The Black-Sealed Letter | Page 4

as a present in behalf of his grandson.
Frederick stole his visits under the secret shades of evening, and
showed every expression of sympathy and affection for Clara and the
little one; at the same time promising the consummation of their union
as soon as circumstances would conveniently permit. A few weeks after
the birth of the child, in December of 1868, Frederick made a tour into
Devonshire for the purpose of visiting an uncle residing in the town of
Exeter, and also discovering some thriving village or town where he
might find ready employment, with the view of eventually establishing
himself in business to his own advantage. He at length selected
Tiverton as his place of residence, where he procured work at favorable
wages. Elated with success he immediately wrote to his parents, and
also penned a lengthy epistle to Clara, describing the place and people
in very flattering words, flourishing off with a few epithets expressive
of his undying affection for herself and the child; and hoping that in a
few months he would have the pleasure of introducing her to a
comfortable home, under the happy title of Mrs. Frederick Charlston.
Winter passed slowly along, during which time letters were frequently
sent and received. The first day of May at length came, but no house
was apparently provided for Clara and her child. Shortly afterwards
Frederick returned home, and made known the intelligence that he had
given up the idea of settling in Tiverton as he had decided upon making
his future home in Canada, which place had been described by an
emigrant agent who had lectured several nights in the town, as one of
the finest countries in the world for the workingmen of England; that
millions of acres of land were there to be given away, and every actual
settler received 100 acres gratis. A river one hundred times larger than
all the rivers of England put together, ran the whole length of the
country, 1500 miles long. There were lakes there so large that even into
the smallest of them the whole island of Great Britain might be thrown,
and sink beyond recovery. In fact, said he, "it possessed all the facilities
and improvements of the 19th century;--equality, independence and
wealth awaiting every industrious man who went thither;--it was,
indeed, the workshop of the tradesman, the emporium of the trader, and

above all, blessed be the fact, it was the poor man's paradise upon
earth."
Frederick soon discovered that the big bubble he had blown up was
likely to be blown down. His mother and sisters strongly objected to his
purpose, and begged of him not to bury himself out of the world as
long as he had an opportunity of living in it.
"Why, Frederick," exclaimed his father, "were you to go to Canada you
would repent of it but once, and that will be as long as you live. You
talk of free-lands; why, of what use would they be to you? They might
be of service to those who have been long accustomed to outside labor.
But for you to go into the dense forests amidst mountains of almost
perpetual snow, to chop out for yourself a fortune, or even a livelihood,
would be a thousand times worse than banishment to the icy deserts of
Siberia. For my sake, and for the love you owe to all that are dear to
you in England, I beseech of you to relinquish, at least for the present,
your design. Get married at once, and settle down quietly and
industriously to work, either at Tiverton or in London, and I will assist
in the furnishing of a house for you and Clara."
Frederick made no satisfactory reply.
On the second evening after he had come home, Charlie Holstrom,
having heard of his return, called to see him.
"A thousand welcomes back, old lad," exclaimed H., heartily shaking
the hand of his old associate. "Why, my dear fellow, I've come over to
bid you good bye, as I heard to-day that you are going to the Cannibal
Islands."
Mr. Charlston and the others laughed heartily at the expression.
"It is only to Canada that I intend to ship myself," replied Frederick
somewhat shyly.
"Worse, and worse!" retorted H. "Why, what do you expect to get
there?"

"Get a farm for nothing, and make a fortune in five years," said
Frederick.
"If the farm is to be given away for nothing I may venture to say, it will
be worth nothing," replied H., and continued, "I had an acquaintance
who went to Canada a few years ago with £500; and having lived three
years upon one of those 'nothing farms' or rather, living upon his
money during that time, he returned to England utterly worth nothing.
Why, Fred!