Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-04-29

week on beef, pudding, and sucl, aaAe , lussy
eIa;nties They Pirouet and klGadoon)
Hid likewise hold out hopes Of an easy con-
1,,,asts. forasnu,eh as the Gothaplltes were as.
vet bat little versed in the mystery ana SCI
s ence Of handling the legs, and beng ,. more
over. like unto that notable Duly o. an'l-
ouity. Achilles, most vulnerable to al at
facLs on the heel, would doubtless surren-
der at.fhe very first assault. Whereupoin,
on the hearingof this INSPIRING council
the Hoppingtots did set up a prodisious
Great cry of Joy, shook their heels IN trl'
umph. and were all impotence to dance On
TO Gotham and take it-by storm.
The cunning Pirouet and the arch caitln
.Rigadoon, knew full we'll how TO proht OF
this enthusiasm. They forthwith did order
every man to arm himself with certain
pestilent little weapon, called a ilddie--to
pack UP in his knapsack a pair OF silk brsech-
es, the like of ruiRes, a cooked hat IN the
form of half moon, 4 bundle OF cat-gut--
and inasmuch as in marching 70 Gotham
the army might, peradventure, be smltten
with scarcity of provisions, they e,a &C
count il proper that each man should take
esnecial care to carry with him bunch OF
RIGHT merchantable onions. Having pro-.
claimed these orders by sound OF hddIe,
they {pirouet and -Rigadoon) did accord
inpIy put their army behind ttlefnf and
striking up the right jolly and sprlghttpl
tame OF ca Ira, away they all capesed TO-
wards the devoted city OF Gotilan, with
most horrible and appalling chattsging OF
voices.
OF their first appearance before the be
Ieapuered town, and OF the various Difficult
ties which did encounter them IN Their
march, this history saith not, beng. that
other matters OF more weighty import re-
sa,,ire TO be written When that the army
of the Hoppingtots did peTegrinate within
sight Of Gotham, and the people OF the city
did behold the viliainoas and hitherto IN.
seen capers and Grimaces, winch they did
make, most horrifck panic was stirred aP
among the citizens I; and the sagcs OF the
town fell into great dependency and trlbti-
lation, as surprising that these invaders
were of the race Of the Iig-hees, who did
make men iato balloons, when they aci1ley-
ed a conquest over them. The sages, there
fore, called upon all the dancing men and
dancing women, and exhorted them vita
great rehemency Of speech, 70 make nee!
against the invaders, aud to put themselves
upon such a gallant defence, such glorious
array, and such sturdy evolution, eieva-
ton, aud transposition Of the foot as might
incontinently inpester the legs OF the Hop
pingtots, and produce eheir complete dis
comGture. But SO it did happen by great
mischance, that divers light-heeled youth
Of Gotham (naore especially taose who are
descended from three wise men 50 renoWn-
ed OF yore, for having most venturesomely
.voysged over sea in a bowl were from time
TO time captured and inyeigled into the
camp Of the enemy /; where beng footishiy
caioled and treated for a season VITA out
Iandish disports and pleasanFries. they were
sent back to their friends, entirely changed,
legencratcd, aud turned topsy-turvy; m
somuch that they thought thenceforth OF
nothing but their heels, always essaying TO
thrust them into the most manifest point OF
.yiew-and, in a word, as might truly be
affirmed, did forever after walk upon their
heads, outright.
And the Hoppingtots did, day by day,
and at late hours Of the night, wax inore
and more urgent in this their investment OF
the city. At one time they would, in good :.
" procession, make ali open assault By
sound Of fiddle, in tremendous contra
dance-and anon they would advance by
little detachments and maneuvre to take the
town by figuring in cotillions. But truly
their most cunning and devilish craft and
subtlitv was made manifest in their strepu-
Gus and pestilent dance called the Ialtz.--
This, in good truth, Was q potent auxlila-