Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-01-31

some
.s,;.r the Safety Fund cups too strung around
ne table. and all on EN- understandln the game
u w mon as well as Mr. Van Buren-and then
Ne, brino in the ~party cups too-and such a
IN and hocus pocus work, never see afore
- nv horn days--n looking sometimes wouldn't
hat Il had head on my shoulders lit beats all
natur, says |.
Now Major, says the Ginefals suppose you try
= aoin: and so, as got my hand in, played it
over or 8 times leetle better, and the Gneral
couldn't see the trick no way; for when I'd find
him watchin plagy close, I'd spread the cups as
far as could reach, and talk about Glory"
ike all rath and tell about the peoples beginnin
10 think that some folks was outwittin the Cine
raj. and that Congress wouldn't go home afore
they Git all the public counts sifted, and the
neople's money back agin under their control,
and as the Gineral couldn't no way keep his eye
on all the cups at once, I'd hocus pocus agin
The Gineral couldn't see into it, and he rub'd
his specs more than twenty times but that didn't
pit the dust out of his eyes, and then turn'd to
and explained all know'd aboutit to the Glneral,
and he tried it; and after good many slips,
pretty much as Major Barry did when ne tried
IL he got along pretty well, considering. Now,
Major, says the Gineral, suppose we Try it with
one cup, and put all the balls under 1t, and see
how the game works that way. | think, says
the GineraE if you can outwit me then, | may
as we'll quit Well, says |, Gineral, that was
Jest my notion too; and teild our folks, and
offer'd to bet any on EN- they couldn't git a sim
gle ball out or git piece of paper in the place
ont, without my seein it if they ony used one
cup, and not one on 'en would take me up; and
I've tried it, but it won't work with one cup.
YOU must have good string on 'em. Some of
our folks said. they could fix a cup so as to play
the game with it; but they couldn't with plain
single cup-and seein that stump'd 'em about
the single cup they are all at work now in all
tho c11nx wifi IN
and screws, and slides, and holes inside ont
Well, Major, says the Gineral, don't like to
have dust thfow'd in my eyes, and never did
like this kind of hocus p0clts work; | never I'M
derstand it; and don't like this kind of nickre-
NANCY OF fnaRcy-and it amt TO my fancy at
any rate, Major, and it shan't be, that Pm de-
term'd upon: and list then in come hulfraft of
our folks from Congress, to tell the Gineral what
was goin on there; and as had this letter to
write to you went into the next room, and
whilst was writin it, I'd hear the Gineral once
and a while stornain away about that plagy
game of " fnancyn and "ntchremancy"
mThere won't be q dollar left" says the Cine
ral ito pay the old sogers their pensions, II we
don't put a stop to this game" and then they
all got to blusterin, I" and we must" and I'VE
mustn't do this and that" Ohio, thinks |, when
folks talk Of aoe its time for me to take hand;
and list as was goln to start, heard the Cine
raj roar out for me. and not knowing what was
comm liSt grabd my ak, and was alongside OF
him in a flash; and would you think it2 there was
more than fifty fellows Of our folks, and some
on EN- from Congress too all standing round in
ring, brow beatin the Gineral, and tellin him
not to do this, and not to do that and by no
means not break his cups; for, it seems, the Gil
neral had Just threatened to smash 'em; and
sure enuf, as soon as he saw me he let drive at
'em with his hickory, and he sent the cups and
balls into more than thousand bits. )" Stand
by Major" says the Gineral-never you fear me
Gineral, says I--but afore had time to spit in
my hands, the Gineral finished the war; there
warnt critter left And ever since, the Cine
raj has bin BLOWN off steam; and he haint said
word to me about having dust in my eyes, and
begin to think the Gineral finds he has had as
much in his'n as most folks and so that's all for
the present; ony I'll jist tell you its no use for
any one.to attempt now to deceive the Gineral
with new plans, and anew bank--wel have the
one we've got, made little bigger, prtty much
arter Mr.. Webster's fashion, and that meets my
notion, because the country is bigger than it
was 90 years agcAhnd there mustn't be no
nickremancy abSdtM M The Gineral says there
must be ony plain cup, and all the balls in il;
then there will be no hocus pocus without seem
the trick ont. So no more at present
From your friend,
J. DOWNING, Major,
Downingville Militia, Cd Brigade,