirit», to
matrimony; but Chainbearer did not. He only looked his surprise; while, as to myself, if I looked at all as I felt, I must have
been the picture of uneasiness. The beloved, unconscious Dus
sat there in her maiden beauty, interested and anxious in her
mind, beyond all question, but totally ignorant of the terrible
blow that was meditated against herself. As Andries looked
his desire to hear more, instead of answering the strange remark he had just heard, Thousandacres proceeded, «It’s quite
nat’ral to think of matrimony, afore so many young folks, isn’t
it, Chainbearer?» added the squatter, chuckling at his own
conceits. «Here’s lots of b’ys and gals about me; and I’m just as
accommodatin’ in fi ndin’ husbands or wives for my fri’nds and
neighbors, as I am in settlin’ all other diffi culties. Anything for
peace and a good neighborhood is my religion!»
Old Andries passed a hand over his eyes, in the way one
is apt to do when he wishes to aid a mental effort by external
application. It was evident he was puzzled to fi nd out what
the squatter would be at, though he soon put a question that
brought about something like an explanation.
487
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
«I ton’t unterstant you, T’ousantacres; – no, I ton’t unterstant you. Is it your tesire to gif me one of your puxom ant fi nelookin’ gals, here, for a wife?»
The squatter laughed heartily at this notion, the young
men joining in the mirth; while the constant titter that the females had kept up ever since the subject of matrimony was
introduced, was greatly augmented in zest. An indifferent
spectator would have supposed that the utmost good feeling
prevailed among us.
«With all my heart, Chainbearer, if you can persuade any of
the gals to have you!» cried Thousandacres, with the most apparent acquiescence. «With such a son-in-law, I don’t know
but I should take to the chain, a’ter all, and measure out my
clearin’s as well as the grandee farmers, who take pride in
knowin’ where their lines be. There’s Lowiny, she’s got no
spark, and might suit you well enough, if she’d only think so».
«Lowiny don’t think any sich thing; and isn’t likely to think
any sich thing», answered the girl, in a quick, irritated manner.
«Wa-a-l, I do s’pose, a’ter all, Chainbearer», Thousandacres
resumed, «we’ll get no weddin’ out of you. Three-score-andten is somewhat late for takin’ a fi rst wife; though I’ve known
widowers marry ag’in when hard on upon ninety. When
a man has taken one wife in ‘arly life, he has a kind o’ right to
another in old age».
«Yes – yes – or a hundred either», put in Prudence, with
spirit. «Give ‘em a chance only, and they’ll fi nd wives as long as
they can fi nd breath to ask women to have ‘em! Gals, you may
make up your minds to that – no man will mourn long for
any on you, a’ter you’re once dead and buried».
488
THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
I should think this little sally must have been somewhat
common, as neither the «b’ys» nor the «gals» appeared to give
it much attention. These matrimonial insinuations occur frequently in the world, and Prudence was not the fi rst woman, by a million, who had ventured to make them.
«I will own I was not so much thinkin’ of providin’ a wife
for you, Chainbearer, as I was thinkin’ of providin’ one for
a son of mine», continued Thousandacres. «Here’s Zephaniah,
now, is as active and hard-workin’, upright, honest and obedient a young man as can be found in this country. He’s of a suitable age, and begins to think of a wife. I tell him to marry, by
all means, for it’s the blessedest condition of life, is the married state, that man ever entered into. You wouldn’t think it,
perhaps, on lookin’ at old Prudence, there, and beholdin’ what
she now is; but I speak from exper’ence in recommendin’ matrimony; and I wouldn’t, on no account, say what I didn’t really
think in the matter. A little matrimony might settle all our
diffi culties, Chainbearer».
«You surely do not expect me to marry your son,
Zephaniah, I must s’pose, T’ousantacres!» answered Andries,
innocently.
The laugh, this time, was neither as loud or as general as
before, intense expectation rendering the auditors grave.
«No, no; I’ll excuse you from that, of a sartainty, old Andries;
though you may have Lowiny, if you can only prevail on the gal.
But, speakin’ of Zephaniah, I can r’ally ricommend the young
man; a thing I’d never do if he didn’t desarve it, though he is
my son. No one can say that I’m in the habit of ever ricommendin’ my own things, even to the boards. The lumber of Thou-
489
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
sandacres is as well known in all the markets below, they tell
me, as the fl our of any miller in the highest credit. It’s just so
with the b’ys, better lads is not to be met with; and I can ricommend Zephaniah with just as much confi dence as I could
ricommend any lot of boards I ever rafted».
«And what haf I to do wit’ all t’is?» asked Chainbearer,
gravely.
«Why, the matter is here, Chainbearer, if you’ll only look
a little into it. There’s diffi culty atween us, and pretty serious
diffi culty, too. In me the accommodatin’ spirit is up, as I’ve said
afore, and am willin’ to say ag’in. Now I’ve my son, Zeph, here,
as I’ve said, and he’s lookin’ about for a wife; and you’ve a niece
here – Dus Malbone, I s’pose is her name – and they’d just
suit each other. It seems they’re acquainted somewhat, and
have kept company some time already, and that’ll make things
smooth. Now what I offer is just this, and no more; not a bit of
it. I offer to send off for a magistrate, and I’ll do’t at my own
expense; it shan’t cost you a farthin’; and as soon as the magistrate comes, we’ll have the young folks married on the spot,
and that will make etarnal peace forever, as you must suppose,
atween you and me. Wa-a-l, peace made atween us, ‘twill leave
but little to accommodate with the writin’ owners of the sile,
seein’ that you are on tarms with em’ all, that a body may set
you down all as one as bein’ of the same family, like. If Gin’ral
Littlepage makes a p’int of anything of the sort, I’ll engage no
one of my family, in all futur’ time, shall ever squat on any
lands he may lay claim to, whether he owns em or not».
I saw quite plainly that at fi rst Chainbearer did not fully
comprehend the nature of the squatter’s proposal. Neither did
490
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