Delaware State journal, advertiser and star. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1832-1833, 1833-07-19
GREAT UPROAR IN DOWN
NEVILLE.

Letter from Major Dovning's Cousin
Nabby to the editor of the Portland
Courier.
Respectable Sir:-
AS cousin Jack is always SO
nifty bulge in writing letters 10 you, and
as he and the President has showed us
most provoking trick and run off like a
stream of chalk back to Washington
without coming here after they had pro-
missed over and over again that they
would come, and we had got all slicked
up and our clean gownds on, and more
GOOD victuals cooked, then there ever
was in all Downingville before, | say,
Mr.. Editor, declare it's tn bad; we are
all as mad as blazes about it, and | IN can
10 write and tell you all about it if live
an if cousin Jack don't like it he may
lump it, so there now.
We see cousin Jack writ to US that he
and tho President and some more gentle.
men should be here the 4th July, and we
must spring to it and brush up and see
fine things we could show to the Presi-
dent. This was Saturday before the
4th July come Thursday letter
was to uncle Joshua, the Post Master
Most all the folks in Downingville were
at the Post Office waiting when the male
come in, for we expected to hear from
Jack.
Uncle Joshua put on specttacles and
opened the male and hauled out the pa
pers and letters i'll buncn. In minute
/ see one to Uncle Joshua with the Prcsi
dentists name on the outside; so | knew
i, was from Jack. for the President al
WAYS puts his name on Jacks letters
We all cried out TO Uncle Joshua to opel
it and let us know what was in it. Blu
he's SIGH provoking odd old man hi
wouldn't touch it til. he got every one o
the papers and letters sorted and put W
in their places. And then he took it anc
sat down in his arm chair, and took gu
his tobacker box and took chew Of TO
hacker, and then he broke open the sea
and sot, chawed, and lead to himself, W,
all stood tiptoe with our hearts in gu
mouths; and he must needs read it owe
to himself three times chawing his oil
ouid and once in a while giving us
knowing wink before he would tell u
what was in it. And he wouldn't tell u
after all, but, says he, you must all
ready TO put the best side out Thursda
mornings; thcrc'll be business TO attcn
to, such as Downingvile never seen b.
fore.
At that we all cut and run, and SIGH
bubbub as we were in from that time Ii
Thursday morning guess you ncv
see. Such washing and scrubbin
and making new clothes and mendir
old ones and bkaing and cooking. Eve
thing seemett TO be in acultter all over Il
neiphborhood. Sergent Jo'e flew aroui
like a ravin-distracted rooster. He c;
led out his company every morning beio
sunrise and marched 'em up and dov
the road three hours every day. He sc
to Il C store and got whole new set
buttons and had 'em sowed on to his i
pimental coat, and had a new piece OF II
put around the color. And had h
trowsers washed and his boots grccse
and looked as though he Nigh take t
shine off Of most any thing. But the gre
test rumpus was at Uncle Joshua's; (
they said the Presidentmust stay there
night. And aunt Keziah was in such
quicker to have every thing nice, did,
know but she would fly off the handle.
She had every part Of the house was
ed from garnet TO cellar, and the floors
sanded, and bunch Of green bushes |
into ali the fire places. And She bal
three ovens full of dried punkin pies,
sid afew dried hucklcberry pies. and C;
and a great pot OF pork and beans
But the worst trouble was to tx up
bed SO as to look nice; for aunt kez
declared the President should have
good nights lodging in her house as
had in New York or Boston. so
put on two feather beds on top the stI
bed. and bran new calico quilt that
made the first summer after she was N
ried and never put it on bed before
And to make it look as nice as the \
York beds, she took her red silk SC
and riDned il up and made a blanket