The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-05-13
From the Beacer of Taste.

REVOLUTIONARY ANECDOTES. The follow
ing anecdote is related by soldier who was
stationed at Staten Island, where there was
scarcity of provisions. He, with three COM
rades. managed to leave the island in boat, on
a foraging excursion; but, being observed,
they were followed by another party, and were
seen to kill couple of calves, not far in the
country. The slaughtered animals were cut
to pieces for easier conveyance, and the quar-
tiers placed in the barge. On coming to the
shore of the island, they first noticed the other
boat in pursuit. Three of the foragers sprang
out and 1un away, to avoid punishment; but
the person who related the fact to me, contriv-
ed to bury himself under the yet warm meat.
The pursuers landed close along aside, and set
off after the fugitives; in the mean time, the
secreted emerged from his hiding and succeed
ed in removing the booty to safe place of con-
cealment. The rest escaped detection, and
subsequently had an opportunity to feast with
much relish upon the supplies obtained through
80 much peril and art.
The next is comical circumstance, that &C.
CURED in one of the ports near Boston. A ne
gro had been brought into the service, and
could not well be spared from regular duty as a
sentinel, because of the want of sufficient
forces but though his patriotism and honesty
were undoubted, the officers in command had
but little confidence in his judgment on militia
~ affairs. In the course of the first watch, an
officer, to test his faithfuness, walked round,
and was challenged in the usual form-who
comes ders " friend -" friend stand, advance
without arms and glib ur count'sign." The
ceremony being thus passed, the officer spoke
we'll of the blacks gun, and asked to look at it !;
to which the unsuspecting sentry consented,
and he even felt no alarm in seeing the officer
walk off with it very quietly. He was imme-
diately arrested fot negligence, in delivering
up his gun while on duty. When it next came
TO his turn to stand sentry, the same officer
went out to examine, and went through the
same formality as before, when he said, +" cuff,
him dis time" " But where is it :" "You'll
no take him massa, an hab me put under guard"
Mo- cuff, no, | won't take it )" Den here he be,
massa," walking up to pretty large cannon,
and pulling out the wooden block with which
the mouth was stopped, " here he be massa, all
safe, he, he, he, he,' exhibiting his pearl pic
lures from ear to ear, "me no get catch gin,
massa." The poor fellow received an honor
able discharge from the service of liberty, and
another stood sentry in his stead.
A different affair took place during the peri
cd when Washington ard the half starved, half
clad troops were in winter quarters at Valley
Forge. A young man, not quite twenty, from
the western part of Massachusetts, was on guard
before the Generals door, marching back and
forth in the snow, on tremendous cold morn
ing. Washington came out and accosted him,
My friend, how long have you been on guard
here 2" " Nearly two hours, sir" Have you
breakfasted p " No sir " Give me your gun,
and 60 breakfast at my table" He did SO, and
the excellent Washington marched the rounds
till he returned.
q Few. Perhaps no word in the English
language is more often used when its pre-
else Specification is not understood than the
word Few. When used by those who are
speaking of large sums of money or large
bodies of men, it is frequently supposed to
mean number considerably smaller than
the whole, tho that number may be, alb.
stractly considered, quite large. In this
sense, the Incorporate man drinks but fe,o
glasses Of rum iii week the vicious man
commits only .teD crimes the profane
man utters only a .teaC oaths; and the bank
Yupt loses his liberty because he owes only
q feu dollars more than he can pay. Why
such latitudinous construction should be
given TO 80 plain and simple a word we
cannot conceive, especially as its meaning
has been formally defined, by vote Of a
town in legal town meeting assembled, in
the heart Of this ancient and honorable
Commonwealth. As some Of our readers
may not have heard Of this decision, we will