Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1855-08-16

THE DUTCHMAN AND THE RAKE:
AN INCIDENT OF THE BURNING OF KINGSTON.
Hendrick Jansen, or Du,ch Henry, as he
wss more lsmiliarly called by his neighbors,
was a short, ia. dumpy little Du'cbmsn
with a face and head which the disciples Of
Lsvaler and Spu,zhe;m, would have pro-
nounced as very indicative Of en- over wcen-
ing fondncss Of the creature comforts Of this
life, and grea, lack Of those "anterior de.
velopmenis of the brain" which are so es-
senlially necessary TO proper balance Of
the mental machinery. Moreover, bis gas
powers were made manifested by
aA little round belly,
Which shook when he laughed like bowl full
of jelly"
and gave evidence of The fact, ,hs, if he did
not pay much attention TO the foil Develop
men. Of his reasoning fscullies, he certainly
did 10 that mex. bes, and mos, importsn, or.
gan in the human economy, the stomach.
Hendrck was a very self concei.ed little
Dutchman, gsrrulous wi.hsI, and the exci.-
ing topics of me day furnished him with a.
bundsn. material on which 10 exercise his
abilities as debaier.
or course, such distinguished individu-
al essay ed to be a leader, and many were
the conversations which, according to his
story, he had held with jay, Livingston. ond
others wherein he had endesvored TO show
these gentlemen, the folly OF the course
which Congress was pursuing in the con-
duct Of The war and those gentlemen were
fully informed Of The course he would pur-
cue if The country had had The bene6. Of bic
talents in lis councils. So ardent was Hem
drick in his advocacy of The principles for
which the republicans were con,ending, that
he devoted the greater portion of his time
in explaining those principles and descan''
ing upon The merits of the movements Of
The respective armies 10 the field 10 The
group Of idlers usually collected about the
porch Of The village tavern. 1t had been a
csuse Of wander TO some Of the villagers.
lha, ono so enthusiastic in the cause had
no, taken up arms in defense of The princi-
pies for which he professed such en- en,hu-
siaslic admission. Some malicious end
ick ed individuals had ascribed his want OF
olacri.y in answering The many and earn
est appeals of The chief for
volunteers end recruits, to . want of cour"
age on his part; bu. such aspersious were,
Of course, the offspring Of envy and malice.
Ye. Hendrlck was never able 10 give any
reason for not joining the ar
my, and whenever questioned on the sub
jec,, invariably few into passion, and be-
laboreL his questioner with his tongue, IN
most unmerclful manner. This was un-
fortunate for him, for it is q weIl-known
sxiom, that o man who loses possession OF
himself in debate. invariably finds himself
IN possession of his opponent, particularly
if the Iauer is cool. But Henry could new
er be laugh, This Huism by experience, and
his esroes, endesvors TO eoIigh'en his neigh'
bors slmos, always ended in .oneue'lash-
inR inflicted upon some unIucky wight who
had had The audsci,y to call in question
bravery and courage.
On one occasion, soon after The capture
Of Fot,s Clinton end Montgomery by Sir
Henry Clinton, when the wsr was brought,
as j, were, home 10 their very dooIs, and
they did not know al what momen. they
mioht be bouseless wsnderers, Q group Of