Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-05-31
Peregrine Whites Present.

square log church, with it's flat roof
decorated with six grim old cannon,
down the hillside to the cottage-lined
street strewn with dead leaves of
autumn.
What strange looking figures they
would have been to us, those Pilgrim
men and women, the first in their |
broad -brimmcd, sugar-loaf hats, dark,
long and wide-fapped roundabouts,
trouser or petticoat breeches, long,
gartered hose, and buckled shoes j;
and the latter were dressed in their
long cloaks and chaise-topped bon
nets of the first King James time.
Strangely solemn and of unvary-
ing gravity, were the countenances
of all, as they moved along two by
two, or three by three, the men car
rying their psalm books in one hand
and fintlock in the other. Even
the young folks had the same grave,
quiet department, though there were
some among them whose twinkling
eyes told of a spirit of merriment
within that even the sternness of Pu-
ritan society could not entirely de-
press.
Behind all the others walked three
lads, dressed like their fathers, in
ruffs, small-clothes, short, close jer-
kins and steeple-crowned hats. They
had sat quietly enough on the hard
board benches through the long, te-
dious three hours sermon, kept some
what in awe, perhaps, by the stern
glances of the tithing-man, or the
threatening shake of his dreadful
wand. Even now, on their way
down the hill, among the stumps of
the clearing, where the first May
flowers had been found, and where
the first dead lay buried, they cast
ever and anon suspicious glances at
that official, and carried on their con-
versation in low, ,half-whispered tones,
as if fearful of being overheard, for
their subject was sacriligiously secu-
lar.
Hey, Master Jonas, John Good
man says as how he is going to have
a shooting match on Wednesday,
and he's engaged the indians to fur
nish him twenty turkeys. and who
ever shoots them will take them home,
said Abiel Mulliens.
Yea, verify, and | mean to shoot
one of those same turkeys, at least,
l shall try, and peradventure l may
succeed.
And the speaker, a tall lad, whose
dark blue eyes looked almost black,
and whose thick brown hair curled
like cavalier all over his head, a
source of constant anxiety to his fa-
ther, William White, one of the
prominent men of the colony, and
who was decided Round head in his
proclivities, tossed his head with s
| very important air.
If you compete you will certainly
get one. None of the old marks
men can heat you, Master Peregrine
. whispered Abiel. Won't it be ful
if you do?
It's the musket more than me
f answered Peregrine very modestly
You know father bought it of an Eng
lsh trader last year, and there's ne
5 other like it in the settlement.
: Anyway, you can hit silver but
, ton at forty yards, SAID Jonas, and
l don't believe Miles Standish can de
) that.
: Nay, but he would cut an Indian
4 head off with his sword quicker thai
1 could shoot a turkey, declared Per
r egrlne, who was great admirer o
J of the little stumpy, gritty captain.
4 wish my father would let me fir
t at the shooting, whispered Abiel.
$ shall ask mine, and if he won
: let me, I'll get King James, the In
!, dian boy, to shoot for me with hi
s bow and arrows. l mean to have
;, Thanksgiving turkey, anyway, sai'
u Peregrine, sturdily. Oh!
The exclamation was occasione
by a stroke from the wand of tn
y tithing-man who had seen the thre
!, heads too closely together, and SUI
i missed they must be discussing som
e other subject besides the sermon
:, wicked boys that they were.
e One tap was enough, and neithe
of them dared speak again. Pere
o grine looked to see if his father ha
u observed his disgrace, but, to his re
- lief, that worthy man was just entel
y ing his house that was one of the firs
s on long, straight, Leyden street.
e Presently Peregrine himself wa
i in the low-roofed kitchen, stirrln
d the fire in the great fireplace. The
he put log on, and soon had a roa
II II ing fire.
st After the old-fashioned supper wa
1; served, and it had become so dar
d that Peregrine could see no longer
4. read in the great Bible, the who
II family gathered around the fireplace
v Bleak and cold it might be out {
N doors, but in the Puritan househol
at there was always warmth and chez
h Old Dockey, the cat, purred befol
u the fire. The quaint furniture, II
Ne battered doors, the shining pewt'
= plates in the corner, served to gi,
the room an old-fashioned air. A
PereOrine know NO other. and all tt