Sustained honor: The Age of Liberty EstablishedMusick, John R. (John Roy)
History
Sustained honor: The Age of Liberty Established
Musick, John R. (John Roy)
United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Fiction
"I wish we were back in the college; but I greatly fear we will be
expelled in disgrace. It would kill our mothers."
"No; I think they would get over it; but I tell you, Fernando, my
opinion is, it don't make much difference."
"Why?"
"The United States and England are going to fight. I got a paper last
night, and it was chock full of fight, and as for your shootin' the
lieutenant, I am sure everybody, even your mother and the faculty, will
be glad of it. I only blame you for one thing."
"What is that, Sukey?"
"When you had such a good chance, why didn't you aim higher?"
The expression on Sukey's face was too ludicrous for even the young
duelist, and he laughed in spite of himself.
"Helloa, there's the town," cried Sukey, as they rounded a headland and
entered the mouth of a broad bay, standing in toward a beautiful
village. This village has wholly disappeared. Railroads shunned it, and
the water traffic being too small to support it, it degenerated into a
village of fishermen, which, in 1837, was totally destroyed by fire, and
has never been rebuilt. Before the war of 1812, it was a neat,
flourishing little town.
"Is this the town you were spakin' about?" asked Terrence of the
boatman.
"Yes, zur."
"What place is it?"
"Mariana."
"Mariana," repeated Fernando, "I have heard that name before. Where was
it? Mariana,--Mariana."
Terrence came forward to his companions and said:
"Now, lads, like as not the frinds of Matson may be afther following
us. Lave it all to me. We'll change our names and go up to the tavern,
where we'll hire rooms and be gintlemen traveling for pleasure."
"Would they dare follow us on shore?"
"No; I think not; but if they should, my plan will answer."
When they ran into shore, Terrence paid the boatman and discharged him.
Terrence was the son of a rich Irish merchant in Philadelphia, who kept
his son liberally supplied with money, who, with corresponding
liberality, spent it.
Terrence felt that this was his scrape, and he resolved to bear the
expenses.
With his friends, he went to the tavern, where they engaged rooms.
Fernando and Sukey retired to their rooms, while Terrence remained in
the tap-room, where there was a crowd of Marylanders. He began telling
them a most horrible story of the impressment of himself and his friends
by a British vessel and of their recent escape. He stated that they had
been closely pursued, and he would not be surprised if the Britishers
sent a boat on shore to take them away.
He could not have chosen a better theme to inflame those Marylanders.
One tall, raw-boned man, who carried a rifle and bullet pouch with
him, said:
"Boys, that reminds us mightily o' Dick Long."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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