Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-12-19
end . things is nigh about comm on here p

end q things is nigh about comm on here I"
Sally, in, the chimney conner, heard Long
Snaprs with open eyes, and brching her WOO /.
en- char nearer, inquired Solcmny,-
What do you mean, Mister Snaps? Is the
end OF the world comm here 2"
Bless your pooiy little fgger-hcad, Sally 7
don't know as It's, but suthin' nilh about as bad
Is a comm Th M Brtshers is slt out for Ia
hey us under hachcs or else walk the plank :;
and they're darned mistook, cf they thak men
is going to be seered blind, and can't blow up
the cap'cn no rate. There ant no man in Amer
ky but what's got suthin' 10 fight for afore he
gin IN to sech tyrants; and it'll come to fghtin
vet afore lot o :"
"Oh my oh goody the lands sakes yew
don't mean ter say that, Long ?" wofully screecl-
ed Aunt Poll, whose ideas OF war were derived
in great measure from the tattcrcd copy of Jo-
sephus cxtant in the Parsons family; and who
was al present calculating the probable effect of
battering-ram on their back butlery, and think
ing how horrid it would be to cat up Uncle De
klcl in case Of famine, even after long courses
of rats AMI dogs
Well. dew, Aunt Poll thercll be some
poppin' an siickin' done in these parts, aforc
long /"
"Thc Lord deliver US an the rest ont !' de-
voutly eja 'ulated Poll, whore picty exceeded
her memory whercat Ezekiel, pulling on the
other blue stocking that had hung suspended in
his fingers while the sailor discoursed, rxhurtcd
a little himsrlf
"Well, the Lord don't deliver nobody, with
out they wriggle for thrm.eves pretty consider
'ble well fist This ant the newest news 10
M" I've been eXpectln' un't long spell. an
I've talked considerable with Wcstbury fuks
about it and' therc amt nobody much, round
about here, but what'll stand out agin the Brit
ishers, exceptin' fuckers folks they're desp'rit
for church aud king they tell as ei the Lord
gin the king a special license to set up in a big
chair an rewl creation an they think its per-
ticul 'r sin to speak as though he could 20 skew
any how. Now believe he Lord lets folks find
out what lie does, out o Scripicur and han't
found nothin' yet to tell about kings bein' better
than their neighbours, and it don't look as cl this
KING was so clever as common. | s'pose you
hant heerd what our Colony Congress is a-d1in',
hev ye Snaps T"
Well, no, han't. They was a-layin' to.
last hcerd, SOS 10 settle their course | 'xpcct
they've heaved up an let 60 by this, but l han't
seen no signa's."
" Dear me !" interrupted Sally, "a real war
coming and ain't any thing but a woman 70
Her checks and eyes glowed with ferve1t
feeling, as she said this and the old sailor, turn
ing round, surveyed her with grin OF homes,
admiration.
Well said, gal but you're out o your reck-
onln, et you think women amt nothin' in war
time. tell yew, them is the craft that sails
aiore the wind, and does the sgnan' to all the
fleet When gals is iulI-rigged an tonguey.
they're reg 'ar press-eangs to twist young eIlers
round, an make 'em sail under the right coors
Sick to The ship, Miss Sally; give a hcave a,
the wlndlass now'n then an don't let nary one
q them i,lers that comes a buzzn round YOU
the hull time turn his back on Yankee Doodle
an you won't never banker to be a man, ef It's
wartime :"
Sally s eyes burned blucr Than before. Thank
you kindly, Mr.. Snaps. I'm obleegcd to you
tor putting the good thought into my head. (If
! don't poster George Tucker! The plaguy
Tory !'0
Ihls parenthesis was mental, and Sally went
oil TO bed with busy brain but the sleep of
youth and health quieied it and if she dreamed
ot George Tucker in regimcntals, | am afraid
they were OF flaerant militia s.arlet = the buff
and blue were not distinctive yet. However,
for the next week Sally heard enough revou-
tonary doctrine 10 revive her Slnlay night en-
thuslasm the flame Of " successful rebellion" had
spread the country began to stir and hum ON
inousy people assembled in groups, on corners,
by church steps, around tavern doors, with faces
full of potent and expcclance; ploughs stood
idly in the fields and the raw -boned horses that
should of right dragged the reluctant share thro'
heavy clay and aboundiEg stones, now, beStrld-
den by breathless couriers secured the country
hi'her and yon, with news, messages and orders
from those who had taken the right TO order out
of the hands Of sleek and positive officials.
Nor were Wesibury people the last to wake
mp in the general rereWe Everybody in the
pretty. tranq1il village tranquil now no more,
b,.cl,raI rnanl,, -. 10 a.
other; Peter Tucker and bis son u ore for
the king, of course and this open avowal caused
a sufficiently pungent scene in Mis- 5 lilly Par
sons keepin s-room the very next Sunday night,
when the afor said George, in comp,ny with
several of his peers, visited the farm house for
the laudable purpose of "sparkin" Miss Sally.
There were three other youths there, besides
George all stout for the continental side Of the
question, and full ofeager but restrained zeal
ready to take up arms a, a moments notice
equally ready to wait for the ripened time. OF
such men were those armies made up that en-
dured with a wOman's patience and fought with
a mans fury. righting great wrong as much by
moral as by physical strength, and going to death
for the tight, when death, pitiless and inevitable
stared them in the face.
Long Snaps had been, in his own phrase,
" weather bound" at Westbury, and was there
still, safe in the chimney corner, his shrewd face
puckered with thought and care, his steady old
heart full Of resoute bravery, and longing for
the time to come flint and steel ready to strike
fire on the slightest collision. On the other side
of the hearth from Snaps sat Zeklc in his but
ternutcolored Sunday suit the four young men
ranged in a grim row Of high-backed wooden
chairs Sally, blooming the roses on her chintz
gown, occupying one end of the settle, while
Aunt Polly filed the resi- of thai institution with
her ample quilted pettcoat and Paduasoy c1oak,
trying hard 10 keep her hands STILL in their un-
accustomed idleness,-nay, if it must he told,
surreptitously keeping up knitting with the
fingers, in lieu of the accustomed needles and
yarn.
An awful silence reigned after the preliminary
bows and scrapes had been achieved,--fr
broken by George Tucker, who drew from un-
der his char small basket of red checked ap-
pies aud handed them to Aunt Poll.
Well, now, George Tucker !" exclaimed the
benign spinster, you dew heat all for sass out
O. season KEEP 'em down sullar, expect 2"
Yes'm, our sullar's very dry"
Well, it he'd ougher. What kind be they ?"
English pPpins, ma'am."
Dew tell be you a-goin 10 hev one, Sallyl"
a.