News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-08-20
At the Sigl Of the Gross Keys.
A STORY OF THE REVOLUTION.

A STORY OF THE REVOLUTION.
Innkeeper Van Buren, aproned to
the chin, leaned against the frame
work of the open door, and lazily
launched q ring of tobacco smoke on
the balmy slir of the September even
ing. Good wife Van Buren, reclined
against the opposite side of the door,
glad to get a mouthfuI of the cool
breeze, for the day had been sultry.
Jacobus passed to and fro, between
the bar and the trees, with tankards
of frothy brown ale, takinggood heed
not to tread on the toes ofhis master
and mistress potboy's positions were
not going a-begging in Flatbush
town in the year of grace 1871.
The innkeeper was in the act of
shaping another ring when a loud
burst of laughter from the trees
caused him to turn his head so sud
denly that the smoke was elected in
q shapeless cloud.
"The Cross Keys" said he, "has
never known a livelier company"
"That fat pirate, y replied the wife,
"would make a Quaker laugh !"
cay, it's a merry rascal, and right
welcome to all the liquor it can gulp.
But remember, my dear, it is the
dumb host that draws the most ale.
Let the congress and the king fight
out their own battles"
"Folks say" remarked his help
meet, Glove has written to King
George that we Long Islanders are
ready to take the oath of allegiance
/ amt ready to take such an oath,
Joris."
"Bahl you're not a Long Islander;
you're a woman! As for me, am too
old to fight on either side, so I'll live
in peace, with my customer for my
king"
"This English major certainly does
bring us plenty of business, Joris. F"
assOh. Shelton knows oT which side
his toast Is buttered; he quarters the
American prisoners in this neighbor-
hood and boards at the Cross Keys
himself, free of charge"
"And you allow him per cent, on
the prisoners ale don't you, Joris?'
"Mrs. Van Buren, - replied her lord
curtly, that's a state secret!
In the modern warfare of 'civiliz-
ed'' nations the parole, as it existed
in the time of our revolution, finds
scant recognition; it has gone out
with the slow match and the board
ing pike. 1t was customary then for
large numbers of prisoners of war to
be given the freedom of a certain dis
trict, their word of honor being ac-
cepted that they would not attempt
to rejoin their friends until given per-
mission to do so by the terms O
a mutual Exchange" Generally the
prisoners were attended by single
officer; and in the pregnant period o
the revolution the life of Il prisoner
of war with certain shameful excep
tions blotting the pages of Britain''
history twas by no means devoid o
pleasurable incident.
Much has been written regarding
the whaleboat privateersmen ofthos
days; and, perhaps, considerable.
more to their disparagement thai
circumstances justify. They were bu
the natural offspring of unatura
conditions. OF these rangers non
achieved a wider reputation thai
Captain Mariner. An old recOr'
tells us che was a man of eccentri
character, witty and ingenious, AM
abounding in anecdotes" A careful
persual of such of his remarkable ad
ventures as are preserved in tn
chronicles of his time enables us t.
form a good idea of his personality
He was as short as Dutch skipper
so fat that the ransacking of stole
clothes chests formed no part of IN
piratical amusements; and his fac
might be likened to a copper-cOlore
moon in a state of general vOlcani
eruption. The hollow tone of hi
voice led to the pleasantly that eth
captain had swallowed a nOrtheaste
and was peddling it out in cupfuls.
1t was indeed a iovial party tha
sat at the long table beneath themt
pie trees.
"Silence, gentlemen y cried one
Captain Mariner for song
A score of tankards beat Il tattO
on the board as the captain aros
and bowed, first to the major (wh
sat, moodily, a few PAGES from tt
tab'e), then to his audience. Takin
the average and speaking relativel
Captain Mariner was not "half se3
over" although certain premonitol
winks, conferred upon his OPPOSITE
as he arose "to oblige," were give
with a vim that i'll consorted wit
perfect sobriety. In a voice husl
with porter or emotion, he announ
ed "The Yankee Sword" and pr
ceeded to sing the following, to tt
air of an old sea song:
Hurrah hurrahl for the Yankee swor
In heaven it was made;
1t flashes bright in Freedoms light,
Hurrah for the patriot blade!
The tyrant from his castle sees
Its glimmering afar,
And toddles about
And toddles about
And toddles about with shaking knees
For the Yankee sword-hurrahl
II forbid you to finish that tui
less dogg'rel!" exclaimed Mai
Shelton, with as much dignity
though he were King George himst
"Egad, sir!" replied the capita
"the beauty of my song is that ca
verse is complete in ITSELF
81 will have no more ofthe treast
able stuff"
"Shame!" cried dozen voices
" Perhaps" laughed the capita
"our British iailer would prefer
- ballad of The Cock-a-hoop and
- Gagged Eaglep'
- Shelton's eyes blazed with anger
md this mock allusion to their relat
OF positions; walking quickly to
'ee Q. back of the captain he dealt him s
81 L 1 4 L