Simtel MSDOS - Coast to Coast

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Text File | 1993-09-22 | 52KB | 715 lines

│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ nd so I grew up with my grandfather, │ │ spending the winters in town and the long │ │ summers on the Eastern Shore. │ │ │ │ Mine was a privileged, happy existence, and │ │ consequently I can scarce account for the │ │ origins of my life's opinions; that is, for my │ │ growing bitterness, at a very early age, against │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ a King whom my environment should have made me │ │ love. │ │ │ │ It is true that many of Mr. Carvel's guests │ │ were of the opposite persuasion from him--Mr. │ │ Chase and Mr. Carroll, Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Bordley, │ │ and many other patriots, including our friend │ │ Captain Clapsaddle. │ │ │ │ But Mr. Carvel was most of his life a member │ │ of the Council, a man from whom both Governor │ │ Sharpe and Governor Eden were glad to take │ │ advice. │ │ │ │ Indeed, at times when the Council was │ │ scattered, Governor Sharpe would consult Mr. │ │ Carvel alone; and often I have known my grand- │ │ father to embark in haste from the Hall in │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ response to his Excellency's call. │ │ │ │ │ │ ne such occasion I remember was a sultry │ │ morning in August of 1765. I had been │ │ wading after crabs in the shallows when the │ │ Governor's messenger came drifting │ │ in on the tide, all impatience at │ │ the lack of wind. He ran to the │ │ house to seek Mr. Carvel, and soon │ │ my grandfather appeared to order his barge be got │ │ ready at once. │ │ │ │ About eleven of the clock we pulled away │ │ strongly, but Mr. Carvel sat silent and │ │ preoccupied until we reached Greensbury Point, │ │ where he spied a ship sailing in, and called for │ │ his glass and swept her decks. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Then, as we came in view of the Annapolis │ │ dock, to my astonishment I beheld such a mass of │ │ people assembled as I had never seen before, and │ │ scarce standing-room on the wharves. │ │ │ │ Many in the crowd greeted Mr. Carvel as we │ │ drew near, and once we were landed, respectfully │ │ made room for him to pass--as I followed │ │ a-tremble with excitement and delight over such │ │ an unwonted experience. │ │ │ │ We had barely gone ten │ │ paces, however, before we │ │ were of a sudden blocked │ │ by Mr. Claude, mine host │ │ of the Coffee House. │ │ │ │ "Hast seen his Majesty's │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ newest representative, Mr. Carvel?" asked Mr. │ │ Claude. │ │ │ │ "Mr. Hood is on board the ship, sir," said │ │ my grandfather. "I take it that you mean Mr. │ │ Hood?" │ │ │ │ "Ay, that I do. Mr. Zachariah Hood, come to │ │ lick stamps for his brother-colonists." │ │ │ │ "After licking his Majesty's boots," said a │ │ wag near by, which brought a laugh from those │ │ about us. │ │ │ │ I remembered that I had heard some talk as │ │ to how Mr. Hood, a merchant of the town, had │ │ gone to England, and had sought and obtained │ │ from King George the office of Stamp Distributor │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ for the province. │ │ │ │ But my grandfather was a gentleman, and would │ │ not listen without protest to remarks which │ │ bordered sedition. He had little fear of things │ │ below, and none of a mob. │ │ │ │ "My masters," he shouted, with a flourish of │ │ his stick, so stoutly that people fell back from │ │ him, "know that ye are met against the law, and │ │ endanger the peace of his Lordship's government." │ │ │ │ "Good enough, Mr. Carvel," said Claude, who │ │ seemed to be the spokesman. "But we are stamped │ │ against law and his Lordship's government. How │ │ then, sir?" │ │ │ │ This brought on a great murmur, and then they │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ shouted from all sides, "How then, Mr. Carvel?" │ │ │ │ And my grandfather, perceiving that he would │ │ lose dignity by argument, and having done his │ │ duty by a protest, was wisely content with that. │ │ │ │ Then they opened │ │ wider the lane for │ │ him to pass through, │ │ and he made his way │ │ erect and somewhat │ │ defiant to Mr. │ │ Pryse's, the │ │ coachmaker opposite, │ │ holding me by the │ │ hand. │ │ ______ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ he second story of Pryse's shop had a │ │ little balcony standing out in front, and │ │ here we established ourselves, that we might │ │ watch what was going forward. │ │ │ │ The crowd below grew strangely silent as the │ │ ship came nearer to the dock, until Mr. Hood │ │ showed himself on the poop. And then there rose │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ a storm of hisses, mingled with shouts of │ │ derision. │ │ │ │ "How goes it at St. │ │ James, Mr. Hood?" they │ │ cried. "Have you tasted │ │ his Majesty's barley?" │ │ │ │ Some asked him if he │ │ was come as their member │ │ of Parliament. │ │ │ │ Mr. Hood dropped a bow, │ │ though what he said was │ │ drowned. │ │ │ │ Then the ship came in prettily enough, the │ │ men in the crowd catching her lines and making │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ them fast to the piles, and the gang-plank was │ │ thrown over. │ │ │ │ "Come out, Mr. Hood," the crowd now cried; │ │ "we are here to do you honour, and to welcome │ │ you home again." │ │ │ │ There were leather breeches with staves │ │ a-plenty around that plank, and faces that meant │ │ no trifling. │ │ │ │ "McNeir, the rogue," said Mr. Carvel, as he │ │ studied the crowd, "and that hulk of a tanner, │ │ Brown. And I would know those smith's shoulders │ │ in a thousand." │ │ │ │ "Right, sir," said Pryse, "and 'twill serve │ │ them proper when the King's troops come among │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ them for quartering." │ │ │ │ Pryse, dependent on the gentry's patronage, │ │ shaped his politics according to the company he │ │ was in. He could ill be expected to seize one │ │ of his own ash spokes and join the resistance. │ │ │ │ Just then I caught a glimpse of Captain │ │ Clapsaddle on the skirts of the crowd, and with │ │ him Mr. Swain and some of the dissenting gentry. │ │ │ │ And my wrath suddenly burst forth against │ │ that man smirking and smiling on the deck of the │ │ ship, so that I shouted shrilly: "Mr. Hood will │ │ be cudgelled and tarred as he deserves." │ │ │ │ I shook my fist at him, and many in the crowd │ │ under us laughed and cheered--until Mr. Carvel │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ pushed me back from the railing and out of their │ │ sight. │ │ │ │ │ │ y then, the crew of the ship had assembled │ │ on the quarterdeck, stout English tars │ │ every man of them, armed with pikes and │ │ belaying-pins; and at a word from the mate they │ │ rushed in a body over the plank. │ │ │ │ Some were thrust off into the water, but so │ │ fierce was their onset that others gained the │ │ wharf, laying sharply about them in all │ │ directions, but getting full as many knocks as │ │ they gave. │ │ │ │ For a space there was a very bedlam of cries │ │ and broken heads, with those behind in the mob │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ surging forward to reach the scrimmage, forcing │ │ their own comrades over the edge. │ │ │ │ McNeir had his thigh broken by a pike and │ │ was dragged back after the first rush was over; │ │ and the mate of the ship was near to drowning, │ │ being rescued at last by Graham the harness- │ │ maker and his young apprentice. │ │ │ │ All the while Mr. Hood stood white in the │ │ gangway, dodging a missile now and then, waiting │ │ his chance, which never came. │ │ │ │ Many of the sailors were captured and carried │ │ bodily to the "Rose and Crown" or the "Three │ │ Blue Balls," where they became properly drunk on │ │ Jamaica rum. And others made good their escape │ │ on board. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ut at length the ship cast off again, │ │ amidst jeers and threats, with one-third │ │ of her crew missing, and drifted slowly back to │ │ the roads. │ │ │ │ From the dock, after all was quiet, Mr. │ │ Carvel stepped into his barge and was rowed to │ │ the Governor's, whose house was situated near │ │ Hanover Street, with ground running down to the │ │ Severn. │ │ │ │ His Excellency appeared much relieved to see │ │ him. Mr. Daniel Dulany was also there, and the │ │ three gentlemen at once repaired to the │ │ Governor's writing-closet for consultation. │ │ │ │ ______ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ r. Carvel's town house being closed, we │ │ stayed with his Excellency. There were, │ │ indeed, scarce any of the gentry in town at that │ │ season, save a few of the Whig persuasion. │ │ │ │ Excitement ran very high. Farmers flocked in │ │ every day from the country round about to take │ │ part in the demonstrations against the Act. And │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Mr. Hood, getting ashore by stealth, came │ │ unmolested to Annapolis and offered at a low │ │ price the goods he had brought out in the ship, │ │ thinking thus to propitiate his enemies. This │ │ step but inflamed them the more, and they burned │ │ his storehouse to the ground. │ │ │ │ │ │ nd my grandfather having much business to │ │ look to, I was left to my own devices. │ │ But the devices of a lad of twelve are not │ │ always such as his elders might choose for him. │ │ │ │ I was especially burning with a desire to │ │ see what was proceeding in the town. And hearing │ │ one day a great clamour and tolling of bells, I │ │ ran out of the Governor's gate and down Northwest │ │ Street to the Circle, where a strange sight met │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ my eyes. │ │ │ │ A crowd like that I had seen on the dock had │ │ collected there, Mr. Swain and Mr. Hammond and │ │ other barristers holding them in check. And │ │ mounted on a one-horse cart was a stuffed figure │ │ of the detested Mr. Hood. Mr. Hammond made a │ │ speech, but for the laughter and cheering I │ │ could not catch a word of it. │ │ │ │ I was pushing through the people, as a boy │ │ will, diving between legs to get a better view, │ │ when I felt a hand upon my shoulder, bringing │ │ me up short, and I recognized Mr. Matthias │ │ Tilghman, and with him Mr. Samuel Chase. │ │ │ │ "Does your grandfather know you are here, │ │ lad?" asked Mr. Tilghman. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ "He attended the rally at the dock himself," │ │ I made bold to say, "and I believe he enjoyed │ │ it, sir." │ │ │ │ At that both gentlemen smiled, and Mr. Chase │ │ remarked that if all in the other party were │ │ like Mr. Carvel, the troubles would soon cease. │ │ │ │ Then Mr. Hammond having finished │ │ his speech, a paper was placed in │ │ the hand of the effigy, and the │ │ crowd bore it shouting and singing │ │ to where Mr. John Shaw, the city │ │ carpenter, was making a gibbet. │ │ │ │ There nine and thirty lashes were bestowed │ │ on the unfortunate image, the people crying out │ │ that this was the Mosaic Law. And I cried as │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ loud as any, though I knew not the meaning of │ │ the words. │ │ │ │ Then they hung Mr. Hood to the gibbet and set │ │ fire to a tar barrel under him, and so left him. │ │ │ │ │ │ he town wore a holiday look that day, and │ │ I was loth to go back to the Governor's │ │ house. Good patriots' shops were closed, their │ │ owners parading as on Sunday in their best, and │ │ pausing in knots at every corner to discuss the │ │ affair with which the town simmered. │ │ │ │ I encountered old Farris, the clockmaker, in │ │ his brown coat besprinkled behind with powder │ │ from his queue. "How now, Master Richard?" said │ │ he. "This is no place for a young gentleman of │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ your persuasion." │ │ │ │ Next I came upon young Dr. Courtenay. He was │ │ taking the air with Mr. │ │ James Fotheringay, who │ │ was but lately back │ │ from Oxford and the │ │ Temple. │ │ │ │ The doctor wore │ │ five-pound ruffles │ │ and a four-pound wig, │ │ was dressed in cherry │ │ silk, and carried a │ │ long, clouded cane. │ │ And his hat had the │ │ latest cock, for he │ │ was our macaroni of │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Annapolis. │ │ │ │ "Egad, Richard," said he, "you are the only │ │ other loyalist I have seen abroad today." │ │ │ │ I remember swelling with ill-formed │ │ indignation at the affront. │ │ │ │ "I call them Tories, sir," I said, "and I │ │ am none such." │ │ │ │ "No Tory!" he said, nudging Mr. Fotheringay. │ │ "I would tell you as a friend, young man, that │ │ thy politics are not over politic." │ │ │ │ And they left me puzzling, laughing with │ │ much relish over some catch in the doctor's │ │ words. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ t was now near six of the clock, but │ │ instead of going direct to the │ │ Governor's, I made my way down Church Street │ │ toward the water. │ │ │ │ Near the dock I saw many people gathered in │ │ the street in front of the "Ship" tavern, a │ │ time-honoured resort much patronized by sailors. │ │ And my curiosity led me to halt there also. │ │ │ │ The "Ship," it was said, had stood for nigh │ │ on to three-score years, and on this day its │ │ latticed windows were swung open, and from │ │ within came snatches of "Tom Bowling," "Rule │ │ Britannia," and many songs scarce fit for a │ │ child to hear. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ And now and anon from the street someone │ │ would throw back a taunt to these British │ │ sentiments--and would go unheeded. │ │ │ │ "They be drunk as lords," cried Weld, the │ │ butcher's apprentice, "and when they comes out │ │ we'll hev more than one broken │ │ head in this street." │ │ │ │ The songs continuing, he │ │ cried again, "Come out, damn │ │ ye!" │ │ │ │ Weld had more than his │ │ own portion of rum that day, │ │ and spying me seated on the gate-post opposite, │ │ he shouted, "So ho, Master Carvel, the streets │ │ are not for his Majesty's supporters today." │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Other artisans who were there bade him leave │ │ me in peace, saying that my grandfather was a │ │ good friend of the people. But I shouted back, │ │ "I am as much a patriot as you, Weld," and │ │ flushed at the cheering that followed. │ │ │ │ Then Weld ran up to me, and though I was a │ │ good piece of a lad, swung me lightly onto his │ │ shoulder. "Harkee, Master Richard," he said, │ │ "I can get nothing out of the poltroons by │ │ shouting. Do you go in and say that Weld will │ │ fight any mother's son of them singlehanded." │ │ │ │ "For shame, to send a lad into a tavern," │ │ said old Robbins, who had known my grandfather │ │ these many years. │ │ │ │ But the desire for a row was so great among │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ the rest that they silenced him. Weld set me │ │ down, and I, nothing loth, ran through the open │ │ door. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ______ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ had never before been in the "Ship," nor │ │ indeed, in any tavern save that of │ │ Master Dingley, near Carvel Hall. │ │ │ │ It was a bare place enough, with low black │ │ beams and sanded floor, and rough tables and │ │ chairs set about. And on that August evening │ │ it was stifling hot, and the odours from the │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ men, and the spilled rum and tobacco smoke, │ │ well-nigh overpowered me. │ │ │ │ The room was filled with a motley gang of │ │ sailors, mostly from the ship Mr. Hood had come │ │ on, and some from H.M.S. Hawk, then lying in the │ │ harbour. │ │ │ │ A strapping man-o'- │ │ war's-man sat near │ │ the door, his jacket │ │ thrown open and his │ │ great chest bared, and │ │ when he perceived me │ │ he was singing "the │ │ Great Bell o' London" │ │ and held a brimming │ │ cup of bumbo in his │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ hands. In his surprise he set it awkwardly │ │ down, thereby spilling fully half of it. │ │ │ │ "Avast," said he, "what's this come among │ │ us?" And he looked me over with a narrowed │ │ eye. │ │ │ │ "A damned provincial," he cried, "but a │ │ gentleman's son, or Jack Ball's a liar." │ │ │ │ Whereupon his companions rose from their │ │ seats and crowded round, with more than one │ │ reeling against me. And though I was awed by │ │ the strangeness of that dark, ill-smelling │ │ room, and by the rough company in which I found │ │ myself, I spoke up as strongly as I might. │ │ │ │ "Weld, the butcher's apprentice, bids me say │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ he will fight any man among you single-handed." │ │ │ │ "So ho!" said Jack Ball, "and where can this │ │ valiant butcher be found?" │ │ │ │ "He waits in the street." │ │ │ │ "Split me if he waits long!" said Jack, │ │ draining the rest of his rum. │ │ │ │ And picking me up as easily as did Weld, he │ │ rushed out of the door, and after him as many │ │ of his mates as could walk or stagger thither. │ │ │ │ │ │ n the meantime the news had got abroad in │ │ the street that the butcher's apprentice │ │ was to fight one of the Hawk's men, and when we │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ emerged from the tavern the crowd had doubled, │ │ and people were │ │ running from all │ │ directions in │ │ great haste. │ │ │ │ But big Jack │ │ Ball had scarce │ │ set me down and │ │ shouted a loud │ │ defiance, shaking │ │ his fist at Weld, │ │ when a soldierly │ │ man on a great │ │ horse turned the │ │ corner and wheeled between the combatants. I │ │ knew at a glance it was Captain Clapsaddle, and │ │ guiltily wished myself at the Governor's. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ The townspeople knew him likewise, and many │ │ were slinking away even as he dismounted, and as │ │ his charger stood pawing the ground. │ │ │ │ "What's this I hear, you villain," he said to │ │ Weld, in his deep, ringing voice, "that you have │ │ not only provoked a row with one of the │ │ King's sailors, but have dared send │ │ a child into that tavern with your │ │ fool's message?" │ │ │ │ Weld stood awkward and sullen, │ │ and no words came out of him. │ │ │ │ "Your tongue, you sot!" the │ │ captain said, drawing his sword in │ │ his anger. "Is it true you have made │ │ use of a gentleman's son for your low purposes?" │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ But Weld was silent, and not a sound came │ │ from either side until old Robbins spoke up. │ │ "There are many here can say I warned him, │ │ your honour," he said. │ │ │ │ "Warned him?" said the captain. "Mr. Carvel │ │ has just given you twenty pounds for your wife, │ │ and you warned him!" │ │ │ │ Robbins said no more, and Weld hung his head, │ │ as well he might before the captain. But then │ │ the butcher made bold to take up his man's │ │ defence. │ │ │ │ "Master Carvel was indeed somewhat to blame, │ │ sir," said he, "and Weld is in his liquor." │ │ │ │ "And I'll have him pay for his drunkenness," │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ said Captain Clapsaddle, hotly. "Get to your │ │ homes. Ye are a lot of idle dogs, who would │ │ make liberty the excuse for riot." │ │ │ │ He waved his sword at the pack of them, and │ │ they scattered like sheep until none but Weld │ │ was left. │ │ │ │ "And as for you, Weld," he cried, "you'll │ │ rue this pretty business." │ │ │ │ Turning to Jack Ball, he bade him lift me │ │ to the saddle, and so I rode with him to the │ │ Governor's without a word. For I knew better │ │ than to talk when he was in that mood. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │