Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-03-07

Ago.
MISTRESS ANNE ROYAL IN yERMoNT-NhERATNE
OF uER TROUBLES IN BURLINGTON.
WASHINGTON. d. c., Feb. 1879.

MISTRESS ANNE ROYAL IN yERMoNr-NAERATN
OF uER TROUBLES IN BURLINGTON.
WasmNGTox, d. c., Feb. 1879
To the Editor Of the Free Press and Tines.
Fifty years ago Washington contained
singular authoress ty the name Of Mrs. Ann
Royal Her native place was sOmewher
between Mason and Dixon's line and Texas
but the exact spot il not defined in tn
volume describing her journey through th'
New England States, and from Vermont tt
Washington. from which the following ac
/ count of her travels and trials Is taken.
From what can gather of her history
from the ollest inhabitants, it appears thai
Mrs. Royal was looked upon and treated a:
literary nuisance. At one time she
edited small paper, which she used moro
for the purpose of matchmaking citizens
members of Congress and government officials
than to disseminate art, science and general
literature. In addition to her paper, she
published history OF her travels through
the Southern, Middle and New England
States in three small volumes, in which she
gave description of the people she CHANGED
to meet and the incidents which occurred.
In religious matters she most emphatieally
endorsed the Unitarians. but woe to the
"Blueskins." ;" as she called the Presbyteri-
ans and Episcopalans, when she came in
contact with such and they refused to pur-
chase her BLACK Book, as she entitled a
book Of which she was the author.
After bidding farewell to Massachusetts,
Mrs. Royal went to Concord, N. H., which
at that time contained three churches, an
academy, distillery and SOC inhabitants.
She adds; 81 find two :hings peculiar to
! New England, viz Distilleries and churches;
a Yankee would just as soon be without
one as the Other-both alike are his idols. "
Then follows description of Waterford
St. Johnsbury, Danvillc and Montpelier,
| Vermont. At the hitter place Mrs. Royal
met Gen. Walton, editor and proprietor Of
the Watchmdn, whom she describes as "a
small, middlc-aged man, with a kecn coun-
tenance, gentlemanly manners and dark COM
plexion.'
Here she also met one of the "Blue4k kins"
in the person Of Judge LOOMS, whom she
described as tall, gangling, gaunt, lank,
lanthern- jawc1 fellow, black inside and out.
a red-hot missionary, distributor of Bibles
and tracts. lie refused to patronize me, the
hypocrite | am shocked that the PEOPLE
should appoint such wild beast for II
Judge" Then follows
MRS. ROYALS ACCOUNT OF HER RECEPTION AT
BURLINGTON.
The day Q6th of Deccmber) was one Of
the coolest eyer felt, and it was late IL the
night when We arrived in Burlington. which
will be forever famous in history for an ei-
fort of the missionaries to convert me to their
religion. The stage broke down in the edge
of the town, and the driver walked with me
to Thomas tavern, where the old line put
up. Here happened not the "battle Of the
kegs" nor the battle of the frogs but the
battle of the snags. had heard much, and
seen much of the " snags,' but it appears
was destined to feel them too. The circum
stance to which | allude, it is well-knOwn
by the people generally of the United
States that is, it is generally understood,
that | was attacked, assaulted rather, by one
of the missionaries in such a manner as
doubtless he would assault the heathens.
Early the next morning, Ex-Governor c.
p Van Ness called on me at the tavern,
| together with several other gentlemen. In
the course Of the interview, the state of So
ciety in Vermont, the various denominations,
and the missionary scheme formed part of
the conversation. Some of the gentlemen
observed that there were many enlightened
people in Burlington, and amongst the sects
Unitarian church but there were many of
the - blueskins y; one of the gentlemen,
pointing to a store from the window, said
there is one of them a good specimen :;
he certainly never guessed better.
1t showed the previous night to some
depth, but such was my pressure OF duties
and means, that ! was forced to meet the
storm, without dreaming that a storm more
appalling than the thuudess of heaven
awaited inc. ! went to the store pointed
out to me by the gentleman. The house
had high steps before the door, from which
the snow had been renewed. Upon going
in | found a hard-ieatured, gloomy looking
man standing outside uf the counter an
other was standing inside, whom | took
to hc the proprietor. If the first man was
gloomy, the latter was fierce and savage
lie was about fifty years of age, stoutly
built, and wore wig of sandy color his
face looked of iron hardness and seemed as
though it had lain out on a frosty night-ot
all the JOnney Saws, he had the most stern.
terrific look ! asked il he was Mr. IL?
"lcS," he replied, but never raised his
eyes 10 look me in the face.
As he seemed to be engaged
looking at some papers. 1 stood still (as
was not invited to sit, though there was
several chairs in the store) till he was at
leisure. Perhaps he took me for daughter
of Baal, or Ashcroft. or one of the vain
women of Tyre and SidOn, or kind Of soup
mcager witch or some outlandish thing.
Be that as it may, this emperor of heroes.
what we of the South would call "a bit of
blood, " OF II gallant of the first water,
was not for mincing matters.
When he got through with the papers.
informed him who ! was, and that ! called
for his patronage. lie replied I'm pat
ronize you-I have heard of you before. ="
And now you see me" said |. "IeS, |
see you ought to be put in the wcrk- house
instead of being suffered to run over the
country" "ls this your religion.
said lis this the language of Chris
tian And pray, sir, what have ! done
to consign me to work-house
Mind who you speak to, you hypOcritc.
As said this, laid down my reticule and
some papers held in my hand on Il chair
and was about to open some papers to CON
vince him that was no. fit subject of the
work house. | was standing near the stove,
which, as well as ! remember, was about the
middle of the room while | was opening
the papers, he walked deliberately to the
door, opened l., walked back and passing on
as though he was going behind the counter
came behind me, took hold Of me, with 4
hand on each shoulder, and pushed me with
such force that lie sent me to the foot OF the
steps into the street The whole distance,
including the height of the steps, must have
been, at least ten feet, and had it not been
for the snow | must inevitably have been
dashed to atoms on the pavement as it
was, my ankle was dislocated, one Of
the bones of the same leg broken,
and the whole Of the limb bruised
and mangled in the most shocking manner.
If the ruihan had not stole behind me like
IA base coward, | would have eludcd him by
my activity. But what was still worse, the
monster would have let me perish in the
snow, had my cries not brought friends to
nv assistance, when the ruliiln, /" born Of
savage beasts. by fierce hycnas nursed, re
marked-" she Is not hurt, she only pre-
tends she Is hurt
Now, this monster was missionary,
that is. black Prcsbyterian-gocs t, church
three times II day. and how many times at
night, don't know. lie makes long faces
and long prayers, Is an elder in the church,
hopeful convert, II rious man Of the true
birthstone race. lie was raised in the
ashes, but by the sudden death of "a brother
became possessed Of about halt million
of dollars, but never gave cent in aims
in his life. Thus | ran against the
" snags" Thus, ! might have persisted at
his door, had not the heriticS (thc Uni
tarians) come to my assistance.