Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-07-17
GAZETTE.
GREAT UpROAR IN DOWNINGvILLE
Letter from Major Downing's Cousi" Nabby TO
The Editor of the Portland Courier.

REspEOrABLE SIR:-As cousin Jack is always
8 nifty bulge in writing letters to you, and as
he and the President has showed US most pro-
yoklns trick aud run off hke.a stream Of chalk
back to Washington without coming here, alter
they had promised over aud over again that they
would come, and we had got all sllcked up and
our clean yownds on, and more good vIctuals
cooked, than there ever was in all Downlnssllle
before, [ say, Mr.. Editor, | declare Its tn bad;
we are all as mad as biazes about il, and l mean
to write and tell you all about 1t if live, and II
cousin Jack don't like it he may lump IT, SO there
now.
Ye see cousin Jack writ TO US that he and the
President and some more gentlemen should be
l--re the 4th Of July, and we must spring to It
and brush up and see no" smart we could look
and how many fine things we could show to the
! President. This was Saturday before the 4h
Of July cume Thursday. The letter was to Un.
Gle Joshua, the Post Master. Most all the folks
m Dow ningvle were at the Post Office waiting
when the mail come in, for we expected to hear
from Jacob.
Uucle Joshua put on his spectacles and open
ed the mail aud hauled out the papers and let
,ers in bunci,. In minute see one 10 Uncle
Joshua with the Presidents name ON the outside;
SO knew it was from Jack, Tor the President
always puts his name on Jacks letters. We all
cried out to Uncle Joshua to open II and let us
know what was in II. But he's such provoking
odd.uld man he wouldn't touch II TIL he got eve
~ one Of the papers and letters sorted and put IN
their places. And then he touk II and sat down
IN his arm chair, aud TOOK out his tobdcker box
aud took chew of tobacker. and then he broke
open the seal and sot and Chawed aud read to
himself We all stood up'oe with our hearts 10
our mouths, ami he mast needs read 1t over to
himself three times, chawing his old quid aud
once in awhile giving us knowing SINK before
he would tell us what was in it And he wouldn't
tell US arter all, but, says he's you must oil be rea
DIV to put the best side out Thursday morning;
therei be business 10 attend to, such as Down-
ingyille never see before.
At that we all cut and run, and such hubbub
as w we're in from that time nil Thur sday morn.
ing guess you never see. Such a washing and
scrubbing and maN'"e new clothes and mending
old ones and baking aud cOoKIns' Every thing
seemed to be IN a chitter all over the neignUo.
hood. Sargent Joel few round like ra'ln dts
tracted rooster He>called out his company eve
~ morning before sunrise and marched 'em up
and down the road three hours every day. He
sent to the store and cot whole new set OF but.
tons and had 'em soWed on to his reglmentai
coat, and new piece Of red pu! round the col.
lar And had his trousers washed and his boots
creased. and looked AS though he might take The
shine off Of most any thing. But the greatest
rumpus was at uncle Joshua's; for they said the
President must stay there all night And aunt
Keziah was in such pucker to have every thing
nice, didn't know but she would ny oh the han
die.
She had every part Of the house washed from
oarret Ia cellar, and the fiuurs all sanded, and
.basp ut int N all the fire
A.d she baked three ovens full Of dried punkin
MES. besides few dried huckleberry pies, and
cake. and great pot of pork and beams
But the worst trouble vas TO fix up the bed, SO as
10 look nice; for aunt Kpziah declared the PIesI.
dent should have as good nights lodging IN hsr
Inns. az he had in New York or Boston. so
she pu, on Is feather beds on top the straw bed,
and b. an new calico quilt that she made the 1rst
summer after she was married and never put It
nm he'd before. Aud to make il look as nice as
rhe New York beds, she took her red silk gown,
and ripped it up and made a blanket to spread
over the top. And then she hung up some sheets
all round The bed room, aud the gals brought III
a whole handful of-roses and pinks anu pinned
'em round as thick As flies in August.
After we got things pretty mnch hxeu' uncle
Joshua started of to meet cousin Jack and the
President, and lett Sargent Joel to put matters
to rights, and told Us, we must all be ready anu
he narajed in the road by nine o'clock Thursday
morning. Well Thursday morning come, and
we all mustered as soon as it was day light and
dressed up. The children were all washed ana
had their clean aprons on and their heads COMB
ed and were nut under the schOolmarm to be pa
raded along with her scholars.
About eight o'clock all the village got together
down the road as far as uncle Joshua's new barn;
and Sargent joel told US how to staod; as he
said. in military order. He placed Bill Johnson
and cousin Ephraim out little ways 4" front
with each Of 'em great long fo"ling piece with
smart charge in to fire salute, and told 'em as
soon as the President hove in sight to let drive,
only be careful aud pint their guns up SO as not
to hurt any body Then come Sargent Joel and
his company; and then come the schoolmarm aud
the children; and then come all the women and
Gals over sixteen with aunt Keziah at the head;
and tl,sn come all the men in town that owned
bo,s.s r;d,,o nm horseback; and all the boys that