The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1833-07-20
MAJOR JACK DOWNING.

GREAT UPRoAR IN N-DOwNINGviLLE. Let
ter from MAJOR D6wning's Cousin Nab
by to the editor OF the Portland Cour-
ier.
Respectable Sir: As cousin Jack is
always so nifty bulge in writing letters to
you, and as he aud the President ha.
showed US most provoking trick ana
run off like a stream Of chalk back ~
Washington without coming here, after
they had promised over and over agln
that they would come and we had got all
slicked up and our clean gownds OIL, and
more good victuals cooked than there ev-
er wss in all Downingvile before, say,
MIR. Editor, it's tn bad; we are all as mad
as blazes about it, and if cousin Jack don't
like it he may lump it, SO there now.
You sec cousin Jack writ to US that he
and the President and some more gentle
men should be here the 9TH Of July, and
we must spring toit and brush up and. see
how smart we could look and how many
fine things we could show to the Pres-
dent. This was Saturday before the
4th of July come Thursday. The let
ter was to Uncle Joshua, the Post Master.
Most all the folks in Downingvill were al
the Post Office waiting when the mail
come in, for we expected to hear from
Jack.
Uncle Joshua put on his spectacles and
opened the mail and hauled out the pa
pers and letters IN a bunch. In mint
see one to Uncle Joshua with the Presi-
dents name on the outside so knew i,
was from Jack, for the President always
puts his name on Jacks letters. But he's
such a provoking odd old man he wouldn't
touch it till he got every one ofthe papers
and letters sortt and put up ia their pla-
ces. And then he took it, and sot down
in his arm chair ,and took out his tobacker
box and took chaw Of tobacker, and
then he broke open the seal and sot and
chawed and read to himself We all stood
tiptoe with our hearts in our mouths, and
he must needs read il over to himselfthree
times chawing his old cud and once in a
while giving US n knowing wink before he
would tell US what was in it. And he
woud'n, tell US arter all, but, says he,
you must all be ready to put the best sid'
out Thursday morning there'll be busi-
ness to attend to, such as Downingville
never see before.
At that we all cut and run, and such a
hubbub as we were in from that time till
Thursday l guess you never see. Such
a washing and scrubbing and making new
clothes and mending old ones and baking
and cooking. Every thing seemed to be
in clutter all over tho neighborhood.. =
Sargent Joel flew round like ravln-dis-
tracted rooster. He called out his COM
pany every morning before sunrise and
marched 'em up aud down the road three
hours every day. He sent to the store
aud got a whole new set OF buttons and
had 'cm sowed on his regimental coat, ,and
had new piece of red put round the col
lar. And had his trowses washed, and
his boots gressed, and looked though he
might take the shine of OF most any thing
But tho greatest rumpus was ut Uncir
jo-hua's for thoy said the PresidenI
rusl stay there ali night. And aunt he
l,"i was IN such pucker To- have ever,
mag n'ce, did'nt know but she woald
iiy oft tho handle.
She had every part octhe house washed