CHAP. I.

Nothing can be more natural than the attachment and regard to which the faithful services of our domestics are entitled; it is a beautiful link in the chain of family charities, and can only be severed by pride, by folly, or by vice.

It was one of those lovely mornings which frequently mark the declining autumn in our variable climate, when summer as it were seems to linger amid the decaying vestiges of her glory, and the deep verdure of the vales affords a strong and lively contrast to the seared leaves, falling in [4]quick succession from the branches so late affording refreshing shade to the traveller; when the stormy winds which had howled through the quick-changing woods, swept over the fields divested of their waving riches, and whose violence had awakened the sympathy of the compassionate for the unfortunates exposed to elemental strife, had sunk into the profoundest repose, and the fleecy clouds seemed still and motionless as a flock of sheep slumbering in peace under the shepherd’s care: every thing in nature breathing tranquillity, and disposing the mind to gentleness and peace. It was on such a morning after nearly a sleepless night, Mr. Elmer entered his breakfast-room, having taken his usual morning’s stroll [5]on the gravel terrace upon which the windows opened; he had scarcely

entered, before his old and faithful domestic attended with the breakfast equipage, and having modestly and respectfully inquired how he had passed the boisterous night, put the newspaper with other papers upon the table, keeping one in his hand. “And what is that long paper, Alan?” inquired Mr. Elmer; “why this your honour was given me as I went for the rolls; it is an account of the wild beasts that are arrived at C——” and he gave the paper to his master, who saw that it contained the figures and description of an itinerant menagerie then exhibiting at the town, in the immediate vicinity of which he resided.

[6]

“Dear, your honour,” said Alan, “sure Master Harry and Miss Joanna, and may be my little favorite Miss Ellen, would like to see the elephant; I really should, to see if it is as fine a one as those we used to admire in India: you remember that fine beast at Calcutta in particular your honour, as sensible as any Christian?” “Yes I do indeed, Alan;” replied Mr. Elmer, with his accustomed affability; “and I think with you, that it will be a great treat to the dear children, to see an animal which even in its confined state, so greatly displays the wisdom of the Creator; they cannot be too early acquainted with such proofs of his greatness and goodness. Tell William to get the phaeton ready, and we will go [7]for them this lovely morning; you must also be our escort to the elephant, Alan; for (he added with an arch smile), your old master is almost in his second childhood, and there is no telling what effect the sight of the huge elephant may have upon him.” “Bless your honour, when you talk so, you make me feel so queer; but life and death are in the power of

a good God, and you have taught me my dear master, to submit every thing to his will: I hope it is no sin to pray that as we have lived together, so we may die together.” A tear of affection swelled in the eye of the old domestic, as he regarded with a look of grateful veneration his beloved master, whose fine mild and placid features, indicated a soul at peace [8]with itself, and in the habitual exercise of the best feelings of the heart. “Well my good fellow, pour out my coffee, and let us lose no time in fetching the young ones to this great sight: tell Mary they will dine here, therefore not to forget the pudding.” Alan hastened to obey; and while he is making his preparations, and his master takes his coffee, we will introduce them a little more particularly to our young friends.

[9]

CHAP. II.

The father of Mr. Elmer held a considerable official situation in India, and almost immediately succeeding the birth of this his only child, was obliged to sail for Bengal, taking with him his young wife, having prevailed upon her to leave her infant under the care of a young woman who had been a favorite attendant, and was respectably married to a farmer in her native village, bordering on the Highlands of Scotland. Mrs Thomson, sincerely attached to her dear young mistress, received her [10]infant with a mother’s tenderness, and having recently given birth to her own first-born, she placed the little Henry by his side, and faithfully promised his weeping mother, that he should never miss her fostering love at least: and she hoped that in a year or two she should return him a “bonny lad to her dear lady.” But her anticipations were never verified, poor Henry never more was pressed to his mother’s bosom, or caused the thrill of parental pride to swell a father’s breast, for in returning to England after an absence of five years, the ship was wrecked and all on board

perished.

The guardians of the orphan however, permitted him to remain during the first happy years of childhood [11]with his foster parents, and he shared to the full their affectionate attention with their own son Alan, while the boys themselves grew up in every respect as brothers; although Mrs. Thomson, who possessed no small share of the sound sense which distinguishes the inferior classes of her country, always impressed upon the mind of her son, that while he loved Henry as a brother, he must also ever recollect that he was his superior, and as such entitled to his respect and duty. “I shall be happy my dear Alan,” she would say, “if when he grows up to manhood, that he will take you into his service, for surely it will be a service of love; and unless his disposition greatly changes, you must, my dear boy, be happy with him.” [12]Alan fully concurred in this secret wish of his mother, and by its frequent repetition, was accustomed habitually to regard Henry as his master, and to pay him a sort of intuitive deference, which was not in the remotest

degree allied to servility, but flowed from that modest humility which ennobles the heart that cherishes it; and which rendered Alan as much respected as beloved by his master, and all who knew him under all the various changes and situations of his succeeding life. Perhaps the first sorrow either of these boys experienced, was at the period when Henry was to quit the cottage of his foster parents, to be placed at a public seminary for education, and his beloved companion Alan was not to [13]accompany him; for hitherto their studies had proceeded together under the tuition of the village preceptor: and they had been distinguished by him as diligent and clever boys. “And why may not Alan go with me?” he artlessly inquired of his guardian. “Because Alan is a farmer’s son my dear, and you are a gentleman’s son; education necessary for him may be obtained in his native village, but you must go where you will form connections suitable to your birth, and be taught many things requisite to your advancement in the world.” “But Alan learns quite as quick as me, and

indeed we both acquire our lessons easier when we study together.” “Perhaps so, but you will have numerous companions; beside my dear [14]boy, much as your wish proves your affection, assure yourself it would be a very false species of it to remove Alan from his sphere, in fulfilling the peculiar duties of which, he may live happy and respected, and in which you may greatly contribute to render him so; but in removing him from his early connections, or in elevating him above them, you hazard his humility, consequently his virtue and his happiness; and by refining his mind, you may destroy his relish for the simple pleasures of his present situation, without having it in your power to substitute any to supply its place; hence, you may in the hope of increasing his happiness, be in danger of producing discontent.” Henry’s reason could not but concur [15]in these remarks of his guardian, while his feelings revolted from the separation. It was however useless to contend against necessity; and in a few days, (after mutual assurances of remembrance, correspondence, &c.)

the boys bid adieu to each other. Much might be said upon the mutual feelings of these affectionate lads; but it is wisely ordained that the strong emotions of youth should quickly give place to new excitements, and fresh objects of curiosity; it will therefore only be necessary to say, that although each felt the deprivation of the other’s society, each became resigned to the necessity, each open to the enjoyments of their peculiar situation: their mutual parting promises were religiously kept, [16]Henry frequently wrote to his humble friend the incidents of his school life,—the progress of his studies; and Alan recounted the village anecdotes, the fidelity and sagacity of Ryno, Henry’s favorite spaniel, the fresh haunts of the mountains he had discovered, his success in fishing, &c. Henry acquired no pride to cloud the pleasure with which he remembered the simple cottage and its dear inhabitants; Alan never lost sight of his humility and respect in corresponding with his beloved young master, while it expanded his ideas and enlarged his views beyond what

they could otherwise have attained.

Thus years passed on, during which but one summer vacation had been passed in what Henry emphatically [17]called “the happy valley;” a thousand plans were then formed for the future by the enterprising boys; all tending to a renewal of companionship: and at a time when they least expected, their most sanguine wishes were fulfilled. Henry had nearly attained his seventeenth year, when this unexpected wish promised accomplishment. It is thus recounted in an extract of a letter to Alan.

“At length, Alan, my future destination seems determined upon, and I hasten to inform you of the proposed plan, as you, my lad, are somewhat interested in it. Now I think I see those blue veins on your temples swell, and your eyes flash fire while you repeat the last words. Well then to the point, [18]through the interest of Mr. H. I shall, in the spring, ‘if it pleases God,’ as our dear pious mother would say, sail for India, being appointed to a situation in the presidency, to which my youth would have been an obstacle, had it not been obviated by my facility in sketching objects from nature, (acquired, I verily believe, in measuring distances among our rocks and mountains, Alan, and peering after you on the crags), and also my wonderful acquisition of the oriental languages; I suppose rendered easy to me by the flexibility of the organs, produced by the early habit of mimicing the mountain echoes, and the cries of the sea birds to deceive you, my good boy. Be this as it may, I find I have astonished the [19]examiners, and am in consequence,

strongly recommended to the governor-general, as competent to the honourable and confidential situation in question. ‘But how’ I think I hear you say ‘can this so much interest me, except indeed as it removes my friend far far from me?’ Now attend, and I will tell you—I am not only allowed, but required to take a personal attendant with me to the seat of eastern parade and luxurious ease—the presidency, and if Alan Thomson can make up his mind to quit the happy valley, and all that constitutes it such, where can Henry Elmer choose better, than to have him for his personal attendant?” It is almost unnecessary to say, that Alan joyfully acceded to the plan, [20]and although his mother “wept sore” at parting, yet she could not but acknowledge that her wishes were fulfilled. Accordingly, loaded with her blessings, and the good wishes of all who knew him, he joined Henry in London, and they sailed together for India.

It would be no unamusing task, to detail the events which occurred to these constant companions while in Asia; we may perhaps one day recount their various adventures, one only, in which a young officer, an intimate friend of Henry Elmer, was a principal actor, and he with Alan spectators, we will detail, as it illustrates the dangers to which the orientals are exposed by the wild animals of these torrid regions. [21]“During the march of a detachment, conducting some official servants of the presidency to a place appointed, on their arrival at a village, the zumudar made known to the party, that a tiger had taken up his quarters in the vicinity, and besides committing terrible ravages among the cattle, he had killed several villagers, and had on that morning wounded the son of the zumudar, who was with great difficulty rescued from death. Animated by this account, all the young men of the party, both military and civil, determined to hunt this terrific animal, and mounting their elephants proceeded to dislodge him from his haunts. They soon discovered him.

The elephant of the young officer alluded to being rather in the advance, [22]was attacked by the tiger; another elephant, which was near, turned round in apparent dismay and ran off to some distance. The tiger had sprung upon the shoulder of the first elephant, and the rider, with admirable presence of mind, fired at him in this situation, and he fell. Imagining however (too hastily) that he had disabled him, he rashly descended from the elephant, for the purpose of despatching the tiger with his pistols, but in alighting from the ponderous animal, he unfortunately came in contact with the tiger, which with the instinctive wiliness that distinguishes the species, had only couched for a second spring, and now catching hold of the unfortunate, youth, dragged him some distance along the ground; [23]his presence of mind, however, did not forsake him, but having succeeded in drawing a pistol from his belt, he fired it, and lodged the ball in the body of the tiger; the enraged and furious beast shook him violently without quitting his hold, and made off to the thickest part of the jungle

with his prey. In the struggle to disengage himself from the furious beast, the officer almost instinctively caught hold of him by both his ears, and succeeded, after a desperate conflict, in throwing the animal upon his side, when he again availed himself of this momentary release to draw forth his remaining pistol, and presenting the muzzle close to the breast of the tiger, shot him through the heart. He then returned to his [24]elephant, which he actually mounted without assistance—so great is the influence of the mind over the feelings of the body, declaring, afterwards, that he, at that moment, felt little or no pain from his wounds, although he had received no fewer than five-and-twenty, and many of them severe. He subsequently suffered much from the consequences of this desperate conflict—losing the motion of the knee, which was the principal seat of the injury. So desperate, so rapid, and so entire was this attack and conflict, that the other persons could only gaze and shudder, at the almost inevitable result; and when they found the unfortunate

young man had escaped the fury of the tiger, and even killed him, they [25]were almost struck dumb with admiration and astonishment.”

It will now be proper to resume our history, having we hope interested our young readers by our account of the worthy Mr. Elmer, and his faithful Alan Thomson, upon their first entrance upon the active duties of life, but from which, at the period of the commencement of our history, they had retired to a pleasant villa in the vicinity of a fine old town, in one of the eastern counties of England, in order to be near the only daughter of Mr. Elmer, married to a clergyman of the name of Monson, and residing at a beautiful village only three miles from the town of C——, and the villa of Mr. Elmer.—But the phaeton is at the door, and Alan mounted on [26]his docile Jessy, to accompany his master; therefore, while they travel so pleasantly, we will have a peep at the rectory before their arrival.

CHAP. III.

The young and amiable Mrs. Monson fully realized this pleasing picture of a fond mother. On the morning which thus introduces her [27]and her little family to our young readers, she had employed the valuable hours of its prime as usual, in the tender duties of the nursery and the school room; and the children having fulfilled their appointed tasks to her satisfaction, she readily yielded to the request of Harry and Joanna, the two eldest, for permission to amuse themselves on the lawn, upon which the sun shone gloriously; while she took the three younger to visit an old lady in the village, whose partiality to children, and her great kindness to them, made her a general favorite.

The storm of the preceding night had left ample evidences of its power, among the shrubs and flowers in the borders of the lawn; and the [28]walks were covered with the leaves of which its violence had bereft some fine old elms and chesnuts, in an irregular sort of avenue, which formed the approach to the lawn; while those portions of the garden appropriated to the children, were of course, as well as every other, in the greatest disorder, and choked by the drifted leaves. Almost unable to find a single flower, Harry proposed that Joanna should be his horse and cart, to make-believe being gardener, and really to clear away the leaves from their little gardens. Joanna hesitated, but was at last persuaded by the entreaties of Harry, and his promise that she should be gardener in her turn. He accordingly, with not a little ingenuity, fastened an old [29]basket to her back, and finding some list in the garden-house, soon harnessed her in good style, and quickly manufacturing his emblem of power and command—the whip, proceeded to load his cart with great energy,

though, it must be confessed, rather too heavily for his vehicle, which was at the point of loosening from its fastenings, when the well-known sound of grandpapa’s phaeton, and the regular trot of his ponies, arrested the attention of the labourers, and in a moment, the ever-welcome visitant was seen driving up the avenue. Joanna struggled to free herself from the trammels, but in vain, they were too skilfully fastened for her ingenuity and impatience to loosen; and half in tears at the delay and obstruction, [30]she petitioned “dear Harry” to free her. Harry, however, although equally desirous, found it not quite so easy as he expected, and Mr. Elmer had arrived at the gate before Joanna’s liberation was effected. “How now, my young despot,” exclaimed Mr. Elmer good humouredly, “what, exercising your power over the weak thus early?” “Oh grandpapa,” replied Harry, still busy in untying knots, “it is only make-believe,—Joanna was soon going to drive me about.” “Pray take this piece off my arm, Harry,” entreated Joanna, as she made her arm red in

her attempt to slide from it a piece of rough list, tied with no gentle knot, and in the attempt pushing off her bonnet, and disclosing her animated [31]countenance, glowing with exercise and impatience. Alan quickly however lent his assistance, and Harry dashing off his cap, and shaking his dark locks from the perspiration which burst from his forehead, declared that Joanna trotted as well as grandpapa’s ponies, and only wanted a little practice to be just the thing to get his hand in to drive them. “Upon my word, sir, you have appointed your sister to an honourable post; but as she seems to have been sufficiently practised this morning, what say you to a ride with me;—will you, my young Phaeton, condescend to be driven by your old grandfather?” “Dear grandpapa, you know what a treat it is always to me, and may not dear Joanna go too?” “Certainly, [32]and Ellen too if she likes it; I am come for you to dine with me to-day; but these hands must be washed, jacket brushed, locks arranged, and stockings made tight, or it will certainly be thought I have picked up a