Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-11-04
A Story Of Tea. Pots.

E the island found q melancholy destitutiol
of all those little comforts and convenience
Of life that John Bull and his wife know
so little how to dispense with. Miserable
quarters, every article of furniture scarc'
. and bad, the most common utensils fo
cookery unattainable, and such wretchee
shops, that you left hope at the door wher
you stepped over the threshold. In short
the shifts to which they we're put were
often so ludicrous, that the laugh they goi
at their own expense was the only conso
lation they had in their misery. But Of
all the wants that afflicted their souls, meme
fell SO heavily Oh their spirits as the wan,
of tea-pots. Fancy any family in Great
Britain without teapot! Probably such
an anomaly does not exist; but here there
were three or fou. egiments-several hun
dreds Of wretched Christians-without a
teapot amongst them. But we are wrong
when We say without u tea-pot-there was
one teapot, a silver one, piece of family
plate that the owner had brought out with
her to be used on grand occasions. But
what a life it led and what life its
mistress led! 1t was certainly a grand
thing to be the possessor of the only tea
pot oa the island-the position was i'm
posing; but the glory, like many other
glo.ies, was onerous in the extreme, and
many day poor Mrs R was induced
to wish that she had hid her light under a
bushel, rather than have exposed herself
to be eternally pestered for the loan of the
teapot Besides, i, could not satisfy all
their wants when Mrs. A had it,
Mrs. B was obliged to go without it !;
and when Mrs. c. sent for it, she was
too often told that Mrs. DIS maid had
just carried it away. Then of course it
only circulated amongst the officers fam
lilies the unfortunate soldiers wives had
not even the consolation Of hoping to have
turn out of it-they knew that the thing
existed, but that was all-they never so
much as got glimpse Of it.
Such was the condition of the commu-
nifty, when, one fine morning. q small
harbor. 1t was a country vessel, as ap-
peared by the rigging and as they seldom
brought anything that was useful to the
unfortunate exiles, there was not much to
be hoped from it. However, as the small
est triAe would have been acceptable, as
the beggars say, Colonel C. desired
one of his sergeants to 60 down to the
quay, and inquire what they had on board.
Picture to yourself, reader, what must have
been the feelings of Sergeant l., on
being informed by the captain that they
were freighted with tea-pots!
"What have you got?" said he.
"Tea-pots said the captain.
"You'll have plenty of custom, then,
my fine fellow" said the sergeant, and
away he flew to spread the news. ats
the most providentialist thing" be OBJ
served, "that ever happened" and indeed,
SO thought everybody.
The blessed intelligence ran like Wild
FIRE. In ten minutes, every woman in the
garrison, high and low, and every bachelor
that wanted to make comfortable cup of
tea for himself, might be seen rushing |
across the esplanade towards the quay pell- |
NELL, all hurried and anxious, pushing and
driving, each afraid of being last, lest the
supply, being limited, should be exhausted |
before all wants were satisfied
(Which is the ship! ?" cried chorus of |
eager voices to Sergeant l., who,
flushed with conscious Importance, headed
the procession.
"This is her," said be, as he STEPPED on |
to the deck Of the little trader, accom-
panied by as many of his followers as could
6nd footing, whilst the less fortunate candi.
dates gathered to the side as close as they
could, all with one voice vociferating
I" Tea-pots! tea-pots show us the tea
pots!w
"Tes-pots!" echoed the captain, nod
ding his head afirmatively.
"Where are the tea-potsY' We all want
cried the English.
"Tea-pots I" said the captain, with
smile and bow-and the crew repeated
.fter him tea-pots !"
But, by this time, the extraordinary
had drawn to the shore, amongst
other spectators of the scene, certain
Italian cook, who happening to have a
both of En- ylish and Roamic,
stepped forward to offer his services as in
terpEeter. |
"He says he's fre;ghted with tea-po.s,"
said Sergeant L.; edo make him pro-
duce them"
"What have you brought" said the
cock to the captain.
"Tea-pots p replied the captain.
"Ah," said the cook, turning to the
AZ l. a..