Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-07-24
THE YANKEE MAN-TRAP.


It IT y
was undeniably wishing uncharitable wishes, re.
speeding the future of certain Engfshmen, and
| ing explanatory explosives to do it with. 1t was
August the 18th, 1913, and Mr. Balch was walking
slowly homeward from the shore of New London
| county, Connecticut and as he went, he vhittIed-
The precise expressions in which he INDUCED were
! these:
"Consarn them darned Britishers to darnation -
Blame their everlastin' picters hope to gracious
| the plaugy old boat Il go slam daown with EN-,
1 sarse and all p
| Then, after pause he added:
| ''Jest as eff Inighnt a knoan they'd a done it
Efld only kept her hum till night, and crep raoand
| could a gone strate into New London jest as easy
Near about two hundred dollars gone slap dab for
nothin' O, good thunderw cried the mourning
young yankee, in the bitterness of his soul as this
browning misery rose afresh in his mind
1t sno wonder that he seriously displeased;
for THE British then maintaining strict blockade
upon Commodore Decatur, who, with the frigates
United States and Macedonian, and the brig OF war
Hornet, had run up the river Thames had that day
made prize of a certain small craft, in which, to-
gether with her cargo, invested full in0iety
his private worldly estate.
Nevertheless, with continuous whiting and many
quaint executions, home went Ethan, and told his
sad tale to his parents, who sympathized with him,
/ and were grieyed.
"Who wuz in the boat, Ethan !" asked Mr.. Balch'
senior,
"That's the wust ont, father said the junior
| gentleman. I've got to gon tell Marthy Robbins;
| and what on 'arth she'll say, [ do no. They was
Peleg and Zack Robbins; and them darned ever
lastin rcted piZen has got EN-, and the boat
besides, and sarse enough to keep the fleet week
oval my son. srid the old gentleman; II rather
guess you'd better go right n tell her. and hey
it done with She'll take on some at fust, that's
sartn; but the boys II come back some time ahuth-
er, and n Misses Robins kin come N stay with us
eff they're mind to. guess we could 'tendup to
| that ere little farm, while"
/ For Mrs Robbins, the widowed mother of "Mar-
thy" and of peleg and Zachara, owned and occU-
tr,ia 9th rcoild q nall ,Od
carried on the same and the capture of her two
stout sons had of course left the farm quite bare OF
men.
Ethan walked moodily over to Mrs. Robbins
house He was welcomed army by the two wo
men, but received their greeting with so much en-
barrassment, that they perceived that something
was wrong.
! @What on 'airth's the matter with We, Ethan y
asked the old lady, cooking back her head so that
she could peer at him through the spectaces which
usually abode some ways down her nose; you're
shorter n piecrust, seems to me-
! >"Perhaps," said Miss Robbins, with smart smirk
che didn't want to come. faint necessary TO como
here unless you enjoy it, Mister Balch."
''Wel well !" expostulated the disconsolate tan
kee, don't go to plaguin' man when he's III trou
BILE already. / didn't want to come, and it's the
fust time, and you know it, Marthy But 'twasni
cos wasn't glad to see yon."
Ispose might jest as well out with it. Them
darned British has ketched the boat, and Peeg and
Zack along with it,
An outburst Of lamentation from the women in
| terrupted the further progress OF the talc winch
Ethan's awkward attempts at consolation CID not
avail to quench They gradually recovered them
selves, however, and proceeded to inquire how Ii
happened.
at was" Ethan said ''by means Of well known
row galley belonging to Admiral Hardy s Tag ship
the Families seventy four, which had already cap
tured many small coastiug crafts, and which had
secured its booty in the present instance, by sna
kin out, he described it, with Joint use of sails
and oars, the fair breeze with which the NJ arha aa
Ethans boat was named had set sal, having uneA
Mss Martha Robbins having cried good deal
did low, as womankind are often apt to 40 experl
ence sudden anu not very reasonable reaction III
to anger; and choose to intimate first that her lover
had cunningly avoided any personal risk to himself;
by sending her brothers Off alone with the boat; and
secondly that anybody who hadn't brain enough to
keep him from such losses as that, was hardly like
! ly to make thrifty or prosperous hepmate.
These aspersons Ethan vigorously repealed, as
sertng that ''the boys" had chosen 10 go together
both desiring TO visit New Londcni and thai us three
were not necessary for managing the boat or tor sell
ling the cargo, he had given them their own way
and as to the latter part OF the accusation, he III
CURED
II want to know if you think man ort to hey
brains enough 10 know exactly when it's a'goln' to
fall calm out on the Sound ten hours ahead!"i
But Miss Robins being, as have nsiunated, a
womanly woman voUchsated no answer TO these
considerations which were urged by way OF urgu-
Inent being thing totally unknown and uninteil!-
gible to the majority OF the female sex-and OF the
male too, 10" that matter. And she accordingly
said over again what she had said before, rather
more loudly and earnestly; and having thus reiuted
Ethan in the discussion, she informed him that unless
he could get her brothers out ct the captivity INTO
which he had been the means OF then lalilng, he
need not look upon her face again.
Ethan demonstrated and even Mrs Robbins ven
tured few mild representations, but all III yan tic
Yankee damsels blood was up, and the discounted
lover, not considering that 1t was highly compliment
tarv to him that his lady-iovo should take At iol
granted that he simply able TO rescue prisoners
from the whole British feet, pursued his homeWaTd
way in much detection OF mind.
u wish to gracious they'd been fifty men IN herr!
he exclaimed, twould been fust rate fun to jump
up and gin en- volly, clust III J!
Then, his keen Yankee intellect, pursuing the
train Of thought thus started, scheme suggested It
self 10 him which seemed to promise nm both aiar
revenge and the means of iiberating the&wo broth
ers OF his obdurate mistress.
$ fastening homeward he consulted with his father
and after some difficulty succeeded in gaining his
co operation. Early next morning the two men
Harvesting on the old farmhouse, drove speedily
: over to New London, and procuring lntroductlonS
from one or two gentlemen OF standing IN that city
who bore witness to the rust-worthlness and ab!l
ties Of the bearers. they proceeded up the rver &c
5 Norwich near which place three American war-ves
sells were uoored.
| With the customary formolites they admit
ted on board of the Macedonian, then Commodore
Decatur's ship, and, having introduced them
selves and presented their testimonials, they pro
ceeded to request his assistance IN carrying out the
scheme which they unioided 10 hlIn
After careful inv resignation and inquiry, the mode
time and manner of proceeding was agreed upon
/ and Decatur promised that q sufficient number o.
marines should be at the appointed place upon the
afternoon of the next day; and, having partsken 81
: the refreshments which the hospltabe sailor set be
fore them, the well satisfied Yankee farmers set out
! on their return.
We skip over to the next day at little past noon
At that time there crept slowly out or Mystic River
taking the inside passage between Ram Island and
i the mainland, sailboat, heavily laden and man
aged by two men. With a fins breeze from the
west of north, they steered along close hauled anc
hugging the shore, until they had passed Long
= Point perhaps third of the distance between the
mouth of the Mystic and New London light. They
could now see distinctly the lofty mssts and tower
ing spars and rigging of Sir Thomas Hardys fleet
riding at single anchor inside of Fishers Island, Tx
two seventy fours looming mp in the warm air. ans
attended, as 1t were, by the smaller Orpneus ant
Eolus frigates and by two three gun-brigs anc
tenders.
After passing Long Point the sailboat stood rathe
further out 10
'Dort bear away too far, father" said Ethan
for he and Mr. Bach. senior, constituted the boats
crew they'll smell rat,
''Nc they won't my SON. said the old gentle
/, man. lufing q little, however; they don't give Ii
> no credit fur knewIn how 10 handle boat reekol
e they'll hcv 70 allow we kin manage a rigate
though!'
The two men now intentiy regarded the enemy
vessels "Twould be dretful thing if they shourdn
undertake to ketch US said Ethan apprehensive
Il ". What thunder should we say to Comma
dore Decatur
''There they be, Ethan said the old man, hi
eyes frightening with excitement "set still, Sc
still; they've got good glasses; they II see make
= believe you don't see noihin on EN- >"
Aud sure enough. as he spoke there shot GU
from behind the Families. the long. law, black row
galley which had been the means OF so mady pet
2 " depreiatons along the coast Hosting lug
sail and hrseinx fast m she steerei with Inc dou