ohn (Miss E. Westray).
ADELA, Wood, Mrs. Wm. (Miss J. Westray).

SHE WOULD BE A SOLDIER,

or; the

PLAINS OF CHIPPEWA

ACT I.

SCENE I. _A Valley with a neat Cottage on the right, an Arbour on the
left, and picturesque Mountains at a distance._

_Enter from the cottage, JASPER and JENKINS._

JENKINS. And so, neighbour, you are not then a native of this village?

JASPER. I am not, my friend; my story is short, and you shall hear it.
It was my luck, call it bad or good, to be born in France, in the town
of Castlenaudary, where my parents, good honest peasants, cultivated a
small farm on the borders of the canal of Midi. I was useful, though
young; we were well enough to live, and I received from the parish
school a good education, was taught to love my country, my parents, and
my friends; a happy temper, a common advantage in my country, made all
things easy to me; I never looked for to-morrow to bring me more joy
than I experienced to-day.

JENKINS. Pardon my curiosity, friend Jasper: how came you to leave your
country, when neither want nor misfortune visited your humble dwelling?

JASPER. Novelty, a desire for change, an ardent disposition to visit
foreign countries. Passing through the streets of Toulouse one bright
morning in spring, the lively drum and fife broke on my ear, as I was
counting my gains from a day's marketing. A company of soldiers neatly
dressed, with white cockades, passed me with a brisk step; I followed
them through instinct--the sergeant informed me that they were on their
way to Bordeaux, from thence to embark for America, to aid the cause of
liberty in the new world, and were commanded by the Marquis de la
Fayette. That name was familiar to me; La Fayette was a patriot--I felt
like a patriot, and joined the ranks immediately.

JENKINS. Well, you enlisted and left your country?

JASPER. I did. We had a boisterous passage to America, and endured many
hardships during the revolution. I was wounded at Yorktown, which long
disabled me, but what then? I served under great men, and for a great
cause; I saw the independence of the thirteen states acknowledged, I was
promoted to a sergeancy by the great Washington, and I sheathed my
sword, with the honest pride of knowing, that I had aided in
establishing a powerful and happy republic.

JENKINS. You did well, honest Jasper, you did well; and now you have the
satisfaction of seeing your country still free and happy.