The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1816-04-10

"LET THOSE TINT DANCE PfY
THE FyDDLER"

THE FIDDLER."
The absurd I" claim" which the fcderalists
say the state Of Massachusetts has on The gen
cral goyetnment Tor the expense OF their s9ar
shozvs Under Capt. Gen. Strong, during The
late contest with Great. Britain, is thus sptIy
and humorously hitoF in the Boslon Patnot I:
When the Y. s. government In 1912 o.
pensd subscriptions, for the Eleven Million
Loan, the federalis,s snceringly said---" Lei
fhose fhaf dance, foy lhe fiddler" (See Gen.
,inel April as, lsi2) This adage Il very
appropriate to the present hubjec,. Mr..
MADISON, in July, 'isi4, requested Lady
l;ZsssoeAusefis to dance a short war dance
with him. The "Old Lady," being in an
unusual good humor at that mcments itom
some pleasing news shs had fecenily ieceiy-
ed or the successes of fayorite " hulwark," I"
and re collecting too she bad solemnly pro-
missed before witness TO dance with him,
whenever the British should give ball at
her own lodgings, immediately complied
with tho request; aud Mr.. MApisos, like q
ant filow, "paid the fiddler" la Sept.
1914, tho British gave stil more splend,d
ball at Castias, and Mr.. MApisoN again very
civilIy requested the Old Lady 10 dance. But
now the good lady put on her irowning lore
head, and forg getting her solemn pEomnc, alb,
solutely refused. She said, "such objection.
and COM plaints had arisen, am ong her chi'dsen
and domes,ics, at her late jig, that she was
resolved never 10 dance with him sgsia."--
But as if to show her spits the more, he had
scarcely turned his back before she won't TO
dancing alone, with an indeseribsble and be-
wi,ching grace, to the great diversion Of Mrs.
MADISON, and to the entire satisfaction of
the British, who gave the ball.
In the mean time, while she was ,hus los-
,ilv dancing, about dozen of her fooipcn
held . consultation at a neghboring tavern
with about dozen footnen of her neiehbors,
to advice the good lady what to do. Having
come to very wise agreement TO do nothing,
(only 10 get money enough OF their mistress
ses 10 pay for the grog they had drank pretty
freely,) they returned just before tho old lady
had finished her dance. AS soon as she had
got through she called three Of her chamber
maids, aud told them TO 60 10 where Mr..
MADISON was sitting, and deliver this mes
sage Sir, have done my jig. Now, sir,
be So good as to nay the fiddler. Ills only
B $4,000" Having got their errand, the
chamber maids went up towards Mo. MASs.
SON with self.complacept smile (for they
were very handsome chamber maids, espe-
cially two Of them, and thought they could
&c, the good sraees Of almost any man, hay-
ing very smooth tongues) but found unfostu-
nately he had Just received card from tho
British managers of the ball, which contained
high compliment on his style of dancing at
all the British balls he had attended, end re.
quested Of him mutual interchange Of civil
itics. And moreover, there was not one
I<C s..s - IL
Lsdy's cSncing.
The chamber maids, who had come up
just as MIR. MADIsoE had begun reading ii to
his friends, aud who saw in what good spirits
|. put them, were SO mortified, that they
could not say word to him. They however
said part of the message 10 some by-stan-
ers, (whose chief object there, was 10 catch
Mr.. MApIsoS's words and tattlc--one how
ever had halter, and wished to halter him,
but he could not get chance,) to these by
ISLANDERS they told part, with a hope that
Mr.. MADISON would overhear it, (probably
thinking what .hey should say when they 60,
back,) they wen. back one BY one, through a
dark alley, which was over shoes in dirt.
Collecting in the old lady's presence, and
rubbing the dirt off their shoes with some
Hartford waste paper, "a dear article, though
now not thought much of the handsomest
Of them, with unusual downeast looks, spake
and said" Madam, we arc back sgsio,
thsak luck. We saw the haltcr-msn and
all The way back we KEEP, feeling at our neeks,
10 be sure that all was safe. Whea We
dreamed, (for we arc 10 the habit Of dream
ing when our eyes are opeo,) We thought of
nothing but the halter.man. But we arc
back again. As 10 our crraod, when wa pot
there the thought struck Us that il was TOO
foelish TO be told. But looking round, and
seeing some who, from their vacant faces, we
thought would sympsthize with Us, We told
them i,t)e Of il. And we guess MIR. Ma.
olson overheard ii.-Madsm, we are back
again"
And to this day, the ehasnber-maids have
not done their errand. We guess when they
do it, Mr.. MADIsos will say s. Let those that
dance, pay the fiddler"