James Fenimore Cooper

The Spy James Fenimore Cooper

The father of Mr. Wharton was a native of England, and of a family whose parliamentary interesthad enabled them to provide for a younger son in the colony of New York. The young man, likehundreds of others in this situation, had settled permanently in the country. He married; and the soleissue of his connection had been sent early in life to receive the benefits of the English schools. After taking his degrees at one of the universities of the mother country, the youth had beensuffered to acquire a knowledge of life with the advantages of European society. But the death of hisfather recalled him, after passing two years in this manner, to the possession of an honorable name, and a very ample estate. It was much the fashion of that day to place the youth of certain families in the army and navy ofEngland, as the regular stepping-stones to preferment. Most of the higher offices in the colonieswere filled by men who had made arms their profession; and it was even no uncommon sight to seea veteran warrior laying aside the sword to assume the ermine on the benches of the highest judicialauthority. In conformity with this system, the senior Mr. Wharton had intended his son for a soldier; but anatural imbecility of character in his child interfered with his wishes. A twelvemonth had been spent by the young man in weighing the comparative advantages of thedifferent classes of troops, when the death of his father occurred. The ease of his situation, and theattentions lavished upon a youth in the actual enjoyment of one of the largest estates in the colonies, interfered greatly with his ambitious projects. Love decided the matter; and Mr. Wharton, inbecoming a husband, ceased to think of becoming a soldier. For many years he continued happy inhis family, and sufficiently respected by his countrymen, as a man of integrity and consequence, when all his enjoyments vanished, as it were, at a blow. His only son, the youth introduced in thepreceding chapter, had entered the army, and had arrived in his native country, but a short timebefore the commencement of hostilities, with the reinforcements the ministry had thought itprudent to throw into the disaffected parts of North America. His daughters were just growing intolife, and their education required all the advantages the city could afford. His wife had been for someyears in declining health, and had barely time to fold her son to her bosom, and rejoice in thereunion of her family, before the Revolution burst forth, in a continued blaze, from Georgia toMassachusetts. The shock was too much for the feeble condition of the mother, who saw her childcalled to the field to combat against the members of her own family in the South, and she sankunder the bl