The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1893-12-28
A TIGHT BOOT

Some yesrs beiote The var SQulr
Mifsbssu Ms,kippou kepI the JeGerso
House st MaocdoBs the equity sesi {
ore Of the up eoautry counties Of Mort
CsroiiDs
Tbs hotel uss a big. two stofT ifsm
house, huaung 90 the Court Hoas
squsre, slth bfo.d ~ "a ~ runnins slon
both stlries, ioat aud rtsr A rev G
bis tlms along the sldesalk usde pless
sni shade for Ioller,rs on the front piazza
spd tLtli,red from the summer beat To
hors, that we're fastened 10 the dozen 0
more hitebing poets. B You'd the side
ualk we'll sod q watering trough far
nished sddillonsl faculties for the sccom
modaiiou OF the pgblic. Bah OF ih'
Lcuse, aud sepsuted fiom it by the cIest
ssept yard, stood the big rcd Kitchen
Tie yard Was perfectly Innocent OF sr.s'
or herbsge Of any Kind uules the elm'
aud china trees might be idcluded undel
/ the head -s aud by constant trampllog wss
as bard aud white as 40 ancient thresb
iine h)Cr
Duuog the grester part OF The year the
j a rsou House did not do much busi
Il s.
The farmers 90 their way down TO the
lrger towns 90 tue nsyiga0le myers, OF
near the coast, with wagon loads OF cot on
sad tobacco, would atop st The Jttiefson
over night. settling their bills when they
came back With plenty Of money, and sup.
plies OF sugar coffee, calico aud other
luIuries which were Rot produced on
their plantations.
Now and then town 70 ks came up to
Macedonia to spend few weeks OF the
hot season snd occasionally a speculstor.
or dealer 10 umsn flesh, would come
along through the country, picking up
choice wares Tor the remote Southern
market OF course every BODY stopped at
he Jtif'son.
Court week was the b1isy season at the
Jefferson House. Court was IN session
for week OF ten days several times a
year. and on these occasions the hotel was
dlled 10 ovthowinP, ln summer Liant
nocks were swung on the pis2zls, and in
sin or pale 8 made On the floor, for those
whom there we're not beds TO accommodate.
The judges. the lawyers, and the Coun'
~ dignitsries WHO came In from their
plantations to attend court. oil put up at
the jeff son House, and kept Squire aud
Mrs. MaokinnCn and their corps OF seri
wants very busy.
Tue duty Of blackips the boots for the
guests deyolyed upon colored man by
The name OF Bob. Under ordinary cirs
,umstauces Bob enjoyed q sinecure, and
was ouly consolsd for bis bard lot during
lurt week by the numerous dimes and
l1arters which he eitotted from the good
latured gentlemen whose boots were the
objects Of his gentle ministrstions.
One evening duung the Summer term.
Bob went around, about ten o'clock, to
he rooms Of such guests as bad retired.
nd collected the boots for cleaning. He
ook them to the kitchen, and in order to
essen bis work IN the morning, blscked
bout half the lot He waited TO atte d
- m 10 la F,np ha | ,
otpl. and while bis orders were TO stay at
ONE, he thought he might slip away al
our or two without his absence being
oticed. II
While be was revellng 10 the sptIcipsi &
on OF the foe spoit be would have, and {
seping time with the blacking brush to I
le strains OF sn imaginary banjo. be took
p a remarkably neat boot, 1t was big I
Dot, but made OF fine lestber and quite (
ew. 1t struck Bob that that boot was q
st his size and it looked so neat he e
ought be would try it on. 1t went op
itbout much difficulty, though it was d
y
ID the heel TIL it occurred to Bob '
at those boots would look nice on him (
the ball. He drew on the other, and o
mping over the back fence made his
1y 10 tie houss where tie party WAS in d
ogress.
The laws forbsd any sssemblsge OF the b
lvts, and when they hal their balls, h
syermeetlngs, etc, 1t was customary to
alton seuioels along the roads aud paths g
D CD led 10 the meeting plsc, TO watch 4
the patrol, or p ,iteroIe, as the natives O
lied it, "a tot OF mounted police, a,
rose specisl duty it was to keep the b
ives undtr surveillance. At night. Bob, r,
oided tie pstrol by going through the @,
,ods passed the sentinels, aud was soon s.
tnging the glrls around and displaying a
+ new boJts, TO The inspiring strains of tt
mptown Races aud Old Daa Tucker, as se
liere1 by the com biued eXrrHons Of q q,
lo hddle and a pair OF bones. OF
! be fun WIS at i:s hight, when some 81
e dashed up to the door. and yelled
tterolt lnstsutly the candles were -,
Jwn out, a bnckct OF water was thrown ..
The FIRE, and the crowd rapidly dis. O
rsed through the various openings Of :.
e csbin, ole frightened fellow going
through the big mud chimney. 1t -,
5 a false alarm, given by some Ill ns
ed dsrkey Who bad not been invited 10 =,
, ball, but Bob d not know this, go be A,
ised into the hushes, aud by cutting =.
ross the psut.'iJns, kelt clear Of the =.
troll, and resehed the hotel al shout two =,
lo,k 10 the norninL =,
he tried to poll The bools Of, bat 4.
her the peculiar eootornslion Of bis n
Il prtyrBted it, or be feet were so svoiI !,
by bis reoeLt eItr ions that the boot -,
not badge. As Bob s1 very tired
! sleepy. he srresd qaIlt tn The kitcbl
h3gr. aud veut 10 sleep. confident