The Chainbearer; Or, The Littlepage Manuscripts

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owd in a body; a raising in the country being an incident of too much interest to be overlooked. I profited by the occasion to i

Rhode Islander, my brother major, assuring me that "he couldn't get the blade of his knife, and it's no great matter of a knife either, into a single j'int. And, what is more, 'squire"-as the sturdy yeoman was a major himself, though only in the militia, that title would not have been honorable enough for his landlord-"and, what is more, 'squire, they tell me not a piece was ever t

es; for, on the steadiness of these persons, depended the limbs and lives of those who raised the bent. As this structure was larger than common, the danger was increased, and the necessity of having men that could be relied on was obviously so much the greater. Of one post, in particular, for some reason that I do not know, all the trusty men seemed shy; each declaring that he thought

eue was clubbed. Andries wore his own hair; this his early pursuits in the forest rendered necessary; but it had long been clubbed in a sort of military fashion, and to that fashion he now adhered. In other respects he had transformed himself entirely into a woodsman. He wore a hunting-shirt, like myself; leggings, moccasons, and a cap of skins that had been deprived of their furs. So far from lessening in any degree the fine effect of his green old age, however, this attire serve

nd friendly interest. Striding over the timber, with the step of a man long accustomed to tread among dangers of all sorts, he grasped my hand, and gave it such a squee

s t'e cat steals upon t'e mice; but I had titings of your march, and have peen a few miles town t'e roat to m

most happy am I to meet you again. If you will go

still a little, for t'e want of my hant; step off the frame, lat, and

as near the spot where their husbands, brothers, and lovers were exerting every muscle and nerve, as comported with prudence; and a profound and anxious quiet pervaded the whole of a crowd that was gay with rustic finery, if not very remarkable for taste or refinement. Still, the cluster of females had little in it that was coarse or even unfeminine, if it had not much that would be so apt to meet the eye, in the way of the attractive, in a similar crowd of the present day. The improvement in the appearance and dress of the wives and daughters of husbandmen has been very marked among us within the last five-and-twenty years. Fully one-half of those collecte

r of girls, without drawing to myself some of their glances. Such was not the case, however, when I left the frame, which now attracted all eyes. On that, and on those who

and willing as they were, had as much as they could lift. Boys stood ready, however, with short pieces of scantling to place upright beneath the bent; and the men had ti

could overlook the work, "we will make ready for another l

d readiness, that the massive timber was carried up as high as their he

dispositions accordingly. Short poles were first got under the bent, by thrusting the unarmed ends into the cavity

ou-your post is the king-post of the whole frame; if that goes, all goes. Make ready, men; heave altogether-that's a lift. Heave again, men-h-e-a-ve-altogether

ing the certainty which had been obtained, that the strength present was hardly sufficient to get up so heavy a bent. Nevertheless there was no remedy, every person on the ground who could be of use, but myself having his station. A well-looking, semi-genteel young man, whose dress was two-thirds forest and one-third town, had come from behind the row of females, stepped upon the frame, and taken his post at a pike-pole. The uninitiated reader will understand tha

let in some of the other denominations occasionally, and see h

y doesn't exist in this settlement. Sartainly-sartainly-other denominati

ing, there was no disposition to skulk, or to abandon the work; and two or three of the dissentients took their revenge on the sp

l do his best for just one minute, the hardest will be over. You see that upright stud there, with that boy, Tim Trimmer at it; just raise the ben

get away. A short speech was then made, in which every man was exhorted to do his best; and everybody in particular, was reminded of the necessity

at effect; for who can look on and see their fellow-creatures straining every muscle, and not submit to human sympathy? But the recollection of militar

ast time. Altogether at the word-now's you

nder the enormous pressure of the massive timber. I stepped on the frame at the ver

comes the young landlord!-he-e-ave

a boy's strength. The boss rushed forward like a man, to our aid; and then Tim, fancying his stud would stand without his support, left it and flew to a pike-pole. At this mistake the stud fell a little on one side, where it could be of no use.

ves, he-eave!" exclaimed the

just as I had abandoned hope, a young female darted out of the anxious, pale-faced crowd that was looking on in a terror and agony that may be better conceived than described, and seizing the stud, she placed it alongside of the post. But an inch was wanted to gain its support; but how to obtain that inch! I now raised my voice, and called on the fainting men to heave. They obeyed; and I saw that spirited, true-eyed, firm-handed girl place the

on! Her form, in particular, was perfection; being just the medium between feminine delicacy and rude health; or just so much of the last as could exist without a shade of coarseness; and the little I saw of a countenance that was nearly concealed by a maze of curls that might well be termed golden, appeared to me to correspond admirably with that form. Nor wa

to stand, my mind's-eye saw nothing but the flexible form, the elastic, ready step, the golden tresses, the cheek suffused by excitement, the charming lips compressed with resolution, and the whole air, attitude, and action characterized, as was each and all, by the devotion, readiness, and loveliness of her sex. When my pulses beat more regularly, and my heart ceased to throb, I looked aro

nd authoritative. He was obeyed, too, in a manner I was delighted to see. The order of the "boss" had produced no such impressions as those which old Andries now is

on in America, when men are to be controlled in the country. In the towns, and wherever men are to be commanded in bodies, authority is as well understood as it is in any other quarter of the world; but, in the interior, and especially among the people of New England habits, very few men carry sufficient command with them to say, "John, do this," or "John, do that;" bu

rd was given to heave, all of us being at the pike-poles; when up went the bent, as if borne upon by a force that was irresistible. Such was the effect of old Andries' habits of command, which not only caused every man to lift with all his might, but the wh

lp of the Chainbearer and somebody else I wunt name! Well, our turn will come, some day; for Ravensnest is a place in which the people w

ations to quit the frame. "Ravensnest will get as many religions, in time, as t'ere

inbearer? There's more posts to

ou can, rememper you haf a peing to worship in t'is house, t'at is neit'er Congregational, nor Presbyterian, nor anything else of the nature of your dis

carried weight because he was a man who usually said "come, boys," and not one who issued his orders in the words "go, boys." This had been his character in the army, where, in his own little circle, he was known as one ever ready to lead in person. Then Andries was a man of sterling truth; and such a man, when he has

s we were clear of the crowd, "I will pe your guite,

do not mea

fortaple, and I haf had it put in order for you, poy. Your grantfat'er's furniture is still t'ere; and Frank Malpone, Du

hat is mine. But I had supposed you fa

d sometimes at anot'er. My niggers are at t'e hut; put Fran

n black-let me step to the inn, a

ier marches, and countermarches, wit' no wagon to carry

or on horseback. It can only be some three or four mile

whole war with the regiment, sometimes acting as my father's servant, sometimes carrying a musket, sometimes driving a team; and, at the close of his career,

Jaap concluded their greetings; "I fell in with the Indian you use

ed my friend. "I saw him going up t'e roat, at a quick t

elt on the estate of Ravensnest, and who were under the age of five-and-twenty, had ever seen an edifice that was constructed for the purpose of Christian worship at all. Such structures were rare indeed, in the year 1784, and in the interior of New York. Albany had but two, I believe; the capital may have had a dozen; and most of the larger villages possessed at least one; but with the exception of the old counties, and here and there one on the Mohawk, the new State could not boast

marching on a public highway," I remarked, "but w

ot golt t'at glitters. We have fought a hard battle, Ma

ticipations of good. Like a true Dutchman, he particularly distrusted the immigration

d we shall get the benefits of our toil and dangers. But how d

sant acres, laid off in huntret acre lots, which I will venture to say haf peen as honestly and carefully measuret as any other ten t'o

e you have written ab

, her half-brot'er; peing no nephew of mine. Dus, you know, is only a half-niece in bloot; but she is a full da'ter in lofe. As for Frank,

t deal to spare. It would be a different matter if there was a scarcity; but as it is, give good measure to the tenant, or t

un a line petween two Yankees for twice the money. Among t'e Dutch, t'e owners light their pipes, and smoke whilst you are at work; but the Yankees are the who

er eyesores, and in good order. Still, the place on its exterior, had a sort of jail look, there being no windows, nor any other outlet than the door. On reaching the latter, which was a gate, rather than an ordinary entrance, we paused a moment to look about us. While we stood there, gazing at the fields, a form glided through the opening, and Sureflint stood by my side. He had hardly got there, when there arose the strains of the same full, rich, female voice, singing Indian words to a civilized melody, as I had heard i