Janice Meredith: A Story of the American RevolutionFord, Paul Leicester
History
Janice Meredith: A Story of the American Revolution
Ford, Paul Leicester
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Fiction
up, while the major, who is a wonderful horseman, spurred
and leaped over her. But he was blamed for taking the risk,
for his horse might not have risen, so Colonel Harcourt told
Nancy Bond. 'T was Major Tarleton, I daresay you recollect;
who was at our house when General Lee was captivated; and
P. Hennion then told me he was considered the most reckless
and dare-devil officer in the cavalry, but a cruel man. 'Mr.
Lee,' as they all term him, here,--for they will not give the
Whigs any titles,--has just been brought to Philadelphia and
is at large on parole, pending an exchange, which has been delayed
because 't is feared by the British that any convention may
be taken as a recognition of the rebels, and be so considered by
France and Spain.
"So much has happened," the letter-writer continued a week
later, "I scarce know where to begin, Tibbie, nor how to convey
to you the wondrous occurrences. Oh, Tibbie, Tibbie, plays
are the most amazing and marvellous things in the world! Not
a one of the officers could I recognise, so changed they were, and
they did us females to the life. 'T was so enchanting that at
times I found myself gasping through very forgetfulness to breathe,
and I was dreadfully rallied and quizzed because I burst into
tears when the poor minor seemed to have lost both his love and his
property. But how can I touch off my feelings, when, in the
fourth act; the villain was detected; and all ended as it should!
And, oh! Tibbie, mommy enjoyed it nearly as much as I,
though the farce at the end vastly shocked her--and, indeed,
Tibbie, 't was most indelicate, and made me blush a scarlet, and
all the more that Sir William whispered that he enjoyed the
broad parts through my cheeks--and she says if dadda insists,
we'll go again, though not to stay to the farce. We had to sit
in Lord Clowes' box--which sadly affronted Captain Andre
--and Sir William, who has hitherto kept himself muck secluded;
made his first appearance in public, and, as you wilt
have inferred, visited our box during a part of the performance,
drawing all eyes upon us, which agitated me greatly. Dadda
told him I was learning to sketch, and nothing would do but I
must give him an example, so on the back of the play-bill I
made a caricature of General Lee, which was extravagantly
praised, and was passed from hand to hand all over the house,
and excited a titter wherever it went, for the general was in attendance;
but judge of my feelings, Tibbie, when an officer
passed it to Lee himself! He fell into a mighty rage, and demanded
aloud to know who had thus insulted him, and but for
Lord Clowes and Sir William preventing me, I'd have fled
from the place, I was in such a panic. Pray Heaven he never
learn! I dare not repeat to thee half the civil things which
were said of this 'sweet creature,' as they styled me, for fear
thou'lt think me vain. 'As thee is, I doubt not,' I hear thee
say. Saucy Tibbie Drinker!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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