第3章 Chapter I.(2)

　　The union of them all， however， in her origin， has givenher a singular but pleasing expression， such as is rarelyto be seen. Though somewhat resembling， yet she cannotproperly be styled a quadroon， a class to which， I haveomitted to mention， my mother belonged.

　　I had just now passed the period of my minority，having reached the age of twenty-one years in themonth of July previous. Deprived of the advice andassistance of my father， with a wife dependent upon mefor support， I resolved to enter upon a life of industry；and notwithstanding the obstacle of color， and theconsciousness of my lowly state， indulged in pleasantdreams of a good time coming， when the possession ofsome humble habitation， with a few surrounding acres，should reward my labors， and bring me the means ofhappiness and comfort.

　　From the time of my marriage to this day the love Ihave borne my wife has been sincere and unabated； andonly those who have felt the glowing tenderness a fathercherishes for his offspring， can appreciate my affectionfor the beloved children which have since been born to us.

　　This much I deem appropriate and necessary to day， inorder that those who read these pages， may comprehendthe poignancy of those sufferings I have been doomed tobear.

　　Immediately upon our marriage we commenced house-keeping， in the old yellow building then standing atthe southern extremity of Fort Edward village， and whichhas since been transformed into a modern mansion， andlately occupied by Captain Lathrop. It is known as theFort House. In this building the courts were sometimeheld after the organization of the county. It was alsooccupied by Burgoyne in 1777， being situated near the oldFort on the left bank of the Hudson.

　　During the winter I was employed with others repairing the Champlain Canal， on that section overwhich William Van Nortwick was superintendent. DavidMcEachron had the immediate charge of the men inwhose company I labored. By the time the canal openedin the spring， I was enabled， from the savings of mywages， to purchase a pair of horses， and other thingsnecessarily required in the business of navigation.

　　Having hired several efficient hands to assist me， Ientered into contracts for the transportation of large raftsof timber from Lake Champlain to Troy. Dyer Beckwithand a Mr. Bartemy， of Whitehall， accompanied me onseveral trips. During the season I became perfectly familiarwith the art and mysteries of rafting—a knowledge whichafterwards enabled me to render profitable service toa worthy master， and to astonish the simple-wittedlumbermen on the banks of the Bayou Boeuf.

　　In one of my voyages down Lake Champlain， I wasinduced to make a visit to Canada. Repairing to Montreal，I visited the cathedral and other places of interest in thatcity， from whence I continued my excursion to Kingstonand other towns， obtaining a knowledge of localities，which was also of service to me afterwards， as will appeartowards the close of this narrative.

　　Having completed my contracts on the canal satisfactorilyto myself and to my employer， and not wishing to remainidle， now that the navigation of the canal was againsuspended， I entered into another contract with MedadGunn， to cut a large quantity of wood. In this business Iwas engaged during the winter of 1831-32.

　　With the return of spring， Anne and myself conceivedthe project of taking a farm in the neighborhood. I hadbeen accustomed from earliest youth to agriculturallabors， and it was an occupation congenial to my tastes.

　　I accordingly entered into arrangements for a partof the old Alden farm， on which my father formerlyresided. With one cow， one swine， a yoke of fine oxen Ihad lately purchased of Lewis Brown， in Hartford， andother personal property and effects， we proceeded to ournew home in Kingsbury. That year I planted twenty-fiveacres of corn， sowed large fields of oats， and commencedfarming upon as large a scale as my utmost means wouldpermit. Anne was diligent about the house affairs， while Itoiled laboriously in the field.

　　On this place we continued to reside until 1834. In thewinter season I had numerous calls to play on the violin.

　　Wherever the young people assembled to dance， I was almost invariably there. Throughout the surroundingvillages my fiddle was notorious. Anne， also， duringher long residence at the Eagle Tavern， had becomesomewhat famous as a cook. During court weeks， and onpublic occasions， she was employed at high wages in thekitchen at Sherrill’s Coffee House.