The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1833-06-29

10 Uncle Joshua Downing, Post Mas
ter, up ia Downingville, III the State OF
Maine. This to be seat by my old
friend, the Editor of the Portland Cour-
ier, with care and speed.
June 10, 1888. Dear
Jucle joshua: We are coming on lul
chiseI. Pve been trying ever since We
started to get a chance 10 write lt.le to
you: bot when we've been on the rode
couldn't catch my bI.ath hardly long
enough to write my name, We kept flying
50 last and when we made any stop
there was such jam round Us there was
mt elbow room enough Tor miskeeter TO
turn round without knocking his wings off,
I'm most afraid W.T. shall get to Down
lngville before this letter does, 50 that we
shall be likely TO catch you all IN the suds
uelore you tuink OF il. But understand
there is a. fast mail goes on That way, and
| mean 10 send it by that, SO Pm in hopes
you'll get Il time enough to have the chii-
dren's iaCes washed aud seir heads comb
ed, and the gals get on their clean gowns.
And if Sergeant Joel could have Time G.
nough TO call out my old Downingvile
Company, aud get their uniform brushe d
up little, and come down the road as
Tar as your new barn to meet US, there's
nothins that would please the President
better. AS for victuals, most any thing
wont come amiss ; we are as hungry as
bears alter travelling hundred miles a
day. A little flied pork and eggs, or a
DOT of baked beans and an Indian pudding,
would suit US much better than the soft
stuff they give us here in these great cit
les.
When we got to Baltimore we found
Black Hawk little, old, dried up Indian
king. And thought the folks looked at
ann and The prophet about as much as
they did at me and the President. lgave
the President wink that this Indian iel-
low was taking the shine oil OF US little,
80 we concluded we wouldn't have him IN
aur company any more, and shall go OH
without him.
1 cant stop to tell you in this letter how
we got along in Philadelphia, though we
had pretty easy time some OF the way
IN the steamboats,. They took US up into
a great hail this morning as big as a meet
ing house, and then the folks began tt
pour in by thousands to shake hands will
the president iederaliSts and all, 1t made
no difference. There was such astrean
of 'em coming in that the hall was full in |
few minutes, and it was so Jammed ul
round the door that they couldn't get ou
again if they were to die. So they had t.
knock out some of the windows and e
out tother way.
The President shook hands with all hi:
might an hour or two, till he got SO tired
that he couldn't hardly stand it. ltook
hold and shook Tor him once in while to
help him along, but at last he got SO tired
he had to lay down on soft bench Gov
cred with cloth, and shake as well us he
could, and when he couldn't shake he'd
nod to 'em as they come along. And al
last he got so beat out, he couldn't only
wrinkle his forward and wink. Then they
concluded it was best TO adjourn for today
Aud I've made out to get away up into
the garret in the tavern long enough t'
write this letter. We shall be off tomcr,
row or next day for New York, and ifl
can possibly get breathing time enough
there shall write you again.
Give my love to all the folks IN Down
ngville, and believe me your loving netiu,
| MAJOR JACK DOWNING.
L