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Cooper, James Fenimore, 1789-1851

"Oak Openings"

The study of these
traits became a subject of great interest with us, for we now
travelled in company the rest of our journey. The elder lady, or
"grandma," was the Margery of our tale; still handsome, spirited,
and kind. The younger matron was her daughter and only child, and
"sis," another Margery, and Dorothy, were her grandchildren. There
was also a son, or a grandson rather, Ben, who was on Prairie Round,
"with the general." The "general" was our old friend, le Bourdon,
who was still as often called "General Bourdon," as "General Boden."
This matter of "generals" at the West is a little overdone, as all
ranks and titles are somewhat apt to be in new countries. It causes
one often to smile, at the East; and no wonder that an Eastern habit
should go down in all its glory, beneath the "setting sun." In
after-days, generals will not be quite as "plenty as blackberries."
No sooner did Mrs. Boden, or Margery, to use her familiar name,
learn that we were the very individual to whom the "general" had
sent the notes relative to his early adventures, which had been
prepared by the "Rev. Mr. Varse," of Kalamazoo, than she became as
friendly and communicative as we could possibly desire.


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