The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-03-17


was aboard Mississippi steamer which
had collapsed fue,' and was about to be
scalded with hot steam or whether.-
BANG y SUDDENLY went second explo-
sion, and | made out to comprehend that
something was being fred off under my
window
Jumping up, l rushed to the SASH aud
peered out. Sure enough, there was
crowd of men and boys, gathered round
what looked like dilapidated anvil, ram.
ming it down for third discharge.
1t must be election day in Smithburgh,
thought 1, and they are rejoicing over the
result. Confound the successful candid.
ate, whoever he is, making such an infer
nal racket
Just then, one of the youngsters, look
ing up, caught sight of me, standing in my
shirt at the window. He hurridly spoke
to the others, and then Que shouted
Boys: let's give him three cheers
And they did.
'Hoo-oo-raw
'Hoo-oo-rawn
'Hoo-oo-ra-a-a-awp
shrank back, and crept shivering into
bed just as gun number four went off, amid
another set of cheers. One-and-thirty
times did that Internal piece go off l de.
voutly praying each time that it might
burst, and so stop. Then there were more
cheers. Then there was bonfire, blazing
up so suddenly into the window that
thought the house had caught fire. Then
there was Hail Columbia, and Yankee
Doodle on cracked fiddle and wheezy
clarionet. At last, the Babel quieted
down, and l, wondering considerably what
it was all about, fell asleep.
But was misti6ed about the doings of
the night, I was considerably IL ore puzzled
by the goings on of the morning. My
host met me with most profound bow,
and was deferentially solicitous about my
health. The bar-keeper bowed reverently
when I passed him. The bar.room idlers
all respectfully rose to their feet, Staring
hard meanwhile,) as walked through.
The chamber-maid dropped as many as
fifty courtesies one after another, when 1
happened to meet her in the hail. and so
overwhelmingly civil was every body, that
l half imagined I had stepped out of free
and easy America into courteous France.
On looking round, I perceived the house
itself was marvellously changed, over night
The scrubbing-brush must have been busy
since daylight for the floors were freshly
secured, and the windows glistened with
polish, while the furniture was set round
in the primmest kind of order. The land
lady, although it vas the slatternly hour
of eight o'clock in the morning, was array
ed in majestic black silk, and her cap,
with its multitudinous cherry. y.colored rib.
bons, was miraculous to behold. Mine
host evidently had on his Sunday black
suit, and had thrust himself into clean
shirt starched to an extent that kept him
perpendicular as grenadier.
1t mist be, thought I, that this is coun.
ty fair day; or perhaps they are going to
have wedding in the house.
BY the way, what was the firing for
last night? Inquired.
oh mere six FOUNDER, Sir but the
best we have in Smithburgh. The boys
thought they must have it out, in honor
your arrival
IN honor OF my arrival! calculated /,
taken all aback.
Yes, your Excellency. But breakfast
is ready. Will your excellency walk in p
My arrival my Excellency l was SO
astounded at the sudden distinction with
which l found myself invested that l could
only mechanically walk in, land seat myself
at the breakfastable.
Certainly hotel had put forth its most
strenuous efforts to get up that breakfast.
There were broiled chickens fricassed ;
there was large turkey there was a
roast sirloin of beef; there was cold leg
of mutton, and hot leg of veal there
were ham and eggs, and ham without the
eggs, and eggs without the ham pork
and beans beefsteak outlets and chops
cabbages, bee:s, cauliAours, tomatoes, and
other vegetables, ad H5itum sausages
hommony oysters and clans salmon
and shad wuckwheat-cake, buiscuit, ant
johnny-cake pickles to any extent pie
cakes, and sweetmeats and whatever els
it ever entered into the head of countr,
housewife to put OF breakfast-table, an,
great deal that never was thought ofbe
fore, for any such purpose. And my sol
itary chair was the only one seat for thi