Litchfield enquirer., 1833-08-29
To the Edi,o, of the Ns~-York Daily Adver,i.sr

'
 Part LaHd part sUaterbnf aH steonn, July IA, ,ls33 Dear Sir-Ever since I wrote tO you from 1 DowningvilIe that plagy long letter. I hant writ one letter, except for the President, SD al the accounts you have seen since are pack of lies. thought would wait to see what they would say about the Ginrral's going home so sudden, and the cause ont, before 1 telrd you all about it. Now this is the hull on't-You remember telrd you we were all going that night tO quiltin at Unkle Josh's, we'll we did go, and we had a great time ont you may depend. But it ended in trouble, and split all our folks np into kindlin wood.- Arter the quiltin they cleared away the kiver- lids. and knOck'd up dance. The Gineral led off the DeacOn's dater and afore he got half down, he began tO smoke. So he off coat, and at it agin and went clean through. I kept my eye on MT. Van Buren. who was not dancing then. hut was ready to cut in, in case the Gineral giS 0ut. As soon as this dance
 was over, he sliped round and whispered some thin to the fiddler, and then told the folks he'd like to show em a new dance. Cass and
 Woodburry and all nn us ran off to git part ners, and all made for the Deacon's dater, for she was as spruce and as fine as a fiddle; but she was engGged so Mfr. Fan Burem. That critur, 1t seems, had secured her for the 2d dance, whilst we were all at dinner talking politics. We had all been drinkn putty con- siderable of 'switchel and cider and egg pop, with little New England in it. and felt good natur'd and wrathy just as 1t turned up, and came plagy nigh having fight right off-for didn't kinder like that move of Mr. Van Bu- ren's. However, he was so good natur'd thought wouldn't spile sport seing was to hum, and they all strangers; the Gineral tell'd
 me to let him alone, and he'd put things to rights-sure enuf, he work'd round. and put all the folks in a ring, so there was'nt no top! nor no bOttom-they were all kinder headan1s kinder tail. Now, says he, I'll call the figers,s and the fiddle began. and such caperen you never see-' First dance to your partners" says he-and at it they went, he all the while fgerin in the middle with the deacon's dater.
 Aher shuiflin away at this, the tune changed, and he called out < change partners and shuf- file the uext." And so they chang'd and shuf- fled and changed, one after another, till each one danced clean round the ring. |" Now" says he. ''all hands round-turn partners half rOund-cross over with swing-back agin- right and left-riggledown and shuttle ;" and you never see sich snarl-there warnt one on um had the partner he started with. Un- kle Josh, who led off old Miss Sprague, Seth's mother, had got Zekil Bigelow's youngest da- ter; Sargent Joel was dancing with the Dra- con and Cass and Woodburry stood back to back shufflin to no body; and there was that critur, Mr..Van Bdren. with the Deacon's da- ter. shayin it down, right along side the fid- dser. clcaa~Sp head. and just then he twitch- ed the bow out of the fddler's hand, and gin it draw over candle, and that put step to the music for that night. The GineraI snorted. Says he, {" Major, tell'd you he'd put things strait. Tis just so in my Cabinet. He is q master critnr to put things to rights there ;-and when we all got in that plagy snarl there, he cut and shuffled them up, and af"re you could say Jack Robinson, all the troublesome fellers were shuffled out" -" He is master hand at it," says I, sure enuf." As there was an eend of the dance, all the
 gals of shoes and stoekins and went hum, case it was kinder nudity; and we all went to the tavern, and the Gineral went to bed.- We all then began to plan for the next day, but some of the folks was ,plagy crusty.-- Seth Sprague wanted to show his School House; Zekil Bigelow wanted all on us to go to his packin yard and the Deacon said he would like to show his fullin mill and give a Kinder ihanksgiven; but nothin seem'd to go right. We concluded to call the Gineral, and sO | went in. but he was so sound asleep thought it wouldn't do to wake him, so for a kinder sport, brought out his hat and coat 1 ana hikkOry. Now, says I. this is all can getOf Inc Gineral to night, and we'll all try oneand whoever they fit best. shall decide whals to be- done-and we put Zekil in the chair as moderator. Woodbnrry was just go- in to take off his coat. when Zekil and nigh 1 upon all on en, said he carried leetle too much >blubber, and he stood aside and didn't l try at all. Cass of coat and put on the Gin
 erals. and it fitted him to hair; hut the Gin
 erals hat was leeile too small for him. MT.
 Van Buren's turn came next. As soon as he
 put on the coat. he rig on his toes; hut it
 would not do--it kiyered him to his heels, and
 the hat fell right on his shoulders and you
 couldn't see nothin on, earth Of him. How
 does that look Zekil !" says he. Why says
 ZekiL it looks plagy curious Is the coal
 too long or am too short r says MT. Van
 Burep. Well don't know exactly which
 says ZekiI, I'll think ont to rights That's right Zekil' says I don't commit yourself' and
 then they all kinder suickersd; and the laugh went agin Mr. Van Bnren. "Now. my
 friends,' says MT. Vau Bnren, '.one word and I'm done-it is not. and never has beer
 and never will be, my wish to 1t the coa and hat eroctly, hut think that whoevel
 wears either, should be least seen." Well says Zekil, 'tthat's my notion too" and tha t kinder turned the laugh tother way.
 ;. Then cum my turn-but see how the ca
 jump'd. so says I. "Tll just step out and ri :. in another room," snd I went strait tO th' gineTal. and woke him up. and telFd him al