Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-08-21
THE CRANBERRY PASTURE.

Mexico Read and blush ~ rtbHHe'
From Ire ChiIi's Friend.
THE CRANBERRY PASTURE.
"NVhat is the matter with your eye,
Frank " said his father to a stout, frolic-
somc-looking Toy about twelve years Of age.
"Only a little bruise. father; nothing of
consequence. But we have had prime fun
this afternoon, and given it pretty well to the
MeXicans."
"Wfat do yor meant" said his father,
-" hope you have not been fighting"
81 will tell you, father, all about it; but
suppose you will hear Of it, at any rate, for
Mr.. Lucas, the Abolitionist, says he means
to come and tell you the whole story, and
you had better know the truth beforehand"
"Well Frank" said his father, 81 hope
YOU will tell me the whole truth for this |
know, | shall hear it from Mr.. Lucas"
".You see, father, we boys som Of us
went yesterday afternoon to the Cranberry
Pasture, which you know you had a dispute
about with Mr.. Brown, and which you took
possession of this Spring, by putting a fence
round it.. You know that little nook in it,
which you said you ought to have too, and
that it really belonged to the pasture, but
which Mr.. Brown, who once owned the whole,
says is still his. and that he will not give it
up, and that Mr.. Flint cheated him out of the
rests well. you see, when we went up there,
and saw how awkward it looked, we thought
we would Just put up some stakes round this
little nook, Just as YOU had ronNd the rest of
the pasture, and notch your initials on them
10 see what old Brown would say, and call
il ours. And when autumn comes, we can
gather all the cranberries for Mr.. Flint. of
whom you had the pasture, says, it ought in
fact TO be yours, and that he always called it
his and gathered the cranbcrries if he could,
but that Mr.. Brown was obstinate about it,
and would not give it up. While we were
putting up the stakes yesterday, we heard
Mr.. Browns boys. the little darkies, or
Brownies. as we call them, calling out 10 us
TO go off of their ground, as they called it,
but we only laughed at them, and said it was
our land and not theirs, and dared them 10
come on TO it, or to touch US, or move the
stakes which we were putting up. They
looked at us, but kept their distance, and
said nothing, but they went oil and called
the boys from the next house, their cousins
you know, and then we saw all their woolly
heads put together planning what they should
do TO us. We came home soon after we had
possession, determining that we would
90 to-day in force, and give them a 1ogging
If they dared to touch the post we had put
down. So we all five went to-day, after
school, and there we found all eight of the
Brownies on the ground. All the stakes
were pulled up, and there they were with
sticks ready TO fight us if we com on to
their ground, as they called it. Well, you
see, father, there was nothing for us to do
but to defend ourselves. We could not help
fighting, so we chose John captain, and
called ourselves the Americans, and the
Brownies the Mexicans, and we went at it
like good fellows. Wegot sticks as well as
they but though there were only five of us,
and eight Of them, we had the advantage of
them, for we took care to keep ourselves cool,
and we lodged their blows, and took care to
hit them on their heads, and on their arms,
so as to disable them, but they got mad, and
you know they are all rather small, and don't
know how 10 fight, and then people of their
color are used to being belten, and at last
they began TO run, and then we chased them
10 the ditch that runs all round their fathers
little farm, and they were so frightened that
only two or three of the strongest of them
stopped to jump over; all the rest tumbled
headlong in, and there we left them foun-
dering in the mud. You never saw any
thing look SO funny as they did. Then we
put up our stakes again, and cam home in
triumph. John was as brave as Julius
Caesar; he fought with two or three of them
at a time; Tom lost one of his front teeth in
the fight, by a stone, and he feels rather fool
ish; but we have had a glorious time, and
have shown that w are brave fellows and
are worthy of the name of true Americans"
Mr.. - heard his son all through with
out interrupting him. At last when he had fin
ished, he asked him if he thought he had done
right 10 these poor coiored boys. Frank did not
reply for some time. At last he said, "Fa-
Their, | should not think you would say we
had done wrong. You know you said you
thought that the Americans were right in
going into the Mexican territory and taking
possession Of it, and that you were glad that
they had taken Matamoros, aud that you
thought that the man who Illuminated his
office on the night when we heard of the vic
tory, showed his patriotism. We were only
playing a Mexican War; those coiored boys
are towards just like the AleXicans, and we
ought to be brave like the Americans. You
have often said that we ought to have that
nook in our cranberry pasture, and that we
should never have any peace with Mr.. Brown
till he gave it up. You know that whenever
we went to pick cranberries we always got
into a quarrel with the boys; for it was very
veXatious to hear them say that you have no
right to any of the pasture, for that it was
stolen from Them in short, father, l think
you ought to praise us for what we have done,
We have settled the difficulty forever, |
guess; for | don't believe they will venture
to NEEDLE with US any more; and you can
have the whole field if you will for your own,
and upon your w terms"
Franks father was silent; the most I'M
principled men will sometimes shudder when
see the hateful form of their own sins
in their children. IIa saw that by taking
possession Of questionable property he had
his children to disregard the rights of
that by approving of the Mexican
War, he had given his boys lesson in in
Justice, meanness and cruelty, and he felt
any censure from him would have no
upon his SON. lie knew not what to
say, and was silent. Presently CAPTAIN John
came in with various bruises on his face, and
Tom with his handkerchief to his mouth to
hide the loss of a tooth. They saw their IA
Their look displeased, and were aware that the
afternoons story had been related to him.