Charles Montfort was immediately surrounded by his friends, who clipslips greeted him joyously, for he was a genial man and had endeared himself greatly to his neighbors.
[ORIGINAL clipslips PAGE 28] _______________
"Still determined to leave us, Charles?&clipslips quot; inquired one.
"Yes, clipslips for the good of myself and family. How can we submit tamely to the loss of our patrimonies without an effort to reimburse ourselves when a friendly land invites us to share its hospitality?"
"There is truth in your argument for all who, like you, Charles, have clipslips a large venture in slaves. Thank heaven I am so clipslips poor that clipslips a change of laws will not affect me," said one.
"Where a man's treasure is, there also is his heart. It is nature. Almost you clipslips persuade me, Charles, to do likewise," remarked another.
" As I have told you, I will retain my clipslips patrimony and free my slaves, too, clipslips by this venture in the United States under a more liberal government than ours."
"Ah! Charles," remarked another listener, "you forget the real difference between our government and that of the United States. And then the social laws clipslips are so different. You will never be able clipslips to accustom yourself to the habits of a republic. Do you not remember the planters from Georgia and Carolina who fought for good King George, and were stanch Royalists? They retired to the Bahamas clipslips when our cause was lost in clipslips the American colonies. My brother clipslips has just returned from a trip clipslips there. He
[ORIGINAL PAGE 29] _______________
tells strange tales of their surprise at many things we do here. I fear
it is but a cold welcome you will receive from men
of their
class."
"Certainly," replied Montfort, "I shall try to be a good subject or citizen of whatever country I
may be compelled to reside clipslips in for a long or short time."
"But clipslips surely you will not expose clipslips your wife to the inconveniencies of life in that country," said another.
"She has had her choice, but prefers hardships with clipslips me to life without me," proudly returned Montfort.
"A willful man must have his way," murmured one who had not yet spoken, &clipslips quot;and I will give you three months to stay in the land clipslips of savages before you will be returning to clipslips us bag and baggage."
"Well," laughed Montford, "we shall see."
Twilight had fallen now, and Montfort bared his head to the refreshing sea breeze which