O N 
 
 %_^^^ ♦' 
 
 v^^ 
 
 O M O 
 
 Si^. ^'P' 
 
 
 
 • * •« 
 
 
 
 • f ' 
 
 
 
 
 ip 
 
 lVv> 
 
 
 

 •0< 
 
 * o 
 
 
 
 .»_V1,'* '> v^ ."•» 
 
 
 * «^ ^^ 
 
 
 
 * 4" ^ 
 
 v^. x-^-' .* 
 
 
 
 
 O *l o "• O,' 
 
 -0/ 
 
 *:..•' ,o- 
 
 
HISTORY OF MY OWN TIMES: 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 I hi 
 
 LIFE AND ADVENTURES 
 
 OF 
 
 WILLIAM OTTER, Sen 
 
 COMPRISING 
 
 A SERIES OF EVENTS, AND MUSICAL INCIDENTS 
 ALTOGETHER ORIGINAL. 
 
 ^x^ri ^^Cc',-^^ 
 
 % 
 
 ^ mi 
 
 EMMITSBUR6?Pf i;^' . ,; -^^^ 
 
 1835. 
 
^ 
 
 r^ 
 
 1^ 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The purpose for which the author princi- 
 pally intends his book, you will find in the 
 sequel of this preface; that many words will 
 not be spent to inform all those into whose 
 hands his production may fall, that it is not 
 expressly for the use and instruction of chil- 
 dren — who, being as it were, blank paper, 
 taking all upon credit; if that were the author's 
 intention, the first comer might write saint or 
 devil upon it, which he pleased. 
 
 To avoid such a verdict being pronounced, 
 he does not intend either to labor very hard; 
 that it was hastily got up, and ushered into 
 the world before it was properly matured — ■ 
 as hasty publications are denounced by the 
 public as a "crime." Our author is well 
 aware that to brag and make professions in 
 his dedication, as the practice of some writers 
 of now a-days is, would be a digression upon 
 the good sense and clear understanding of 
 those into whose hands the work may fall, 
 if he were to endeavor to convince the world 
 of his exquisite comical quirks; and in trying 
 to convince them so far, as to get admirers of 
 his hasty production, how little time and pains 
 
IV 
 
 he consumed and bestowed upon it. He is 
 aware that the public would take him at his 
 word, and spare themselves the trouble of 
 perusing the "History of his Own Times," — 
 which they reasonably could infer, as they 
 v/ould be assured before hand, that it is faulty 
 through idleness, impatience, or wilful neglect 
 in the author. 
 
 Well aware, in all his undertakings, never 
 to do or say any thing which does not run 
 sn^oothly and with the grain-knowing ourselves 
 as we should do, so necessary upon all occa- 
 sions; he will make his readers and himself too, 
 as happy as a delicate and refined judgment 
 is capable of; and in the plenitude of his own 
 veracity he will give, free from coloring, a 
 clear conception and precise account, of all the 
 scrapes he had a hand in, jointly or severally. 
 
 Feeling assured, that those amongst whom 
 he has spent the last twenty years of his lifie, 
 would, if called upon, bear him out in tlie 
 sincerity, and the sovereignty of truth, of the 
 t'History of his Own Times;" and as an intelli- 
 gent and musical community will have the 
 pleasure of judging for themselves, he confi- 
 dently commits it into their hands with plea- 
 sure, leaving them to their own conclusions* 
 
 The Author 
 
HISTORY OF MY OWN TIMES. 
 
 I was born on the 1 9th day of July, in the 
 year 1 789, in the city of Fhill, in Yorkshire, 
 England. As I intend to write a faithful his- 
 tory of my own times, 1 will not trespass upon 
 the reader's patience, to give him the trouble 
 of perusing the genealogy of my ancestry. Suf- 
 fice to say, I was born of poor but honest pa- 
 rentage. One day my father ordered me to 
 weed the garden, he being by profession a gar- 
 dener. On his return home in the evening, he 
 inquired into the matter, how far I had obey- 
 ed his orders, and having found that I had dis- 
 obeyed them, he, in the plentitude of his good- 
 ness, got hold of me, and gave me a genteel 
 wallopping. Upon the receipt of the flagella- 
 tion aforesaid, being in the eleventh year of 
 my age, I bade my father and mother a leg 
 bail good bye. 
 
 After I had got away from my parents, I 
 1* 
 
6 
 
 went to the dock in the city of my nativity, in 
 quest of a master, and at length I succeeded 
 in finding one, in a gentleman whose name was 
 Gardener. To Mr. Gardener I represented 
 myself as an orphan, whose feelings of philan- 
 thropy were awakened for my forlorn condi- 
 tion; to him I bound myself for seven years as 
 a cabin boy, and sailed under Captain Clark. 
 Our first expedition was destined to Green- 
 land, and after a voyage of about six weeks, 
 we arrived at the place of our destination. 
 The Greenland fleet having all safely arrived, 
 after about eight days, our captain went on 
 board the ship Jane, to dine; our chief mate, 
 in the absence of the captain, amused himself 
 in company with a few others, with the history 
 of the four kings; the watch on deck was a lit- 
 tle groggy, and I was in the galley putting on 
 my tea-kettle for tea. The first thing I knew 
 was, I was upset off of my three legged stool, 
 and the tea-kettle between my legs. I scrambled 
 and succeeded in gettjng upon my feet, and 
 the first thing that I saw, was a hole stove in 
 the bow of the ship, about two feet long. All 
 hands, (except our cook, who was in his bed 
 
7 
 
 and was lost,) jumped upon the mountain of ice, 
 which had broken our vessel; and in the short 
 space of about five minutes our vessel went 
 down about half mast high. We saved noth- 
 ing belonging to her, only a part of the sails, 
 the fore-top sail, the fore-top-gallant sail, the 
 main-top sail, the main-top-gallant sail, the mi- 
 zen-top sail. The crew was fifty-two in num- 
 ber; there we were in a most awful situation; 
 upon a mountain of ice at least one hundred 
 miles long, without provisions or bedding, 
 floating ever and anon; to keep alive we 
 wrapped ourselves in the few sails we saved 
 from our sinking ship. 
 
 In this painful and perilous situation we re- 
 mained about twenty-five hours. At length 
 the ship Jane hove in sight; we hoisted signals 
 of distress, and were taken in by her. Our 
 captain being on board of the ship Jane, be- 
 longing to the Greenland whale fishery fleet. 
 The crew was then shared out among other 
 crews, to work their way home again, except- 
 ing nine boys, of which I was one of the num- 
 ber, our captain retained on board of the ship 
 Jane. The prizes the ship Jane made during 
 
8 
 
 our voyage, consisted of eight whales, upwards 
 of two hundred seals, and two Polar bears. 
 On our way home we fell in wath his Majes- 
 ty's fleet, who pressed us into the King's ser- 
 vice for life. 
 
 In this new sphere of action my avocations 
 became of somewhat a different character than 
 that of catching whales, seals, and bears. My 
 daily occupation was to feed about fifty pris- 
 oners, whom they had in chains, being a pris- 
 on ship called the Nonesuch, carrying seven- 
 ty-four guns, and having about two hundred 
 prisoners in all on board, chiefly Americans. 
 
 The first harbor we put in after I had been 
 placed on the last named ship, was in Shetland 
 harbor, in the Shetland Islands, tc change wa- 
 ter. After we had changed water, we put to 
 sea, and cruised about in quest of hands. While 
 employed in the occupation of feeder of prison- 
 ers, an altercation one day took place between 
 myself and an old man, an American, whose 
 name was John Wilson, a tarpaulin. In our 
 quarrel he had the audacity, as I thought, to 
 call me an English bugger, by way of oflsctt I 
 stigmatized him, old rebel, as the Americans 
 
9 
 
 were usually styled in the King's fleet. He 
 told me if he lived to regain his liberty, he 
 would kick me to where the old boy would 
 not find me in a week. In reply to his, as I 
 thought, vicious and rascally notions, I told 
 him that I would feed him on the bony pieces 
 on the platter; that the old boy could not chew 
 him at all, and that was his daily rations; all the 
 bony pieces on the platler fell to Mr. "Wil- 
 son, as long as I was held in the office of feed- 
 er. After the lapse of about one year, from 
 the time Mr. Wilson and myself had our con- 
 fab, of which, in point of plain, hard swearing, 
 he fairly outdone me, I was promoted to a 
 cabin boy. 
 
 After my promotion to a cabin boy, we 
 cruised a! )ut nine months; one moonlight night 
 a sail hove in sight, captain Rodgers, command* 
 er of the Nonesuch, gave orders to bear down 
 on her. As we bore down on her, she put out 
 her lights. When within speaking distancet 
 the captain hailed her, "from whence came 
 you;" to which question no answer was made; 
 the captain gave orders to give him the two 
 bow guns. My occupation was to hold the 
 match, and that was the only time I ever said 
 
10 
 
 my prayers while at sea; after she had recei- 
 ved our two shots given her from our bow 
 guns, she hove to. We then boarded her, and 
 made her captain come on board of the None- 
 such, and was asked by captain Rodgers, where 
 he was bound to; he told captain Rodgers that 
 he was bound for Europe. Captain Rodgers 
 gave him a few for not answering his Majes- 
 ty's ship when spoken to. Rodgers asked the 
 captain of the small craft what his cargo was; 
 he answered, sugar, rum, and coffee. Captain 
 Rodgers ordered them to hoist out a hogshead 
 of rum, and some coffee, and sugar, examined 
 his books and then let him go. 
 
 The next port we made for was that of Lon- 
 don. While there, the prisoners we held in 
 chains on board the Nonesuch, were placed on 
 board of the tender, being a guard ship. While 
 at London, we supplied our stores with pro- 
 visions; and while there I obtained liberty 
 to go on shore every day in company with the 
 officer of the day, to market, to carry provi- 
 sions on board of our ship. One evening the 
 officers w^ere invited to a dancing party; after 
 supper being over, I went to shake out the ta- 
 ble cloth, on deck, it was one of the darkest 
 
11 
 
 nignts I had ever seen, I heard three of the 
 crew talking that they would desert the ship 
 that night: I stepped up to them, and told 
 them that I would go along. One of them 
 swore and said if I said one word about their 
 intention to desert, he would knock me over- 
 board. After a considerable time spent by 
 them in consultation, they came to the con- 
 clusion to take me along, provided I kept quiet. 
 They instructed me to go and keep myself in 
 readiness at the bow of the ship; and down the 
 cable we went, one by one. I got on the 
 back of one of the three who had thus far 
 effected our escape; he had a head of very 
 fine long hair, of which I availed myself: while 
 on his back I conceived my situation to be 
 somewhat perilous. I of course stuck close 
 to him like a tick, and twisted my hand in his 
 hair, he made several efforts to shake me off, 
 but I would not let go my hold; after a con- 
 siderable struggle, we at length arrived safe 
 on the beach, after tugging about the distance 
 of half a mile through the water of the river 
 Thames. We then, after we got on terra- 
 firma, walked along the beach till nearly day 
 light; being exceedingly fatigued from the ef- 
 forts we made to make our escape; weary and 
 
12 
 
 tired, we laid down on a sand beach to resus- 
 citate our exhausted limbs, and by the alarm 
 of the morning gun at the fort, in the vicinity 
 of London, I was awakened, and found my- 
 self alone. I cast my eyes up and down the 
 shore, not knowing which way to go. I 
 crawled up the bank, and walked about one 
 mile; I came to a place where two men were 
 digging in a garden; I bade tliese codgers good 
 morning. One of them, somewhat of an in- 
 quisitive turn of mind, inquired of me, where 
 I was going to; in reply to his inquiry, 1 
 answered him, that 1 did not know; he then 
 asked me where 1 had come from; I told him 
 1 came from off his majesty's ship, lying in 
 the stream: he asked me how I got away; I 
 told him that three men of the crew and my- 
 self had deserted; he then asked me where 
 the three men were that had fled with me; I 
 answered him, they had left me that morning 
 on the beach. His companion observed that 
 they could make five guineas on the lad if we 
 take him to his Majesty. At his observation 
 to his fellow-comrade, I began to cry; one of 
 them asked me if I belonged to London; I 
 answered him I did not; that I belonged to 
 Hull, in Yorkshire, and that I wanted to go 
 
13 
 
 home to my father and mother. They then 
 asked me how long I had been at sea; I told 
 them about four years. They then asked me 
 how I came in his Majesty's service; I told 
 them that I left my parents, and sailed for 
 Greenland; I was cast away on my return from 
 thence, and placed on board of his Majesty's 
 ship. He then asked my father's name, and 
 what he followed; I told him his name was 
 Edward Otter, and by profession a gardener. 
 One of them said, he supposed that I was hun- 
 gry; I told him I was; he took me to the house, 
 and told the woman of the house to give me 
 something to eat. I sat down and ate, and 
 while eating, she asked whose lad 1 was; they 
 told her that I had ran away from his Majes- 
 ty's ship; and that they intended to take me 
 back and make five guineas on me. She told 
 them that that was too hard; she asked me 
 where was my home; I told her in the city of 
 Hull, in Yorkshire. She asked me if my pa- 
 rents were living; I told her they were. She 
 then asked me, would'nt you be very glad to 
 see them; I told her that I would; which idea 
 so overcame me that I began to cry; she add- 
 ed, "I pity the poor lad;" John, said she to 
 her husband, you ought to try to get the lad 
 2 
 
14 
 
 home. John told her he could, and that she 
 should keep me safe till night. She took me 
 up stairs, and told me not to be afraid, that 
 they would do all they could for me. I 
 thought that was the longest day I ever saw. 
 That night they took me down, and gave me 
 my supper; and his wife said to her hnsband, 
 that she thought it would be best to send me 
 down in a coal boat, on the canal, and at the 
 same time advised to strip me of my navy 
 cap and jacket; that she would exchange them 
 by supplying me with citizen''s uniform. John 
 then took me about three miles across the 
 country, to the canal; he told the captain of 
 the boat that here is a Yorkshire bite, mean- 
 ing myself. The captain inquired of my pa- 
 tron, what he was going to do with me; he 
 told him that 1 had ran away from his Majes- 
 ty's ship, and he wanted me to get home to my 
 parents in Hull; he told the captain that it was 
 hard for the poor lad. The captain's feelings 
 were interested for me, and he told me that 
 he would do all he could for me. The old 
 fellow put in my possession a sixpence, and 
 told me he now would leave me in the care of 
 the captain of the canal boat, and bade me do 
 the best I could, and bade me farewell. The 
 
15 
 
 captain took me down the canal, about forty 
 miles, and asked me if I would go back again 
 with him; I answered him no. 
 
 We landed at Newport, a small town, and 
 w^ent into an ale-house; he told the landlord 
 that here is a poor lad, ran away from his 
 Majesty's service, and wanted to work his 
 way down to Hull. O well, said the land- 
 lord, I'll try and work him on. The cap- 
 tain bought a quart of ale, some cheese and 
 biscuit, and told me to put the biscuits in my 
 pocket, and he then left me in the ale house. 
 The landlord told me to walk about; that a 
 hack stage would be along there, and to jump 
 on behind; that it would carry me about ten 
 miles. According to his directions, I wait- 
 ed about half an hour. I seen the stage 
 coming; the landlord says to me, "now my lad 
 jump on; I put out, and rode about five miles, 
 when one of the passengers got out to obey 
 a call of nature; he came to the back part of 
 the stage, and inquired of me, if I belonged 
 to the stage; I told him no, I was taking a ride. 
 The driver overheard us, and asked who was 
 behind; the gentleman who had stepped out, 
 told him, a boy. Slapbang, came his whip, 
 and off I came in short order; acknowledging 
 
16 
 
 piyment in full for my five miles ride. I then 
 started after the stage on foot, and went on till 
 I came to an ale-house; I entered the house 
 and inquired of the landlord the distance from 
 thence to the city of Hull; he told me it was 
 near forty miles; the landlord asked me where 
 1 came from; I answered, from tlie canal; he 
 asked me if I lived at Hull; I told him I did 
 I asked him for a drink, he gave me a drink 
 of beer; he then asked me if I was a runaway, 
 I told him no, that I belonged to a collier, and 
 was on my way home; he then observed to me 
 I had a long walk before me; upon which I 
 bid him a good day. 
 
 I trudged about four miles further, and came 
 to a farm house along the road side. I there 
 saw a man driving cattle; he says to me, high 
 my lad, which way. I told him I was going 
 to Hull, he asked me if I w ould hire; I asked 
 him what to do, he said to mind cattle and 
 sheep; I told him no. I travelled on and over- 
 took a man who was driving a two horse cart, 
 and he also asked me where I was going; I 
 told him, to Hull; I then asked him how far 
 he was going; he told me he was going to 
 Beverly, a small town about fifteen miles from 
 Hull; he then asked me, how far I was going 
 that day; I told him I did not know; he asked 
 
17 
 
 me where I came from; I told him as I did all 
 the rest, that I came from the canal; he asked 
 me if I lived in Hull; I told him I did; I then 
 asked him how far he intended to go that 
 day; he said about eight miles; I observed to 
 him that w^ould be as far as I would be able 
 to go; his next inquiry of me, was, if I had 
 any money; I told him I had sixpence; he 
 laughingly observed that such a small sum as 
 that would not carry me to Hull; I then told 
 him that I had bread and cheese in my pocket; 
 he then made an offer to me, that if I would 
 help him to clean his horses, I might stay with 
 him for that night; which offer I accepted. 
 
 We stopped at a widow woman's house for 
 the night, and agreeably to our contract, I was 
 to help to clean his horses, and having never 
 in my life touched a horse before that time, I 
 began to clean the horse at the foot; he came 
 out and asked me how I came on, and seeing 
 that his horses were not cleaned, he made free 
 enough to tell me that they were not clean; [ 
 insisted on it they were, and referred him to 
 take a look at their feet; after our confab had 
 ended about the horse cleaning business, we 
 
 went to supper. Our landlady asked him if 
 
 2* 
 
18 
 
 I was his boy, he said no, that he picked me 
 up on the road, she observed that I was a fine 
 looking lad; and where was I going, address- 
 ing herself to me, I told her I was going to 
 Hull; she asked me if that was my home, I 
 told her yes, she also asked me where I had 
 been, I told her what I told the rest of idle and 
 inquisitive inquirers, that I was from the canal, 
 the next inquiry was directed to me how I came 
 at the canal; 1 told her that an uncle of mine 
 had taken me there, and that I was tired of it 
 and was on my road home. After supper 
 being over, I sat myself down on a bench and 
 fell asleep, I had not slept long till the landlady 
 awakened me, and observed to me that I had 
 better go to bed, I answered her that I intend- 
 ed to take my lodging for that night in the 
 cart: Oh no! said she, that will be too bad, I 
 then told her I had no money, she said to me 
 that made no difference, I should go to bed, 
 money or no money. I then, after her kind- 
 ness being pro tiered to give me a bed, under 
 my embarrassed pecuniary circumstances, 
 accepted her offer and slept very soundly; in 
 the morning when I awoke and looked rightly 
 around me, the man that drove the two horse 
 cart, was gone. Having no money, I felt em- 
 barrassed, as I had not the means to remuner- 
 
19 
 
 ate my kind hostess, laboring under difficul- 
 ties which my mind could not solace; in this 
 moment of suspense, my landlady asked me if 
 I would eat something, I replied and said to 
 her, that I was not hungry, when the contrary 
 was the fact. I inquired of her how far it was 
 to Beverly; about five miles was her reply to 
 my inquiry; I next asked her if I should keep 
 on that big road that lay along her house, she 
 told me yes; being ashamed to leave her house 
 without making her any kind of recompense, I 
 pulled out my sixpence, which I had received 
 from John who left me in charge wnth the boat- 
 man. I told her, that that w^as all the money I 
 had, offered the sixpence to her, she told me to 
 keep it till I came to Beverly, observing to me 
 that there I might w^ant it; I put up my money 
 and bid her a good-bye, she told me to stop, I 
 did SO; in the plenitude of her goodness she 
 gave me some bread and cheese to put in my 
 pocket, as a helper on the road, I thanked her 
 for it very cordially, feeling quite rich, having 
 as I thought the fat of the land safely stowed 
 away in my pocket, and off I started for 
 Beverly. 
 
 I arrived at Beverly at about 1 1 o'clock A. 
 M.; 1 went to a tavern where I saw a man 
 
20 
 
 holding a horse at the door, I inquired of him 
 which way led to Hull, he told me to go right 
 down that street, until 1 came to the second 
 square from there, then take to the right and 
 keep on, that would take me to the pike. I 
 travelled on about two miles, I came to a gate 
 house, I asked the gatekeeper to give me a 
 drink of water, he gave me a drink, I then 
 asked him how far it was to Hull — he told me 
 ten miles, he asked me if I lived there, I told 
 him I did; he asked me where 1 came from, I 
 told him from the canal; he asked me how I 
 came all that way, coming from the canal, I 
 replied that I knew of no other road, he asked 
 me my name, I said my name was William 
 Otter; a son of the Gardener? said he, I told 
 him yes; said he how long have you been from 
 home, I told him I had been from home about 
 four years. My lad do you know that your 
 parents have left this country and have gone 
 to America two years ago; he took me into 
 the house and presented me before his wife, 
 saying this is a son of Edward Otter; she said 
 that cannot be possible you know that Otter 
 took all his diildren along; he then said, he 
 
21 
 
 could not have done so if I was one of his 
 children, she then asked me how many chil- 
 dren my father had; I told her he had six, three 
 boys and three girls, she asked me their names, 
 I told her that the girls were named Harriett, 
 Mary and Sarah, yes she said, catching the 
 idea, that 'sright; he then asked me my brothers' 
 names, i told him my brothers were James 
 and Edward and mine was William-, he then 
 touched me on a very delicate theme, for he 
 asked me how 1 came to leave my parents, 
 I told him the plain facts that my father whip- 
 ped me and I ran away; where had I went to? 
 I told him to Greenland, and had been cast 
 away the first voyage, on my way home had 
 been put on board of a man of war, and ran 
 away from them in London, and am now on 
 my way home. His wife said she did not 
 know how I ever should see my parents again, 
 yet has had now gone to America. That piece 
 of intelligence was a damper to my feelings, 
 I felt more down in the mouth about it, than 
 any thing I had ever heard, he asked me if I 
 would not eat something, I told him no, that I 
 was not hungry, he told liis wife to get me some- 
 
22 
 
 thing to eat, she did so, I sat down and began 
 to eat, and while I was eating she called in 
 her two little boys, and told them that there 
 was a poor boy that had lost his father and 
 mother, that they should be good boys, always 
 do as their parents told them, using me as a 
 kind of bug-bear to frighten her lads into 
 obedience, which so much affected me that I 
 could not eat another bite; he asked me if I 
 knew where my uncle lived, I told him I did 
 not, he told me that he lived in Handleby a 
 small town about two miles from the city of 
 Hull, that he taught school; I asked him how 
 far it was to Handleby, he told me eight miles; 
 I asked him if lie thought that I could get 
 there that day, he said oh yes, I bade him 
 good bye and put out. 
 
 I walked six miles and my feet gave out, I 
 met a boy, I inquired of him who Jived in that 
 next house, he told me William "Wardel; I 
 asked him if he thought that I could stay all 
 night at that house, the boy told me oh yes, 
 you can sleep with me. I told him my feet 
 were so sore that I could not walk any farther; 
 he then took me to the house, 1 told him to ask 
 
23 
 
 for me if I could stay all night, he told his father 
 here is a boy come to stay all night; his father 
 asked me where I came from, I told him from 
 the canal; he asked me where I was going to, 
 I told him 1 was going to Handleby, he asked 
 me if I lived there, I told him no. I have an 
 uncle living there, he then asked me my uncle's 
 name, I told him my uncle's name was James Ot- 
 ter. What, said he, the school master, I told him 
 yes, he asked my father's name, I told him 
 Edward Otter; what said he, the gardener that 
 lived in Hull; that can't be for he is gone to 
 America and all his family, I told him that I 
 was his son, though I had heard it too that 
 they were gone to America, yet myself was 
 here; he then asked why I did not go with 
 them, I told him that I had been at sea; how 
 long was you at sea, said he, I answered him I 
 had been at sea about four years, he then asked 
 me how it came that I went to sea and was so 
 young, I told him my father whipped me at a 
 time, and I ran away from him and bound 
 myself for seven years in the Greenland trade; 
 he then asked me how I got away, I said that 
 I was cast away the first voyage, on my way 
 
24 
 
 home I was taken on board the Nonesuch; he 
 asked me how I got away from her, I told him 
 that four of us came away in one night, he 
 asked me where the rest of my comrades were, 
 I told him they left me on the beach, and I 
 never saw them since, he supposed that I had 
 been a middling wild lad, I told him I did not 
 know; said he if you go to Hull the press- 
 gang will take you again, I told him that I 
 supposed that they would not know me, he 
 said that it made no odds about that, if they 
 see you they will take you any how, he told me 
 it would be best for me to go to my uncle and 
 stay there; I told him I intended to go to him; 
 by this time we were called into supper; when 
 I arose from the supper table I could hardly 
 walk, he asked me if I was lame, I told him 
 my feet were blistered with walking only, he 
 told me he supposed that I was not much 
 used to walking, I told him no; he ordered the 
 maid to make some hot water, and told me to 
 go to the kitchen and bathe my feet in the warm 
 water the maid had prepared for me, and to 
 keep them in about a quarter of an hour, I did 
 so; he then asked his son Tom if he would 
 
25 
 
 sleep with me; he supposed that when my feet 
 were well soaked that I should go to bed. In 
 the meantime, the wife of Mr. Wardel had a 
 curiosity to know if I carried about me any 
 live lumber, such as seamen and soldiers are in 
 the habit of associating with, and to come to 
 a point with me, she asked me if I had no 
 other clothes than those I had on, I told her 
 I had the linen I wore, on my back about five 
 days; Mr. Wardel told her she had better give 
 me one of Thomas's as I had none to change, 
 after I had made a fair exchange, the next 
 thing they put me to bed in company with 
 their son; I then asked Tom if he knew my 
 uncle, he said yes, he added that he knew 
 William and Edward both, he told me he was 
 going to town the next day, he said that if I 
 staid till after breakfast I might ride behind 
 him, I told him that I could not that I had no 
 money, he said his father would'nt charge me 
 any thing, upon which assurance I agreed to 
 stay. Being very much fatigued I feel asleep; 
 the next morning breakfast was ready soon 
 after we rose, we ate breakfast, and after 
 breakfast I was for going ahead, 1 told him 1 
 3 
 
26 
 
 had no money to pay him, he said he did not 
 mean to charge me any thing; said he I have 
 more respect for your parents to charge you 
 any thing, he then inquired of me how my feet 
 was, I told him that they were a good deal better 
 than they were the evening before; he told me 
 to wait, that his son Thomas was going to town, 
 and you can ride behind him and he will take 
 you to your uncle. The horse was brought, 
 I mounted behind his son Thomas. Thomas 
 asked me as we were jogging along the road, 
 if I intended to live with my uncle, I told him 
 no, that I should try to get to America; he 
 asked me how far that was, I told I did not 
 know that, he asked me if I could walk there, 
 I told him no, I'd have to go to sea again; says 
 he to me, then you would have to run away 
 again, I told him I did not know, he asked me 
 if we stopped every night while at sea, I told 
 him no indeed; says he I God I would'nt like to 
 go; I then turned upon him and asked him what 
 he worked at, at home; he said he minded the 
 horses, cows and sheep, sometimes harrowed, 
 carried coals, &c; he asked me what I had 
 done at sea, I told him I waited on the table, 
 
27 
 
 for the officers; he asked me if ever I got 
 whipped, I told him yes, often; said he then 
 I'd run off too. 
 
 By this time the town of Handleby lay 
 before us to our view; I asked him where- 
 abouts in town my uncle lived, he told me 
 right on the main road on to Hull; 1 asked him 
 where the school-house was, he said just at 
 the end of town; then we came to the store, 
 where we both got off, he shewed me the 
 house of my uncle, I bade him good bye. I 
 went to my uncle's, I rapped at the door, I 
 heard a female voice saying walk in, I went in 
 and found my aunt sitting in the room, I asked 
 her how she did, she said she was very weH^ 
 she asked me to sit down, I asked her if my 
 uncle was at home, she then asked me my 
 name; I told her William Otter; a son of 
 Edward Otter? I told her yes — my lord! she 
 exclaimed, I thought you was dead three 
 years ago; she told me to stay there; she went 
 out and fetched my uncle from school, when she 
 returned she was crying, my uncle came in 
 and looked at me very sharp, and the first word 
 he spoke, he said, why Bill is this you? 1 said 
 yes that it was; he took me by the hand, and 
 
28 
 
 asked me where in the name of God did I come 
 from. The tears started in liis eyes, I told 
 him I came from sea; he said that my father 
 and mother had heard that I was drowned 
 three years ago, he said he could hardly be- 
 lieve it possible that it was me, he asked me 
 if I had eat any thing that day; he told me to 
 wait, he would get a young man to teach his 
 scliool for that da}; my aunt asked me if I 
 would like to see my father and mother; 
 many an hour, continued my aunt, was your 
 mother here, and cried about you; she said 
 she would give any thing in the world if my 
 mother was there now. By this time my uncle 
 came in, and sat down by me, and told me now 
 to tell him where I had been, he told his wife 
 he could not believe that it was me; he asked 
 me what made me leave my father, 1 told him 
 my father whipped me for not weeding the 
 garden, my aunt said that was true, my mother 
 had told her many times; my uncle repeated, 
 can it be possible, that you are here yet.^ for 
 your father heard it a many a time that you 
 was lost in Greenland, your father heard by 
 the ship Jane, that the ship you sailed in was 
 lost and all her crew; I told him that our ship 
 was lost, but the whole crew was picked up 
 
29 
 
 by the ship Jane, off' a mountain of ice, (all 
 except our cook, he was lost,) that we were 
 shared out, a boat's crew on one ship, another 
 boat's crew on another ship, until we were all 
 shared out, all but us nine boys; we remained 
 on board the ship Jane, and on our way home 
 was pressed on board the Nonesuch for life; 1 
 cruised about until we got to London, four of 
 us run away, then I came down the canal to 
 Newport, from Newport to Beverly and from 
 Beverly here. 
 
 Well my lad, you have undergone more than 
 ever I should like to undergo said my uncle to 
 me; my uncle observed to my aunt, we must 
 keep Bill very close, for if the press-gang 
 find him out they will take him again; would 
 you like to stay with me, or would you like 
 to go after your father and mother to America? 
 I told my uncle I would prefer to go after my 
 father and mother, he said he did not know 
 how to contrive ever to get me there, but as 
 I had so much good luck, he hoped that there 
 was more in store for me; I asked him if he 
 knew Captain Clark, in Hull; he said he did 
 not, but he would try to find him out if he 
 could do me any good, he asked me what 
 
 Captain Clark could do for me; I told him I 
 
 3* 
 
30 
 
 knew if I could see him, that he could help me 
 off; he asked me if I could depend on him, I 
 told him I could; he told me he would go to 
 Hull the next day; he asked me if I knew 
 where he lived, I told him the time I went to 
 sea that he lived in Dock street. My uncle 
 went the next morning; he went to Dock street; 
 Mr. Clark had left there, and moved to a 
 place called the Walls, near \he garrison; he 
 went to his house, asked for Captain Clark, 
 his wife told him that he was on board the 
 ship at the Dock, that she would send for him, 
 he then waited until Mr. Clark came, he asked 
 if ever he had a boy bound to him of the name 
 of William Otter; he said he did not know, he 
 would look at his sea Journal, that he could 
 tell him in a short time; he looked at his Jour- 
 nal and found an orphan boy of that name; he 
 then asked Captain Clark where he had lost 
 me, or where 1 had left him; he told him that 
 they were all cast away in Greenland, we 
 were all taken on board the Nonesuch by a 
 press-gang; he then asked my uncle if he knew 
 me, he told the Captain yes, that he was my 
 uncle; he then asked my uncle if ever he had 
 heard of me since, my uncle told him yes, that 
 I had arrived at his house yesterday; said the 
 
31 
 
 Captain, the devil he has! Captain Clark re- 
 quested of my uncle to bring me to him some 
 night, saying that he would try his best to get 
 me off to America; my uncle told him that he 
 would bring me to him. 
 
 After this interview had ended between my 
 uncle and Captain Clark, my uncle returned 
 home; I asked my uncle if he had seen Cap- 
 tain Clark, he said that he had, and related to 
 me all Captain Clark said to him. I asked my 
 uncle where the Captain lived, he told me that 
 he resided near the Walls, observing to me that 
 we would go there the next evening. When 
 evening came, the day appointed to go, my 
 uncle took me on the horse behind him, and 
 took me to the Captain's house; on our arrival 
 at his house he was not at home, the Captain's 
 lady asked us to walk in; slie told us that it 
 would not be long until he would be in; my 
 uncle told her that this was the boy that be- 
 longed to the Captain, she observed that I was a 
 fine hearty looking boy; she asked me how long 
 I had been on board his majesty's ship: I told 
 her nearly four years: she asked me how I 
 liked it, I told her not very well. By this 
 time the Captain came in, my uncle arose at 
 the entrance of the Captain, and bade him a 
 
32 
 
 good evening, and told him here is the boy: 
 Ah! said the Captain, is this the lad; said he, 
 come Iiere my lad, asked me if I knew him, 
 I answered him yes sir, he then asked me if 
 ever I was in Greenland, I told him I was; I 
 then told him I was cast away? where was I 
 when you was cast away was his inquiry of 
 me, to find out if I knew any thing of the 
 Greenland fleet; I told him that he went to 
 dine on board the ship Jane; he said that I was 
 the very boy that was with him, he then got 
 his sea Journal to see if my name was on the 
 roll, and he asked me if I did not tell him that 
 my parents were dead, at the time he had me 
 bound, I told him I did; and had recourse to that 
 mode of duplicity, being fearful, that under any 
 other circumstances, that he would not take 
 me; said /le, ah you young rascal; he observed 
 that I was an orphan now, that I had neither 
 father nor mother to go to; his remark depres- 
 sed my spirits very much, which he observed; 
 and to divert my mind from dwelling upon the 
 idea of my forlorn condition, he jocularly ask- 
 ed, how I liked it when we were on the moun- 
 tain of ice; I told him not very well, for John 
 Mills was going to throw me overboard; what 
 
33 
 
 for, said the Captain to me; because I cried, 
 that was pretty hard Bill, said he. He then 
 asked me if I would like to go to America, I 
 told him yes; says he, if you do you will have 
 to ship as an orphan again; how would you 
 like to go to the East Indies a trip with me, 
 said the Captain to me; I told him that if I 
 could not get to America, I would go with 
 him; my uncle then told him, that if I could be 
 got to America, it would be a very happy thing 
 for my parents to see me once more, for they 
 are under the impression that I had been 
 drowned three years ago, as the news had 
 arrived in England, that the ship had been lost 
 as also the whole crew; the Captain said yes, 
 that was the report until I arrived; the Cap- 
 tain then said, that it would be a hundred to 
 one if he ever gets to America, my uncle 
 asked him why and what would be the danger. 
 The Captain alleged that I might be put on 
 board a man of war, before he is out two 
 days, as he has no master and no protector; 
 my uncle said that it was dangerous in that 
 way, for the captain would have to take me as 
 a strong hand; my uncle said he did not know 
 
34 
 
 what to do for or with me: the Captain said 
 that if 1 would agree to go with him, as he had 
 been my master, that he could be my master 
 yet, that he would take care of me, till the 
 times would change; that I could go at any 
 time in peaceable times; that I could make my 
 uncle's house my home every time that I came 
 into port; that he could write to my father 
 that I was yet living and under his protection. 
 My uncle told him that would be a very good 
 plan; the Captain addressed me by saying, 
 what do you say to that Bill? I told him that 
 if I could not get to America, that I would stay 
 with him, but would rather than stay, go to 
 America; the Captain said if he heard or saw 
 a good and safe chance to send me there, that 
 he would, as he felt disposed to do all he could 
 for me; he said that I did not know the dan- 
 gers I had to undergo; his ship he said would 
 not be ready to sail for one month, and if he 
 could or did hear of a chance, he would let 
 my uncle know; he instructed my uncle to 
 keep me very close, the neighbors might get 
 to know that I had deserted, and that I would 
 be taken up; my uncle assured him that he 
 would take care of me; and that as soon as his 
 
35 
 
 ship was ready or any other chance for Amer- 
 ica, he would give him due notice thereof. 
 Well said my uncle we'll be going home; the 
 Captain invited us to stop and take a drink of 
 good old brandy; after taking a drink we bade 
 the Captain good-bye, and returned to Han- 
 dleby; there my uncle kept me in his garret 
 for fifteen days; at the end of that time. Cap- 
 tain Clark wrote to my uncle, that we should 
 come on as soon as we could, that he thought 
 there was a chance for New York. 
 
 We started that night, I bade my aunt a 
 farewell; she told me if I ever lived to get to 
 my father and mother, to remember her to 
 them, and to give her best respects to them, 
 and she could hardly tell me for crying. 
 
 Then we went to Hull, then to Captain 
 Clark's; we went into his house and asked for 
 the Captain, and found him at home; he told 
 my uncle he had a chance for me to get to 
 New York, he said his mate had been on 
 board an American ship, that they had lost a 
 hand on their passage here; — it will not do for 
 me to smuggle him away; if he should be re- 
 taken, and 1 gave an account how 1 was put 
 
S6 
 
 there, he might be broke of his commission; 
 but my mate will go with him, said the Cap- 
 tain; he told my uncle to tell the captain of the 
 American vessel my situation, and observed 
 that then there could be no risk to run, only 
 on my part; the mate accordingly went with 
 uson board the American ship, introduced us to 
 the American Captain, and asked the Captam if 
 he wanted a hand; he said yes, that he had lost 
 one coming in, that he got crazy and jumped 
 overboard; he told him here is a boy that he 
 wanted to send to America; he asked him if I 
 was an American boy, the mate told him that I 
 was not, but that my parents were in America, 
 the American Captain asked me if I had ever been 
 to sea, I told him yes, he asked me what I could 
 do; I told him I could hand and reef a little; 
 he asked me if I could steer, I told him a little, 
 but not much; he asked me if I could splice a 
 rope, I answered him I could not; he then 
 asked me what ship I had belonged to, and 
 where I had been, I told that 1 belonged to 
 the service and that I had deserted; he said 
 that if you go along with me you will be taken 
 again; the English mate spoke and told him 
 
37 
 
 way, said the American Captain. He tlien> 
 asked my uncle how he would like to send me, 
 my uncle told him just as he and I agreed; and 
 then he said to my uncle, if he goes, that it 
 must be at my own risk, my uncle said yes;, 
 I told him that I had been at a risk all my life 
 time; he asked me if I could do that man's . 
 duty if he would take me to America in safety, 
 what would I ask him for the voyage; 1 told 
 him I would ask him nothing, he said that was 
 cheap enough; he then told my uncle that he 
 would take me, my uncle said very well, that 
 be was very glad of it, asked him when he 
 would go; in about five days he would have 
 his cargo in; he asked my uncle in what port 
 of America my father was in — my uncle said 
 he did not know exactly, but he believed near- 
 the city of New York; my uncle asked the 
 Captain where his ship belonged to; said he 
 New London, but the cargo was to go to New 
 York; the English mate then asked what his, 
 cargo was, he told him chiefly dry goods; my 
 uncle then asked the Captain his name, he told 
 him William Leeds, he then asked my uncle my 
 father's name, be told him Edward Otter; the 
 Captain put down mine and my father's name 
 
 in a book;he asked my uncle if I had any clothes 
 4 
 
38 
 
 my uncle told him I had no suitable sea- 
 faring clothing, as I had deserted I dare not 
 wear them, my uncle said he would buy me 
 clothing; the Captain said no, as the boy had 
 offered so generous, that he would rig me out; 
 then my uncle asked him where I should stay 
 until he should set sail: the English mate told 
 him, that I had better remain at Captain 
 Clark's, until he, the American captain would 
 set sail; the Captain said yes, for I would have 
 to be smuggled out past the custom house 
 Officers; the English mate then gave him the 
 number of Captain Clark's house, and gave 
 him an invitation to call to see the Captain, 
 that he could give him all information requir- 
 ed about me; the American Captain told the 
 mate that he would call, in a day or two. So 
 then we went to Captain Clark's, and the Cap- 
 tain asked me if 1 had got the birth, 1 told 
 him yes sir; he then said, you and the yankee 
 for it; he asked the mate when she was to set 
 sail, he told him in about five days, he told me 
 I'd better be getting ready; the mate told him 
 then that the Yankee would call up to see him 
 in a day or two, the Captain said he would be 
 very glad to see him; told me to stay with him 
 until he was ready to go, I told him very well 
 
39 
 
 sir, and glad of it; my uncle then told the Cjlp- 
 tain he would go home, that he would call to 
 see me again before I would start; he then 
 went home; the Captain then ordered me to 
 work for my mistress until I would start. 
 Captain Clark asked me if my uncle intended 
 to buy any seafaring clothes for me, I told him 
 no, that the Yankee Captain was going to buy 
 some for me; he said that was very clever of 
 him; he told the mate that this was the best 
 chance I ever could get, he believed that the 
 
 d young rascal was born to good luck; 
 
 the mate answered, the bigger the devil the 
 better the luck. The Captain said to me, 
 well Bill, what will you do if you are taken 
 again? I told him runaway again. Here ended 
 our conversation, he ordered me to the kitchen 
 \p get my supper; after 1 had supped I went 
 to bed; in the morning the mate called me up, 
 and told me there are the Captain's boots to 
 clean; after I had done with that job I got my 
 breakfast; then the mate told me to tell the 
 maid to give me the market basket, and follow 
 him to market; I went to market, I came home 
 again and gave the maid the provisions; she 
 asked me if ever I cleaned any knives and 
 forks, I told her yes; she then said to me, here 
 
40 
 
 Is a good job for you, pointing to a lot of them; 
 I fell to and cleaned them; she asked me if 
 was done; I told her I was; she then ordered 
 me to carry them up to my mistress; I carried 
 them up to her; I asked if those would do, she 
 told me they were elegant, she asked me if 
 ever I had cleaned any knives and forks before; 
 I told her O yes, many a time; she said she 
 supposed I had been a cabin boy, I told her I 
 had, ever since I had been in the navy; I sup- 
 pose you know how to set a table, I told her 
 yes; I asked her when I should set it, she said 
 in about an hour, I went back into the kitchen, 
 the maid asked me if I could peel potatoes, I 
 fell to and peeled a small pot full; when I was 
 done peeling potatoes, she asked me if ever I 
 had basted any meat — I told her I never did, 
 but thought I could do it if I saw how it was 
 done; she picked up the ladle, and poured the 
 gravy over the meat while turning on the spit; 
 then I basted the beef till I was nearly roasted 
 myself. My mistress, God bless her soul, re- 
 lieved me by calling me in to set the table; I 
 sat the table, carried up the dinner; and the 
 Captain came home to dinner; I stood behind 
 his back. Well Bill, said he, you got into 
 
41 
 
 business — yes sir, I replied; my mistress then 
 said that he should look at the knives and 
 forks; he asked me if that (meaning the knives 
 and forks,) was some of my work; she an- 
 swered him yes; indeed he observed to her, as 
 he had done the work so nice, that she should 
 keep me, she said that she would have no ob- 
 jections, if I would consent to stay, turning 
 himself to me and saying, what do you say to 
 that Bill. 1 told him I would rather go to 
 America; he said that he supposed so. Af- 
 ter the dinner was over I began to clear off 
 the table, and about cleaning knives and forks 
 as usual. The evening after that captain Leeds 
 was introduced to captain Clark by the chief 
 mate as the American Captain. 
 
 Captain Clark began the conversation with 
 the Yankee Captain, by inquiring of him, to 
 what part of America he was bounds! he repli- 
 ed, that he was bound to New York; he asked 
 him if he was acquainted about New York, he 
 said he was not much acquainted about New 
 York, as he belonged to New London. He 
 then asked Captain Leeds if he was willing 
 to take me along to America; he said yes, 
 (hat he would try. That he would do all for 
 4^ 
 
42 
 me he could, then told him that he was my 
 former master, saying that I had been in his 
 Majesty's service since he was cast away from 
 him; that he could not say much about me, as 
 I had been absent from him for two or three 
 years; that it was his wish for me to get to 
 my parents again, if it were possible for me to 
 get there. He told him that he must be aware 
 of the fleet on his passage going to America, 
 if they get their eyes on him he will be re-tak- 
 en as a stray hand. He answered that he was 
 well aware of that, as he had several times 
 been examined on his voyage to Europe. Cap- 
 tain Clark then asked him, if in case he came 
 to America, and could not find my parents, 
 what would he do with me? He told him that 
 he knew no other way than, that if I ever got 
 there, to advertise me, and if my parents were 
 to be found, that I could then go to them. Then 
 Captain Clark observed there would be no 
 danger, provided his parents are yet living, 
 and what would he do wnth me in case they 
 cannot be found. He said, that in such an event 
 he should give me choice to be bound to him, 
 or to any body else; he then asked him when 
 iie thought he would set sail; he thought the 
 
43 
 
 next evening, if the wind was fair, and if the 
 wind was unfair, he should sail the morning 
 following, by high tide. Then Captain Clark 
 asked me if I was willing to go with that gen- 
 tleman, I told him I was. He then said that 
 he would write a few lines to my uncle to come 
 up that afternoon. He then took the Captain's 
 name down and the date, and told him that if I 
 was not a good boy he hoped that he would 
 make one out of me; the Yankee told him that 
 he would do all that lay in his power for me. 
 The Captain asked him how it was about my 
 clothing, who was to clothe me; the Yankee 
 said that he told my uncle he would clothe me 
 for the voyage. The Captain told me, now 
 says he, boy you belong to Captain Leeds. 
 Then my mistress told me to come into the 
 other room. After we got into the room, she 
 began to give me a lecture, by saying, she hoped 
 that I would be a good boy, until I got home 
 to my parents again. She backed it with half 
 a guinea, and sewed it in my pocket. She be- 
 gan to cry and enjoined it upon me never to 
 show it to any body until I came to America, 
 and added a black silk handkerchief to her 
 
44 
 
 present, and then told me that was all she had 
 to give me, and so ended the admonition of 
 Mrs. Clark. We came out. The Yankee 
 asked me if I was ready to go. I answered 
 him I was. I shook hands wnth Captain Clark 
 and his lady, and bade them a farewell. 
 
 I was taken down Dock street, by the Yan- 
 kee Captain, he there bought me two suits of 
 clothes, and from there took me on board the 
 ship Charlotte, and told his crew that he had 
 cheated the English, he had taken an English 
 boy, and observed to me to keep below until 
 he set sail. The next day, after I had entered 
 on board of the American ship, my uncle came 
 on board our ship, and asked me if we were 
 going to set sail soon. I told him yes, if the 
 wind was fair, we were to sail that evening, 
 and if not, that we would sail the next morn- 
 ing. He inquired of me wdiere the Captain 
 was. The mate of the ship told him that he 
 went to the Custom House to get his papers, 
 and that it would not be long before he would 
 be on board. My uncle asked me if I had got 
 my clothes, I told him I had, and showed them 
 to him, he said that it was very clever indeed, 
 
45 
 
 of the Captain. The mate went on deck; my 
 uncle asked me if I had any money; I told him 
 yes, I had half a guinea, which my mistress 
 had given me. He observed that she was 
 very kind to me. He asked me where I had 
 it; I told him that she sewed it in my pocket, 
 he told me, if I would be a good boy that he 
 would give me a guinea, and I should keep it 
 until I got home. He asked the mate permis- 
 sion to let me go on shore about five minutes, 
 the mate most cordially granted the request of 
 my uncle. We went to an ale house, called 
 for a quart of ale; while we were drinking the 
 ale, he asked the landlady for a needle and 
 thread, and gave her the guinea and requested 
 her to sew it in my waistcoat pocket, along 
 side of the half guinea which had been placed 
 there by my mistress. She did so, and while 
 she performed that office, she asked my uncle 
 where I was going, he told her I was going to 
 sea. From there we went out, and my uncle 
 purchased a small chest for me, and told me to 
 keep that vest in the chest until I got to Ame- 
 rica. In the next place we returned on board 
 the ship Charlotte, and on our return the Cap- 
 tain was also on board. My uncle told the 
 
46 
 
 Captain he liad purchased a chest for me to 
 keep my clothes in, he observed all was right, 
 and added he could have got one for me; then 
 my uncle gave tlie Captain a letter with the 
 request to give it to my father, if he got safe 
 to America; he told him he would. Tiie Cap- 
 tain then took out his brandy bottle, as a body 
 would, and we all took a drink; my uncle then 
 requested the captain to do all for me he could 
 to get me home to my parents, inasmuch as I 
 had a great many ups and downs. The Cap- 
 tain assured my uncle that on his part no pains 
 should be spared to accomplisli the object of 
 my design, if his parents lived m the city of 
 New York or in the vicinity, as he should ad- 
 vertise me when he came there, and if they 
 cannot be found, why I might if I chose, take a 
 voyage with him to the West Indies, and per- 
 haps in that time they might be found out. 
 My uncle then asked him how long he would 
 lay at New York; the Captain replied to that 
 inquiry, that his stay would be about two 
 Weeks. My uncle concluded by saying, that 
 he could say and do nothing more for me; that 
 he should do the best he could for me, and ask- 
 ed the Captain if he intended to set sail that 
 
47 
 
 night; he said he thought he would, if the wind 
 was any way fair, and tendered his hand to 
 me, and gave me a farewell and wished us a 
 safe and pleasant voyage. 
 
 About eight o'clock at night the wind sprang 
 up and blew a pleasant gale; we hoisted sail 
 and put out, and 1 then bade my native land 
 and the city of my nativity, a last adieu. The 
 Captain ordered me to go up to the main top, 
 and to lay there until we had passed the Cus- 
 tom House officers; we passed them safe, and 
 sailed about one hour, the wind changed, we 
 had to cast anchor till the next morning in the 
 river Urnber. 
 
 The next morning about 9 o'clock we hoist- 
 ed sail. The Captain said that they must 
 hide me until we had passed his Majesty's 
 guard ship laying at the Capes, where we had 
 to undergo another examination. They put 
 me down between decks, and hid me by throw- 
 ing potatoes over me, and got safe past the 
 guard ship, and that was the last regular fiery 
 ordeal we had to pass, as for the rest they 
 were promiscuous. We were hailed on our 
 passage from the city of Hull, England, until 
 we came to the city of New York in North 
 
48 
 America, nine times by the English. In the 
 mean time we had a pleasant voyage, and ar- 
 rived in the month of September, in the 16th 
 year of my age, in the Capes off New York. 
 Captain Leeds used me very well while in his 
 service. We were, as it is technically termed, 
 quarantined two days. The medical board, 
 under whose examination we fell, pronounced 
 us healthy. We then got a pilot to pilot us 
 into New York. We arrived at the wharf on 
 a Wednesday about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. 
 I jumped on shore. The next day after our 
 arrival, the mate and I went to "Fly Market" 
 to buy provisions, after the mate had purchas- 
 ed as many provisions as we wanted, I carried 
 them on board our ship. I stole back again 
 into the market, and went up to a woman who 
 had peaches for sale, and asked her how she 
 sold them, she told me she sold them for twelve 
 and a half cents per peck. The reader will 
 please bear in mind, that peaches in the mark- 
 ets in England generally sell from a penny to 
 two pence a piece. I then asked how much 
 a half a peck was, with a view to find what 
 the value of 12 J cents was. She told me a 
 fip, and then I was just as wise as I was before. 
 1 pulled off my cap and told her to pour them 
 
49 
 
 into it. While she was pouring out the peach- 
 es into my cap, I took out my knife and began 
 to rip the seam that enveloped the half guinea 
 which my mistress had given me; I handed the 
 half guinea to her and began to eat of the 
 peaches. She said to me that I should cot 
 come there to fool her, that this is only a 
 pocket piece usually denominated a counter, 
 she not knowing the value of the half guinea, 
 handed it back to me. I took it again, and 
 put it in my pocket, and pretty near at the 
 same time we both made a grab at my cap, 
 and she succeeded in getting it*, she began to 
 box it about my ears, and I began to let her 
 have it. I made an effort and got my cap from 
 her, and after I had my cap again, I began to 
 let her have it for a Yankee. Our affray took 
 place opposite an apothecary shop, the gentle- 
 man standing in the door came and asked what 
 was the matter; she told him that young R-sc-1 
 came to cheat her out of her peaches with a 
 pocket piece. I, in defence of that charge pre- 
 ferred against me, denied it, and alleged it was 
 half a guinea, and to justify my assertion, I 
 told him to take a look at it, and handed the 
 half guinea to him, he told me it was a good 
 5 
 
50 
 
 half guinea, and asked me where I had got it; 
 I told him I had got it in England, from my 
 mistress; he offered to change it for me if I 
 wished it; I told him he should; he then weigh- 
 ed it, and gave me silver for it, and told me 
 to go and demand my peaches. I gave the 
 old lady a fip; she gave me the peaches, and 
 told me that I was a good boy, after she had 
 trounced me, at least I gave her no thanks for 
 her courtesy. 
 
 I then started with my peaches towards the 
 wharf, eating them, stones and all; after I had 
 eat about two thirds of them, I began to avoid 
 eating the stones, and was content with eating 
 peach. After I had finished my half peck of 
 peaches I went on board of our ship; the Cap- 
 tain asked where I had been, I told him I had 
 been at market, getting some peaches, he ask- 
 ed me if I had got any; he asked me how many 
 I had got, I told him half a peck, he asked me 
 where they were, I told him I had eat them, 
 when he heard that he observed, they will kill 
 you, and at his remarks I began to be alarmed, 
 and the fright agitating my mind and a half 
 peck of peaches in my stomach, I began to 
 sicken, he told me to come into the cabin and 
 
51 
 
 he would give me something to work them off, 
 and what he gave me I did not know, but in a 
 short time the way that them peach stones 
 flew was a caution to the world. He then ob- 
 served that I had better not eat any more, as 
 they might throw me into a spell of sickness, 
 inasmuch as 1 was not accustomed to the cli- 
 mate. 
 
 He told me that the next morning he would 
 advertise me in the Daily Advertiser, and he 
 did so; he asked me if 1 thought 1 would know 
 my father, if I would see him; I told him I did 
 not know, he told me to keep a look out at 
 Market, as my father was a gardener, every 
 day as I went to market. I, however, never 
 saw him at the market as I knew of. 
 
 We were in New York about nine days^ 
 it happened to be on a Sunday that my father 
 came on board our ship in company with some 
 other man. I was laying on the deck, he ask- 
 ed me if this was the ship Charlotte, I told him 
 yes; he then asked me if the captain was on 
 board, I answered him he was, he is in the 
 cabin, said I to him; he went down into the 
 cabin and asked the captain if he had an Eng- 
 lish boy on board, the captain told him he had. 
 My father then asked the captain for the name? 
 
52 
 
 the captain then told him his name was Wil- 
 liam Otter, he then asked him his name, he 
 told him that his name was Edward Otter, 
 then the captain called me down into the cabin, 
 and pointing to me, says he, there is the boy, 
 and addressing himself to me, said, Bill there 
 is your father; my father, upon this introduc- 
 tion of the captain took me by the hand, cry- 
 ing, asked me if I knew him, I told him yes, he 
 then asked how I ever had got here, I told him 
 I worked my passage, he then told the captain 
 that he had heard that I was lost near four 
 years ago; he thought from what he had then 
 heard, that he never would see me again in 
 this world. The captain then handed to him 
 the letter which he had taken from my uncle 
 to my father, and gave it to him. My father 
 read the letter which gave him a full account 
 and explanation of my situation from the time I 
 had got from my old master until I stood be- 
 fore him on the ship Charlotte, lying in the 
 harbor, his next inquiry was of the captain, if 
 he had any thing to pay, lor bringing me to 
 him, he said no, that if any pay was going, that 
 it was coming to me. My father told my cap- 
 tain that he was anxious to take me home to 
 
53 
 
 my mother, he asked my father where he lived, 
 he told him that he lived three miles from the 
 city, at a place called Sandy Hill, he request- 
 ed of my father to bring me back in a day or 
 two, that he wanted to see me before he sail- 
 ed, as I had done him a particular kindness, 
 which he could never forget. The captain told 
 me to leave my clothes on board until I came 
 back. My father bade the captain good bye, 
 and off me and my father started together for 
 Sandy Hill. 
 
 At my arrival in tlie bosom of my family, 
 my mother, sisters and brothers were so over- 
 joyed that language is too weak to express the 
 sensations we labored under. My mother 
 wept holy, pious tears of joy, and my bro- 
 thers and sisters shook hands most cordially 
 with me. It being evening, we went to sup- 
 per. 
 
 My father began to ask me of my jour- 
 nies and travels; I related them to him the 
 same as I have given them as related to 
 my micle; he said, the chances were as 
 five hundred to one that 1 ever got to him? 
 and added that I should never go to sea 
 again while he lived, with his consent, al- 
 5* 
 
54 
 
 though he believed I had the luck to oro 
 any where throughout the world, he ask- 
 ed me if while on the sea, I ever re- 
 membered the whipping be had given me. 
 My mother then observed that whipping 
 saved the rest many a whipping and hoped 
 that he would never whip me again. I 
 told him if he did that I would go to sea 
 again. He asked me if I was never whip- 
 ped while I was at sea? I answered, yes, 
 sometimes. He asked me, why I did not 
 run away from there. I told him I could 
 not. He told my mother that he would 
 take me and show me to General Nelson 
 the next morning. 
 
 Accordingly, be took me to the Gen- 
 eral's house. My father said to him, that 
 here was his lost boy who had just arriv- 
 ed. He asked my father if I was his son. 
 My father told him I was. The general 
 asked me where ] came h^om. I told him 
 that I came from England. He asked me 
 how I came here. 1 told him that I work- 
 ed my passage. He said that I deserved 
 credit for that and asked my father what 
 he intended to do with me. Father told 
 him he did not know. Well, said the Gen- 
 
55 
 
 erai, give him to me. My father, in reply- 
 to general Nelson said, That he would 
 leave it all to myself. 
 
 When I found that I was to select a 
 birth for myself, I inquired what I should 
 have to do. He told me that I would be 
 employed in the capacity of his waiter? 
 ride behind his carriage for one year, and 
 told me if after that I would prove myself 
 a good boy, he would put me in his count- 
 ing house and make a man of me. Tak- 
 ing him at his word, I consented that I 
 would come. The general told my father 
 that he should take me through the city 
 and show me the different modes and fash- 
 ions of this country. My father told him 
 that he intended to do so, as I had to ero 
 back to the ship again on which I had left 
 all ir.y clothing. The general cautioned 
 my father, and expressed the apprehension 
 that the captain of the vessel might per- 
 suade, and take me from my father again. 
 Father told him that he would take care of 
 that, as he intended that I should never go 
 to sea again with his consent. With that 
 he bade the general good-bye, and off we 
 started for New- York. 
 
56 
 
 We then went to the ship to see captain 
 Leeds, he, the captain asked, how I came 
 on, and how I Ukcd the country. I told 
 him I liked it very well. He asked me if 
 I intended to stay with my father, or go 
 with him a trip to the West India Islands. 
 I told him I would not go with him as I 
 had got a place. He expressed a happi- 
 ness at the idea of my stay. He told my 
 father that for my good conduct towards 
 him while in his service he felt it his boun- 
 den duty to reward me. And applying the 
 action to the words he reached into his 
 pocket and pulled out eight dollars and 
 gave them to me as a perquisite for spe- 
 cial services rendered to him, he also re- 
 quested my father to write to captain 
 Clark in Hull to let the captain know that 
 I had arrived in safety at my place of des- 
 tination. Father promised him that he 
 would do that by the first packet that would 
 sail for Eno-land. 
 
 He next got out his bottle of Cogniac, 
 inviting us to take a drink; we did so, and 
 then I took my clothes, bade captain Leeds 
 farewell, and put out on shore. 
 
 I left my chest in the grocery in market 
 
57 
 till the next day and went to my father's 
 place of residence; the day after he brought 
 my chest home, and I was safely moored 
 in the paternal circle, surrounded by my 
 brothers and sisters. I walked about for 
 tliree or four days to and from the city, 
 when I got tired of that I told my father 
 that I would go to the general's. My fa- 
 ther accordingly took me there that even- 
 ing and told him that here was his son who 
 had expressed a wish to come to him, the 
 general asked me if I could wait on the 
 table, clean knives and forks, shoes and 
 boots. I answered him that I could do all 
 these thincrs. He asked me if I knew how 
 to drink brandy, 1 said, yes, I knew that 
 too. He said he hked me for that, as I had 
 told the truth, for, said he, if I could not 
 hide brandy, that I was no sailor. We took 
 a drink, he asked me how often we got it 
 at sea, I told him whenever the captain 
 gave it to us, says he. That is exactly my 
 rule, you are never to drink any unless I 
 give it to you; and that was the first and 
 the last drink of brandy we took either 
 jointly or severally while in the general's 
 service, by, and with the advice and con- 
 
58 
 
 sent of the general, I nevertheless, once in 
 a while would take a horn with my own 
 consent; yet I never consulted the general 
 upon that subject. The general called up 
 a footman, and the footman gave me an in- 
 vitation to go down to the kitchen to take 
 supper. I went down with him and ate 
 supper, the footman asked me if I v/as 
 coming there to be a waiter, I told him yes, 
 he asked me if 1 had just come from Eng- 
 land, that question I also anwered affirm- 
 atively, he asked me if ever I had waited 
 on a table before, I told him I had while at 
 sea, he asked me how we sat a table in a 
 storm, did the tables never upset. I told 
 him that the tables could not upset as they 
 were screwed to the floor. He then asked 
 me if I knew how to ride a horse; I told 
 him, no, I never rode much; he told me j 
 would have to learn, that I would have to 
 ride behind the general's carriage every- 
 day to the city. 1 told him I should like 
 that. 
 
 After a short time we went to bed; as I 
 had been used to getting up on the morn- 
 ing watch, he asked what I got up so early 
 
59 
 
 for, 1 told him it was our watch, he aslced 
 me to come to bed, it was too early to get 
 up. I went to bed again and laid there till 
 he called me up. Then we all got out of 
 bed, came down, swept the parlor and be- 
 gan to set the table for breakfast; he told 
 me that would be my exercise every morn- 
 ing. When we all got done, he told me to 
 come to the stable he would show me the 
 pony which I would have to ride; when I 
 saw the pony I said it was a very pretty 
 little horse; he told me that I would have to 
 take care of myself as he had a good ma- 
 ny bad tricks about him. I told him I could 
 ride him; the coachman said he would see; 
 he saddled and bridled the poney and 
 brought him out, to see me perform on the 
 green; I told him that he should get on 
 first, he did so, and rode him around the 
 green, and then dismounted; then I got on 
 the poney, I rode him about half way 
 around the green, the coachman told me to 
 give him the whip, when I applied the tim- 
 ber the pony began to rear and kick till 
 overboard I went, to the amusement of the 
 coachman and footman, for them my per- 
 
60 
 
 iormance was rare sport; the poney ran to 
 the stable, the coachman caught him; he 
 jumped on him and rode him around the 
 green as hard as the poney could lay legs 
 to the ground, saying he would let him 
 know what he was about; he came to me 
 and asked me if I was hurt, I told him I was 
 not; he then encouraged me to try the po- 
 ney again, accordingly I mounted him the 
 second time, and when I was fairly planted 
 on him he started off with me and ran two 
 rounds around the OTeen as hard as he 
 could lay legs to the ground. The general 
 in the mean time, stood in his piazza, see- 
 ing that the coachman had me in training, 
 and seeing the poney perform — he called 
 to me, saying, hang to the rigging, my lad;: 
 having fair wind before me I sailed right 
 in the wind's eye, holding on to the reins 
 and mane as hard as ever I could; and this 
 was the first time I caught the idea by oc- 
 cular demonstration, that there was no stop 
 in a horse-race. The pony after the se- 
 cond round, stopped short near his stable 
 door, and over his head I went off again; 
 the coachman came and picked me up. 
 
61 
 
 and asked me if I was hurt; I told him I 
 was not; he then allowed that I had done 
 very well for that time, that, in his opinion, 
 I would soon learn to ride. 
 
 After our performance of horsemanship, had 
 ended, the footman and myself went to the 
 house, washed ourselves, and then began to 
 carry up the breakfast; the footman told me; 
 I would have to stand at the General's chair, 
 and he would stand at the madam's chair; the 
 General observed to me, that 1 had a fair sail 
 that morning; I told him yes sir; he then asked 
 me, if the ships kicked up behind, as did the 
 one I was on this morning; I replied that they 
 did not; the madam asked the General where I 
 had been that morning; the General told her 
 that John was learning me to ride the poney; 
 ^he asked him if I got a fall; I answered the 
 question, seeing that the point of it was direct- 
 ed at me, that I only got two falls. She asked 
 me if I got hurt; I told her no madam; she said 
 I was very lucky; the General then observed, 
 my dear, don't you know that a sailor cannot 
 be killed on land? She observed, that it would 
 be well for me, if I remained always on land. 
 Breakfast being over, and the table cleared off, 
 we went to the kitchen, and took our breakfast. 
 6 
 
62 
 
 The General called up the footman, and told 
 him, that after we had our work done, he 
 should take me to the city, to Mr Nicholson's, 
 to have my measure taken for two suits of live- 
 ry, and to have them made in that week; he 
 then hitched up a horse in a gig; we got in, 
 rode to the city, got measured, and came back. 
 I then went about my usual occupation, till 
 the next week; when I got my livery suits, the 
 General told me to be dressed, and prepared 
 to ride to the city on that day, at three o'clock; 
 at the hour appointed. I was ready; the car- 
 riage was brought before the door. I mount- 
 ed my poney, and we started for the city. The 
 General once or twice called to me, while on 
 the road, if I was there: I answered him, yes 
 sir. We went on very well, until we came 
 to the foot of Bunker's hill. I was a short dis- 
 tance behind the carriage; I met a negro on a 
 horse, with a basket before him; my poney 
 took fright, and away he went with me, took 
 off the road, along the foot of Bunker's hill, 
 and ran about half a mile, before I could stop 
 him, when I had stopped him, I wheeled 
 him about again taking after the carriage 
 as hard as I could go. The general was 
 waiting at the head of Broadway to see 
 
63 
 
 what had become of me, I rode up to him 
 and he asked me where I had been, I told 
 him that the poney, scared at the negro I 
 had met with who had a basket on his 
 horse, had run off witii me. He laughed, 
 and told me to stick close to the carriage 
 and hold him as hard as I coul 1; and the 
 harder I held the little rascal the worse he 
 behaved himself. From there we went on 
 very well until we came to the head of 
 Pearl street; as a carriage passed us by, 
 going pretty fast, and I was looking about, 
 he began to rear and pitch, and down I 
 went; a gentleman on the pavement caught 
 my poney by the bridle and asked if 1 was 
 hurt; I told him I was not, I jumped on the 
 poney again and had not time to dust my 
 coat; I rode along after the carriage, till 
 we came to the general's counting house: 
 the general told me to get off and open the 
 carriage door, and let the pony stand, who 
 bye the bye knew his business better than 
 1 did, as he had been trained to stand by 
 the carriage, at any place where it might 
 stop, I opened the carriage door, the gen- 
 eral got out and asked me how my coat 
 
64 
 
 became so dusty. 1 told him that the po- 
 ney had thrown me at the head of the 
 street; he asked me if I was hurt; I told 
 him I was not. He admired my good for- 
 tune by saying" that I was very lucky in my 
 undertakings, and ordered me to go into 
 the counting house to get the dust brushed 
 off my coat. He then told the coachman 
 to call for him at the usual hour, the coach- 
 man told me to come up on the box to him. 
 I asked what I should do with the poney, 
 he told me to put the reins behind the sad- 
 dle and let him go; I did as he directed me 
 and got on, he turned the carriage up Chat- 
 ham street to the tea- water pump; he told 
 me to get down and give the horses some 
 water; and he told me to look if the poney 
 was behind, I looked and he was there; I 
 watered him also, he told me after the hor- 
 ses had all been watered to get on the box 
 again, that we would a take a ride up to 
 Bowery Lane, about one mile to a tavern; he 
 asked me if I would take a drink of some- 
 thing, and not being in the habit of refusing 
 those things, I told him 1 would; he drank 
 some brandy, and staid there about one 
 
65 
 
 hour; then we started off from there and 
 came round by the ship-yards to Pearl St. 
 to the countmg house; waited there about 
 half an hour. The general stepped into 
 his carriage and we went home, and went 
 to my usual employment. . 
 
 The next morning I had to undergo my 
 usual morning drill, which was that of ri- 
 ding the poney. 1 succeeded very well 
 on that mornincr. 
 
 About the month of October general 
 Nelson changed his residence from Sandy 
 Hill, and moved into the city ol New York* 
 I waited on the table about six months 
 he one day asked me how 1 would like to 
 take a birfi in the counting house, I told 
 him very well. The madam asked the gen- 
 eral, what he would have there to do for 
 me, he told her to go on errands and keep 
 the counting house clean; accordingly I 
 was placed in the counting house; my 
 work was to keep it clean, help to hoist in 
 goods, &c.; and remained in that occupa- 
 tion about four months; by this time I had 
 contracted acquaintances, who undertook 
 
 to advise me to leave that birth and go and 
 6* 
 
66 
 
 learn a trade; I did not know exactly how 
 to get away with any kind of credit to my- 
 self; I began to neglect my business: the 
 general gave me a scolding for my inatten- 
 tion to business, upon which I put out and 
 went home to my father's. My father ask- 
 ed me what was the matter, I honestly told 
 him that the general had given me a scold- 
 ing upon the strength of which I had put 
 out; he asked me what had I done, I told 
 him I had not done any thing; which, bye 
 the bye, was the precise reason for which 
 he gave me the scolding. My father said 
 that he would go and see the general, I told 
 him he need not give himself any trouble 
 about it as I intended to learn a trade; he 
 then asked me what I intended to learn; I 
 rephed I did not know as I had not spent 
 a serious thought about it; he said that I 
 had better stay with the general, that he 
 would make a man out of me. I then told 
 my father in plain terms not to be misun- 
 derstood, that I never would go back to 
 him again. I knew that my father would 
 not insist upon my going back to the gen- 
 eral for fear I would go to sea again which 
 
67 
 
 idea my father had coaceived an abhor- 
 rence for; he said that he must go and 
 tell the general that you intend to learn a 
 a trade, and that he should not expect you 
 to return to him; accordingly he went and 
 asked the general what was the matter be- 
 tween him and myself, the general alleged 
 that I had got into bad habits by running 
 about at, nights and neglected my business; 
 and now, said he, is the only time to break 
 him of them: my father agreed with the 
 general, but was afraid of using prompt and 
 coercive measures, lest I might go to sea 
 again. The general replied. Yes, very 
 true; but added, that some means should 
 be taken to break me of them: he continu- 
 ed, that if I did not choose to come again 
 that he did not wish me to return contrary 
 to my will but would have liked to keep 
 me very well. 
 
 My father then came home and told me 
 all the general had alleged against me, 
 said he hoped that I would be a good boy, 
 and carry myself straight, and would get 
 into some useful occupation; he then asked 
 me a second time what I intended to 
 learn, I told him I thought I would learn to 
 
68 
 
 be a shoemaker; he immediately consented 
 if I could get a good master. 1 went to 
 market with my father every day, at 
 length I found for myself a master by the 
 name of John Paxton, a resident in Water 
 street in the city of New York, to him I 
 went upon probation of a fortniglit's dura- 
 tion, and staid with him a week all but 
 three days, and then put out. From Ihere 
 1 went home again, my father asked me 
 how I liked the trade; to that enquiry I an- 
 swered, that I did not like it at all, I had 
 quit it; he asked me if I had told Mr. Pax- 
 ton so; I told him I had; he asked me why 
 I had quit; I told Mr. Paxton that it hurt me 
 across my breast; my father asked me 
 what are you going to learn now, I told 
 him I did not know yet; I then walked about 
 the city for two or three days. 
 
 I hunted for myself a master, in the 
 meantime, and took a notion to learn the 
 venitian blind making business, and found 
 for myself a master in a man of the name 
 of William Howard, who followed that 
 business in Broadway, opposite the park 
 he also took me on probation (as I had no 
 
69 
 notion to run a head of the wind) for two 
 weeks; which is the estabhshed rule in the 
 city, as to taking" apprentices on probation. 
 Mr. Howard put me at painting blinds; in 
 that office I held out five days and found 
 that the effects of the paint, on my part was 
 intolerable; I told Mr. Howard I believed 1 
 would leave him, that I could not stand it, 
 I would go home; he said, well you must 
 know best yourself, I do not intend to per- 
 suade you against your own will,- — and 
 there, and in manner aforesaid, ended my 
 second apprenticeship, and I put out home. 
 When I came home my father was absent, 
 my mother asked me how I liked my new 
 trade; I told her I had quit; why, said she? 
 William you learn your tra;des quick; I told 
 her yes; and what are you going to do 
 now, continued my mother: I told her I did 
 not know. In the evening my father came 
 home; my mother told him that I had learn- 
 ed another trade; he then asked me had I 
 quit again; I toid him yes; he asked me if I 
 had told Mr. Howard, that I intended to 
 quit; I told him I had; he then said that was 
 right. He then asked me what I would 
 join next, I told him I thought I would try 
 
70 
 
 to learn the carpenter business; well, said 
 he, seek for yourself another master, I told 
 hini I would; accordingly I went in quest of 
 a master and got one, by the name of Gaus- 
 man, a Scotchman, in Broadway: he put me ^ 
 to sawing out boards all that week; on Sun- 
 day I went home; father asked how I come 
 on, I told him very well, he said he was 
 glad to hear it, hoping I would get myself 
 bound the next week, I told him I would 
 wait till next week was over before I got 
 myself bound; I kept on sawing boards until 
 Thursday; I told the foreman I believed I 
 would quit it, that I had the back-ache and 
 the work Was too hard: and without any 
 further ceremony I put out for home, and 
 so ended my third apprenticeship. My', 
 father asked me how I came on at the car- 
 penter's business; I told him I had quit it^ 
 he then gave me to understand that he en- 
 tertained the thought that hard work and 
 myself had had a falling out; I told him 
 yes, that I did not like it much. He told me 
 in good earnest to make up my mind and 
 go to some trade and stick to it and learn 
 it, as I was fooling away my time to no pur- 
 
71 
 
 pose, in the way I had been leaving trades; 
 as bye the bye, I was master of none: and 
 that after a while my name would become 
 so notorious that I could not get a master, 
 as he wished to see me do well; and if I 
 got a master again to get myself bound 
 straightway. If I did not do that, I would 
 never get a trade. 
 
 1 then took b notion to learn the brick- 
 laying and plastering business, and went to 
 hunt a master in good earnest, and found 
 one by the name of Kenweth King. I 
 asked him if he would take a boy and learn 
 him his trade; he asked if I was the boy, I 
 I told him yes, he then asked me my name 
 and where I lived, which inquiries I an- 
 swered; he told me to bring my father there 
 tha next day, I told him I would; the next 
 day about two o'clock according to promise 
 my father and myself called to see Mr* 
 King. My father signified a wish to have 
 me bound instanter as I had so many mas- 
 ters, and flew as often too; Mr. King; told 
 imy father he had no apprehension abont 
 him; but that he could make a good boy 
 out of me, as he had no less than eight 
 boys at that time; my father told him if it 
 
•73 
 suited, he would like to have me bound on 
 the spot, to which Mr. King said he had no 
 objections if I was agreed; I told him I was 
 perfectly satisfied, and we went straight to 
 a squire-shop and got myself bound for 
 four years. The next morning I went to 
 work in my new birth, and worked on till 
 Saturday evening; I asked permission of 
 my master to go home and see my parents, 
 he consented I might go provided I return- 
 ed on Sunday evening; 1 told him I would; 
 I went home, and father asked me how I 
 come on, I told him very well; he asked if I 
 liked my trade and my master, I told him 
 I did; he said he was very glad to hear it, 
 hoped that I would stay and learn my trade 
 and make myself master of it. My mother 
 said that she was glad that I had found a 
 man and trade that I liked. 
 
 On Sunday evening, according to pro- 
 mise, I returned to my master and went to 
 work as usual, and worked about a year at 
 my trade; where my mother sent for me, 
 being then afilicted with infirmity and sick- 
 ness, she made a dying request, by saying 
 she hoped that I never would go to sea 
 again, that I would stay with my master. 
 
73 
 
 learn my trade, and be a good boy, I made tbe 
 promise to her that I never would go to sea 
 again, and staid at home until I had performed 
 the last sad sepultural rights; I saw her inter- 
 red. After my mother's death I returned to my 
 master, and went to work at my trade; in about 
 eight months after the death of my mother, 
 my father went to Charleston with garden 
 seeds and fruit trees, returned home sick, to 
 the house of Thomas Mills, a brother-in-law 
 of mine, who had married my ^eldest sister, 
 with whom my father resided; Mr. Mills, by 
 profession a lawyer, drew an instrument of 
 writing, purporting to be the last will and 
 testament of my father, in which said instru- 
 ment Mr. Mills was the sole heir, as it after- 
 wards turned out; which will be referred to 
 more particularly in the sequel, meaning to re- 
 turn to the history of my father whom we 
 have left sick at the house of Mr. Mills, in- 
 termarried with my eldest sister Mary. When 
 my father felt that the hour of his dissolution 
 was approaching, he called us around him, and 
 told us that he had made such a disposition of 
 his worldly matters as to leave us all a small 
 patrimonv to begin in the world; and in two 
 7" 
 
74 
 days after, he closed his eyes in death and 
 sleeps the sleep that never endeth. After my 
 father had been interred, as usual upon such oc- 
 casions, his will was brought and ushered into 
 the presence of the family, and read, in which 
 my brother-in-law, lawyer Mills, was left sole 
 executor; and he, not content with that, also 
 made himself sole heir of my lather's estate, 
 personal and mixed, and dealt with according- 
 ly; he went on and took possession of all my 
 father's property, and converted it to his own 
 use, cheated myself and the rest of my broth- 
 ers and sisters out of every cent, which my 
 father was possessed of. Having for myself 
 in the meantime, conceived an opinion of my 
 brother-in-law using towards us a mal-prac- 
 tice of which I never could be reconciled to, 
 from the declaration made by my father in his 
 dying moments, of the disposition he had made 
 of his worldly affairs, the fraud used by him 
 towards us was too glaring to acquiese in 
 silence, and resolved in my own mind to chas- 
 tise him for the outrage committed upon us by 
 him whenever an opportunity should present 
 itself. 
 
 In the meantime I went to my elder brother 
 
75 
 
 whose name was Edward, he then being the 
 head boss of Vauxhall gardens at Bunker's 
 Hill, and intimated to him the idea that I was 
 apprehensive that Mills was going to cheat us 
 out of all we had to get; his apprehensions on 
 the subject was not as sensitive as mine were, 
 he observed that it looked a little like it, yet 
 did not think that he. Mills, intended or was 
 capable of such a bad design; I told him that I 
 was fully convinced in my mind that he was 
 both capable and willing, and alleged my 
 reasons fof my suspicions, which were that he, 
 Mills, became savage to my sister, he used her 
 in a manner different from what conjugal af- 
 fection and matrimonial ties would warrant, I 
 intimated to my brother that if any opportu- 
 nity would present itself I would inflict upon 
 him a proper chastisement usually denominat- 
 ed "club law," my brother told me I should 
 be quiet until I became of age as I could do 
 nothing during my years of minority, I told 
 him by that time he might have it all spent; I 
 then urged my brother, as he was of age, to 
 see to the affair of Mills' conduct; and make 
 him account if his administration is in accord- 
 ance with the requisitions of the law of the 
 
76 
 
 land; my brother Edward though I had better 
 wait until the term of my apprenticeship had 
 expired, we then could see into the matter 
 jointly, I found that my brother's inclination 
 led to a different point from mine, and became 
 a little excited at the tepid manner in which 
 he treated the subject; I gave vent to my feel- 
 ings and concluded in my own mind that I 
 could put the first impressions into execution, 
 and swore I would wallop him the first chance 
 I got. I then told my brother that I would go 
 to Mrs. Mills and hear from her what she had 
 to say; and accordingly that evening I went to 
 my sister; I inquired of her if Mr. Mills was 
 at home, she told me he was not; I asked her 
 if she knew where he was, she said she sup- 
 posed that he was at the Cross Keys, a tavern 
 which he frequently haunted, and in my sister's 
 own language "the place where he always is." 
 I then asked her if she thought that Mr. Mills 
 would lend me ten dollars, she said she did not 
 know. I then requested her to ask her hus- 
 band that question, and I would call the next 
 evening to receive his answer. This was the 
 plan I had resolved to try him upon, was to get 
 him to lend me ten dollars, for I was sure on 
 
77 
 my mind, that he would refuse me the favor, and 
 then I would open for myself an avenue for 
 hostility with him; according to appointment 
 the next evening I went to my sister, and he, 
 Mills, was out again; I asked her if she had 
 asked Mr. Mills the question I had proposed to 
 him, she told me that she had, and said that he 
 had no right to give any of the money to any 
 of us until the nursery, the house, and garden 
 were sold, and the youngest child had arrived 
 at full age, he asked my sister if she knew 
 what I wanted with the money; she told him 
 she did not know; he told her he thouglit that 
 I had no business with any money while I was 
 an apprentice, but I was too wild as things 
 were; his way of thinking ill comported with 
 my way of thinking, and added fuel to the fire, 
 that was burning in my breast against him and 
 accelerated my design upon him. I plainly 
 told my sister that I thought he would have the 
 money all spent before the youngest child 
 would become of age; she told me she hoped 
 not; and in general terms observed to her I 
 would see about it; — bade my sister good even- 
 ing and went home. 
 
 Spring of the year was coming on, my 
 
 brother Edward asked me if I would hire 
 
 7* 
 
78 
 myself for Sundays, to wait upon ladies and 
 gentlemen, whose fancy led to amuse them- 
 selres in visiting Yauxhall gardens. It may not 
 be unacceptable to the reader to give him a de- 
 scriptiou of the Yauxhall gardens. The loca- 
 tion was, at that time, on the top of Bunker's 
 hill on the North Point; and contained from 
 four to six acres of ground; the enclosure was 
 a board fence elevated above the view of any 
 person, and white washed on all sides, and oc- 
 cupied by a gentleman of the name of De La- 
 croix, a Frenchman; and the reader may form 
 some idea from the proprietor being a French- 
 man, that the garden was fashioned according- 
 ly. The garden was nearly square, and it 
 contained six gravel walks, running north and 
 south, and six running east and west, elegant- 
 ly gravelled; the garden being out into thirty- 
 six nearly equal squares; at each square was 
 erected images representing saints, and in the 
 central square was the image of the blessed 
 Virgin Mary, carved out of wood as large as 
 life. The summer houses were placed at easy 
 and regular distances apart, elegantly fitted up, 
 the ground was occupied in the rearing of 
 flowers and shrubbery generally. The rules of 
 the gardens, which every visitor had to ob- 
 
79 
 
 serve, were, pulling a flower fifty cents fine. 
 My brother Fdward, whom I have already 
 stated was the cheif gardener of the said gar- 
 den, offered me a dollar a day to assist him in 
 the garden in waiting on visitors, as aforesaid, 
 T told him that I would, and accordingly as- 
 sisted him on Sundays, and every Sunday 
 night Mr. De Lacroix paid me a dollar for my 
 services, rendered during the day. I con- 
 tinued for some time in this employ, waiting 
 on the gentry visiting the garden, on Sunday; 
 and working for my master at my trade until 
 my brother Edward and Mons. De Lacroix's 
 daughter took it into their heads to make a 
 runaway matrimonial match of it, w^hich stung 
 the old fellow, and he, out of spite, discharged 
 me out of my Sunday employment. 
 
 The reader will please to bear in mind, 
 that the garden which 1 have described is not 
 now in existence. However there is a garden 
 of the same name, and owned by a man of the 
 same name in the Bowery. Being in the seven- 
 teenth year of my age, my brother Edward 
 being gone, gave me an uncontrolable oppor- 
 tunity of executing my original design I had 
 upon my brother-in-law. I went to see him 
 one evening, he was a little intoxicated; he 
 
80 
 
 asked me what I wanted, I told him I did not 
 w^ant any thing in particular more than to pay 
 a visit to my sister; he then said that he had 
 heard that I was going to give him a wallop- 
 ing, that he intended to acquaint my master of 
 my conduct; I found from the threats he made 
 that he was of a cowardly disposition but did 
 not then feel in a disposition to pummel him 
 althouiirh I was conscious that I was able for 
 the lad. I, however, told him that I would give 
 him a lacing, upon that declaration he got his 
 cane, and when I saw that he armed himself 
 for combat I made at him, and at this juncture 
 my sister interfered and begged me to go home. 
 I obeyed my sister aud left his house, and went 
 home to my master. The next day my lad 
 came and made his complaint as he had pro- 
 mised, to my master, of my conduct towards 
 him; and by way of threat told my master that 
 if he did not take care of me, he, Mills, would 
 take care of me. My master said he would 
 talk to me about it, and told me when I came 
 
 to dinner the charge preferred against me by 
 Mr. Mills. My master said I had better stay 
 away from Mills's until I became of age; I 
 promised my master that I would follow his 
 council, that I would not go there any more. 
 
81 
 In the mean time, although I made a promise 
 to stay away, which I did not intend to fulfil, 
 I resolved in my mind to be revenged on him, 
 and it so much inflamed my already heated 
 imagination, that I was determined to give the 
 lad a lacing. 
 
 I subnnitted the matter existing between 
 Mills and myself to an acquaintance of mine 
 by the name of John Lane, a baker by 
 trade; when I had told him all I had to say 
 about it, he said he knew Mills very well, 
 and observed that he would not be worth 
 one cent by the time all his debts were 
 paid; that if he was me, he would give him 
 a genteel and good walloping, for that 
 would be all I ever would get; I told him if 
 I did go, that I would be under the necessi- 
 ty of putting out; he said that he would not 
 care for that, for said he I intend to put out 
 myself in march next, 1 asked him where 
 he intended to go to, he said he intended to 
 go to Philadelphia; I told him that I would 
 go along with him, he then enjoined secre- 
 cy upon me so that our plan shold not be 
 frustrated, I asked him how much money it 
 would take to take us there, he allowed it 
 would take about five dollars a piece; I told 
 
82 
 him I could easy raise that sum by that 
 time; from that time out, Lane and mysel^ 
 associated under every possible circum- 
 stance; and on Christmas eve we went to 
 amuse ourselves at a dance; it being- very 
 common to make merry on holidays; while 
 there and in the act of dancinsc we heard 
 of a riot that had been raised at the Catho- 
 lic Church near the park; Lane and myself 
 left the house and went to the church and 
 on our way to the church, Lane observed 
 that we would stick close together, when 
 we came to the theatre of action; the 
 church was surrounded with a motley 
 crew^ of Irish and sailors, we inquired what 
 was the matter, we were informed that the 
 Irish had killed a sailor. The Irish and 
 the sailors were engaf^'-ed in deadly con- 
 flict, and without farther ceremony we en- 
 tered the list of combatants and espoused 
 the cause of the sailors, and the mob fought 
 from the door of the church to Irish town, 
 being the distance of about one fourth of a 
 mile, and kept on fig-hting all that night. Lane 
 and myself, in company with three or four 
 more who came with Lane and myself from 
 the dance, went into a grogshop in Irish town 
 
83 
 asked the keeper of the shop for a half pint 
 of rum; he told us to clear out for a set of 
 rascals; without farther ceremony upon any 
 account, we fell to and waled the gropshop 
 keeper and two more hands who seemed to 
 espouse his cause, most elegantly; his wife 
 went into the cellar and we shut her down in 
 the cellar, and took possession of the shop; 
 having by this time cleared out all hands, we 
 fell to and drank as much as we pleased, and 
 while we were refreshing ourselves the mob 
 came in and began to break bottles, glasses, 
 pitchers, barrels, and all and every thing they 
 could find in the shop; and fought on till day 
 light throughout Irishtown; laying all Irishtown 
 waste; a great deal of property was destroyed 
 by the mob, and a great deal of human blood 
 shed; it was sometime in the afternoon on 
 Christmas day before I got home, and when I 
 was at home I was far from having a sound 
 skin, for in the affray somebody let me have a 
 lick on the left side of my head with a cudgel 
 and laid it open about one inch; and by way of 
 uniformity I received also a tap on the right 
 side of my head not quite as big as the first, 
 and a black eye into the bargain; as for my 
 part, all I had to do with that spree ended just 
 
84 
 here. My master asked where I had been, I 
 told him I had been in Irishtown; he said, I 
 thought so, for you wear the Irish "Coat of 
 Arms," about you, and added that it was a 
 wonder that I had not my brains knocked out 
 into the bargain. 
 
 The next scrape I got myself into, long 
 before my head was healed, and not ex- 
 ceeding four days alter the mob in Irish- 
 town, was at a dance at a Mr. Green's. 
 Being a notorious dance-house, we went for 
 the express purpose of raising a row and 
 were gratified to our heart's content, for 
 we had scarcely got into the house, until the 
 crew of the English packet came in, and 
 they scarcely had time to touch bottom^ 
 when we let them have it, and the way 
 it went there was nobody's business only 
 those whom it concerned; we had a battle- 
 royal, and the first thing 1 knowed of my- 
 self I was in the hands of a watchman; as 
 he was taking me on to the watch-house, 
 he treated me, uncourteously he had me 
 by the collar, I told him I had occasion to 
 obey a call of nature; he let go his hold by 
 my collar, and as soon as he let go his 
 hold, I put out, and the way 1 scampered 
 
85 
 off was just the right way, and he had no 
 other than legbail lor my appearance; the 
 next night, however, I had the bad luck to 
 fall a captive into the same hands I had 
 been in the evening" before, and my cap- 
 tor was a good old Dutchman, no doubt of 
 the strain of those good old and venera- 
 ble burghers of the old school; when he 
 laid hold on me he said "I dinks as you are 
 de lad as I had a hold of last night," I told 
 him I thought not, that I never was here 
 before, he said '^No, but I dinks I ketched 
 you down at the Greens;" I told him I did 
 not know the Greens. I then called my 
 comrade who had attended me to French 
 John's, the place where I fell into the 
 Dutchman's hands the second time, my 
 comrade vouched for me to the watchman, 
 that I had not been up town for a week 
 before, he was staggered at the informa- 
 tion my comrade gave him about me; he 
 said, "I might be mishtaken as dere ish so 
 menny poys;" he then let me go, and off 
 me and my comrades started for Greens, 
 and after we had been at the Greens as 
 
 the watchmen gaid, about one hour, and in 
 
 8 
 
86 
 
 our tanti-ams, Green's being in the same 
 ward and in the same street, and under 
 the jurisdiction of the same watchman, he 
 came down there, and said, ''well my lads- 
 you ish here now, we told the u^atchman 
 that we had just come there to become ac- 
 quainted, he told us he thought that we 
 would very soon become acquainted, and 
 enjoined good behavior on us; we told him 
 we would try and do that, nothing more 
 happened of any consequence, and we 
 scampered off to our respective homes. 
 
 The holy days being over, I was put to 
 night-school by my master, and I happen- 
 ed by some means or other to miss attend- 
 ing school as often as I happened to at- 
 tend it: one nis^ht that I failed in attendinc^ 
 school having business at a Mr. Francis 
 Drake's in Orange street, in lending a hand 
 to a dance that happened to be there, 
 when we came to the door, a shilling was 
 demanded by the door keeper as an ad- 
 mittance fee, we told him we had no small 
 change about us, but when we came in we 
 would pay him; he said he was not quite 
 so green; that he had been sucked in toa 
 
87 
 
 often for that; we found we could not get 
 in by stratagem, we went out to the front 
 door at the street and becran to kick up a 
 row amongst ourselves which was merely 
 done to call his presence and attendance 
 there, and we succeeded in the design, for 
 he came as we wished he should, to tlie 
 front door to see what was the matter, 
 while we had hnn there we surrounded him 
 and we kicked and knocked him about till 
 we had all slipped in; he came and report- 
 ed his case to Mr. Drake, how we had mal- 
 treated him, and that we were a setof au" 
 dacious rascals, and had not paid our en- 
 trance. Mr. Drake asked him, if he knew 
 any of us, he said, he did not know, that it 
 was too dark to be sure, yet he thought he 
 could point some of us out, he said that, at 
 any rate, none of us had any tickets. Mr. 
 Drake came.up to me, and asked me for 
 my ticket, and by this time I had ingratiat- 
 ed myself into the ^-ood graces of a young 
 lady, to vouch for me certain facts, to clear 
 myself, which she consented to, and ac- 
 cordingly she bore me out; I repHed to Mr* 
 Drake's inquiry, that I had got a glass of 
 
88 
 punch at the bar for the ticket, and that 
 me, and the young lady I was in company 
 with, had helped me to drink it. She was 
 called upon to verify my assertion, and she 
 confirmed it, by answering the appeal made 
 to her, in the affirmative, and said that I 
 was clear; and Drake catching the word, 
 well then you are clear; in the mean time, 
 snug as I felt, still I believed that I was 
 the biggest scamp among the whole bunch, 
 for, injustice to myself, I was the original 
 inventor of the plan to get the door-keeper 
 into the street, and to kick and cuff him in 
 the manner we did, and was one among the 
 first who commenced the exercise on him. 
 Mr. Drake asked several others for their 
 tickets, some had one excuse, some had 
 spent their tickets at the bar, &c. &c.; at 
 last he inquired of a lad of the name of 
 Dick Turner for his ticket, Dick told him 
 it was none of his business; that reply of 
 Dick's, was paramount to a declfiration of 
 internal wars. Drake then told him, that 
 he believed, that he was one of the rascals. 
 Dick told Drake, he was a liar. Drake 
 drew his club at Dick, and Dick seeing the 
 storm gathering to burst over his head, and 
 
89 
 
 to avert it, he availed himself of this ad- 
 vantage of pug-ilistic science, let Drake 
 have a Kenset and felled him; we all took 
 the hint at Dick's performance; chiined in, 
 whipped Drake and the door-keeper, clear- 
 ed the ball room of stray hands; blew the 
 lights out; drank as much as we wanted, 
 and cleared the gangway, before time 
 could be allowed to call upon the watch- 
 man for aid; and dispersed and went to 
 our respective homes; and took care not 
 to visit that part of the city for about two 
 weeks. Dancing was in them times so very 
 fashionable, that it was no difficulty to get 
 to one any night in the week; the dancing 
 lever began to rage in Harman street, 
 there being a gang of about eighty strong, 
 where all hands attended to the bellows^ 
 We heard that a dance was to be at Mrs. 
 Cunningham's, in Harman street; we re. 
 paired there, and our force mustered 
 strong. We learned from a girl, that no 
 boys would be admitted; we told the girl 
 we would get in any how, but that she 
 should say nothing about our intention. 
 We laid a plan to get Mrs. Cunningham 
 away, by telling her, that her sister, who 
 8* 
 
90 
 
 lived about one square from her, had fell 
 and had broke her arm, and requested Mrs. 
 Cunningham's immediate attention; when 
 we had delivered our messao^e to Mrs. 
 Cunningham, away she went post haste to 
 see her sister. In a short time, a lad went 
 to the door-keeper, and told him that a lady 
 was at the door, and wished to speak 
 to him; he told the boy to ask the 
 lady in; the boy told the door-keeper that 
 she had not time; he came out, and as soon 
 as he came to the door, the way we pum- 
 melled him was a caution to door-keepers, 
 and the whole posse of us slipt in; by this 
 time the old lady came back in a wonder- 
 ful splutter, she began to scold the door- 
 keeper for letting us all in. Yes, by G — , 
 said he, we had got him out, and almost 
 killed him, which assertion of his savored 
 strongly of the truth, — in confirmation 
 thereof, she, Mrs. Cunningham, said, we 
 hf>d made up a lie to get her away. She 
 told the door-keeper to call the watchman; 
 she would shew us what we were doing; 
 accordingly two watchmen were brought, 
 and they came in, and when they entered 
 
91 
 
 the domici], she addressed herself to the 
 watchmen, that here were a gang* of boys 
 who had come with an intent to mob her 
 house; the watchmen asked us who had 
 let us in. We told them that nobody was 
 at the door when we came in; we heard a 
 noise on the street, we came just to see 
 the dance; they then asked the door-keeper 
 if we were the ones who had him out on 
 the street; he said, he did not know, it was 
 too dark to tell any one, but his belief 
 was, that we were the fellows; the watch- 
 men told him, if he could not discriminate 
 who they were, that it was impossible for 
 them to tell, and as long as v/e behaved 
 ourselves well, that they could do nothing 
 with us, and by way of interrorum, told 
 the old lad} and her door-keeper, that if we 
 did not behave ourselves to give them a 
 call; and after they had given the above 
 charge, the watchmen retired; my com- 
 rades danced among the rest, and things 
 went on smooth for a while. I, for my parit, 
 never did dance, and to amuse myself, I 
 walked up to the bar and called for a small 
 glass of punch, which I drank, and paid the 
 
92 
 
 old lady for it. I observed to her, that she 
 had a full house, with a view to court the 
 good graces of her ladyship; and to let her 
 have it the more an) ply in the outcome; 
 she observed, that there were too many 
 boys, more than she wished, and asked me 
 if I knew any of them; I told her, I did not, 
 I only knew one or two, that I, for my part, 
 did not reside in the city, that I lived on 
 Long Island, and merely called to see the 
 city fashions. She said, she thought 
 she had seen me before; I replied, that 
 might be, as I was in the city nearly 
 every day. She then told me to try to get 
 acquainted with some of the girls. I told 
 her I would after a while. The boys b^- 
 gan to get their blood a little warm from 
 dancing, and as that got up, they began 
 to get glad, and as their gladness increas- 
 ed, of course they began to get too loud. 
 She told the boys, that if they did not keep 
 "less noise, she would call for the watch- 
 men. I told them that they ought not make 
 so much noise; one of them told me, it was 
 none of my business. The old woman told 
 me, I shauld say nothing more to them; 
 
93 
 
 she believed they were a very quarrelsome 
 set, which was very well. Little did she 
 dream of Indians about in me. She next 
 wished that they were gone, that no- 
 thing could be made while they were 
 there. 1 chimed in with her ideas, and 
 thought not. She asked me if I would take 
 another drink; I told her I did not care 
 much; she tlieu gave me a siBall glass of 
 punch; I drank the punch, and a^tcr that I 
 walked round to a girl, who sat beside one 
 of my comrades, and informed him, that I 
 had got on the good side of the old woman. 
 I told him how she had given me a glass 
 of punch, and told me she wished these 
 boys were gone, that she would make no- 
 thing while they were here. G — , says he^ 
 I'll go up to her, and I'll knock something 
 out of her too. I told him I would go along, 
 and I would ask him how he liked the 
 dance: so we both went up to the bar, and 
 he called for a glass of punch, and began 
 to feel into his pocket for his ticket; after 
 having searched awhile for it, (like hunt, 
 ing a needle in a hay-stack, for he never 
 had any,) he said he had 'ost it. She saidj 
 it was immaterial, that if he had had it, he 
 
94 
 
 could have his glass of punch; so up he 
 picked the glass, and drank the punch. I 
 then asked him, how he liked the dance. 
 He said, that nobody could dance for them 
 boys, that had got in lor nothing. She said, 
 yes, and that she would have them put 
 out, and she went and gave the door- 
 keeper her orders. The door-keeper came 
 and told the boys, that they had now danc- 
 ed long enough, that they now must give 
 up the floor to other people. The boys 
 quaintly replied to the door-keeper's man- 
 date, that they would dance just as long as 
 they pleased, that their money was just as 
 good as that of any other body. The rea- 
 der must be now informed of the location 
 of the room we were in; we stop hereto 
 give an account of it, as we presently will 
 have to describe the row that ensued. 
 
 The room had been formerly occupied as a 
 store room, with two folding doors in the front, 
 closed by a large bar in the inside; the door of 
 egress aud ingress was at the partition of the 
 house; in the mean time as I was on excellent 
 terms with madam Cunningham, I drew the 
 fcar that bolted the folding doors, in the event 
 
95 
 that any watchmen should make their appear- 
 ance amongst us; and I told the boys that I 
 had removed the bar, and that, that way was 
 clear to make our escape in a quarter which 
 they least expected. Some of the company 
 told the boys that they wanted part of the en- 
 joyments for the evening, that they, (the boys,) 
 should not enjoy and engross the whole of it 
 to themselves; the boys told them that they 
 would do just as they pleased; and with that I 
 walked up to Mrs. Cunningham, and I observ- 
 ed to her that the boys were acting too bad; 
 that they felt disposed to give nobody a chance 
 to participate in the sport, but themselveSj slie 
 said, that she really would not suffer it any 
 longer, that she would have them put out. She 
 went to the doorkeeper a second time and told 
 him he must absolutely put out them boys; the 
 doorkeeper said. Egad I'll soon have them out? 
 he accordingly went to the door and got in 
 hand a club, and when armed, he stept in 
 amongst the boys, and peremptorily ordered 
 them out; and laying hands on one of our gang, 
 and no sooner, than the violation on his 
 part of that sacred right, of invading the pri- 
 vilege of personal protection, than the person 
 assaulted in his person, made a happy return. 
 
96 
 of attack; and with a short tap, laid the gen- 
 tleman doorkeeper sprawling on the floor. 
 Then the spree began, the old woman ran out 
 for the watchman; by the time she came back^ 
 reinforced with watchmen there were a good 
 many men laying in the floor; and the girls 
 cleared themselves in the best way they could. 
 We had extinguished all the lights in the 
 room, save one; by the time the watchman 
 came in, as they, the watchman entered by the 
 door at the entry, we threw open tlie folding 
 doors leading to the front, and out we put, the 
 whole gang of us; and acting possum with 
 the old lady, I went in again to see how things 
 looked, after the affray was over. She was 
 just in the act of giving the watchmen a drink 
 as I entered. One of them advanced upon,, 
 and seized me, saying to the old lady, here is 
 one of the boys now; said she, no, indeed, 
 that young man was here all the evening, and 
 was one of the most civil of all that was in 
 the house, and asked me to come and take a 
 drink. (Yes, indeed, thinks I to myself, my 
 old lady, you are rightly fixed now.) The door- 
 keeper was most horridly hammered; and he 
 was raving and cursing, as I thought, scienti- 
 
97 
 
 fically; he had, at least said of it, some system 
 about it, as he laid it down thick and strong, 
 saying, if he knew who they were, liow he 
 would fix them. In the mean time, I let the 
 old woman have another of my left handed 
 spangs. I told her it was the worst spree I 
 had ever witnessed. She said with a good 
 deal of self-satisfaction, that she would be 
 bound, that the next ball they would make? 
 that them rascals should not get into the house* 
 I inquired of her, when she would likely have 
 ^he next dance. She said on Saturday night 
 next, at the same time she gave me a cordial 
 invitation to come, and that's the time she 
 missed it. I promised her, that if I was in 
 the city that I would attend. She said, that 
 some nice girls then would be there. I went? 
 after our conversation had ended, in quest of 
 my comrades, and found some of them. They 
 asked me, how the land lay, I told them the 
 w^atchmen were gone, and how our landlady- 
 had given me a grog. They inquired also, 
 how the door-keeper looked; I told them that 
 he was pretty much battered, and the rest of 
 the hands that had attended were gone, and 
 that she would have another ball on next Sa- 
 9 
 
98 
 
 turday evening, and there was the end of that 
 spree. 
 
 One evening, a parcel of us lads went to 
 the house of a certain Jolin M'Dermot, keep- 
 er of a victual and oyster shop, in George's 
 street, New-York, with a view to set things 
 to rights in his establishment, as he deserved 
 it, being of an overbearing turn of mind, and 
 saucy as mischief itself; and we came to the 
 conclusion to put him where he ought to be. 
 After we had got our gang together, and 
 thought ourselves strong enough, we began to 
 play, what was termed "patent billiards," for 
 drink and oysters. We played about one 
 hour. We began to quarrel amongst ourselves, 
 as he thought, to lead the lad on the ice, and as 
 we became too loud for Mr. M'Dermot, he ap- 
 peared amongst us, arxd told us, that if we did 
 not keep less noise, that he would put the 
 whole of us out. To this menace of his, we just 
 told him, that he could not do that. No soon- 
 er than he had heard our answer, than he laid 
 to grabbing at some of us, and we took the 
 hint, and let him have it. The first thing that 
 he was conscious of, was, he found himself 
 
99 
 
 sprawling on the floor, received the hearty 
 kicks of every one who could get foot on him. 
 Some of the spare hands fell upon the negroes 
 who were employed by him to shock oysters, 
 and drove them into the cooking room, and 
 
 beat them, poor d -Is, into a jelly; being 
 
 in a cellar, this whole performance was con- 
 ducted in silence, unknown to the watchmen. 
 After we had laid Mr. M'Dermot and his 
 hands speechless, the way his geese, chickens, 
 oysters, hams, &c. were slashed about, was 
 nobody's business. 
 
 After the glories of the several sprees, as I 
 was a very apt scholar in this kind of street 
 etiquette; in the mean time I would attend 
 night school by time, to keep up what may be 
 termed a liberal attention to classic lore. 
 What I forgot to learn one night, I'd be sure 
 to learn the next. I attended night school for 
 ten nights in regular succession. 
 
 One evening, fancy led me to the house of 
 Cunningham, son of my old hostess, who kept 
 a grocery store, in the basement story of the 
 house, and the second story of the house was 
 occupied by some ladies of my acquaintance. 
 
100 
 
 I called in to see them; while there, some 
 other young men came in, and they began to 
 kick up a row, one oC the young ladies went 
 down and apprized Mr. Cunningham of their 
 bad conduct; he came in with a club in his 
 hand, and hit me a lick on the side of my face 
 and knocked me down stairs, heels over head; 
 and as I fell he gave me another blow on my 
 back to help me falling, which I did not get 
 well of for two weeks; his mal- treatment so 
 incensed my spirit for revenge, that I watched 
 my opportunity for six or eight nights to reta- 
 liate on him, as he was by no means justified 
 in, to chastise me in the manner he did, as I 
 behaved myself orderly. One evening, a 
 chance presented itself, I was standing on the 
 pavement with seven stones in my pockets;as he 
 was walking round the counter, I let slip a war- 
 hawk and missed him, the stone took a keg, 
 and spent its idle force there; he came to the 
 door and looked up and down the street; by 
 this time I was standing in the street; he did 
 not see me; he went in again, and went up to 
 the desk, and while he was standing at his 
 desk, I prepared for another shot, and let slip 
 another, and hit him on the jaw and knocked 
 
101 
 
 him down; they raised a noise in the store- 
 room, and I went in to see how things were, 
 and there was Mr. Cunningham knocked stiff 
 as a board — by all I could hear and see, I 
 found that his jaw was fractured and pretty 
 much shattered; after I saw how he was, I 
 walked off, and allowed that his jaw and my 
 jaw and back would have a race to see which 
 would get well first. After this achievement 
 of mine, I went to night school for some time 
 after quite regular. 
 
 One Sunday, my particular croney, John 
 Lane, and myself, we took a walk on the Bat- 
 tery, with a view to devise plans, to make 
 our exit as the month of March was approach- 
 ing, and it being the time fixed by us for our 
 departure from New-York for Philadelphia. 
 He told me that he would be ready about the 
 tenth of March. I told him, that the tenth of 
 March would be too early for me, that I could 
 get no work at that time. He told me that 
 should be no objection, as he was sure of a 
 job as soon as he came there, and we made a 
 permanent vow to one another, to maintain 
 each until we were both permanently fixed ia 
 a birth. I told John Lane, that I intended to 
 9* 
 
102 
 
 tr)^ Mills for the ten dollars which I held in 
 reserve as a trial cock for my brother in-law- 
 He said, it was not worth while to ask him, 
 but to give him a good whipping. I told him 
 I intended to ask my sister, I did not even let 
 Lane know my secret design I had upon Mills; 
 yet he advised me to what I intended to exe- 
 cute. He told me not to deceive him, as he 
 depended on my accompanying him. I told 
 him he might depend upon me, if I lived — by 
 this time we came to the wharves, walking up 
 town, and there we parted. The next week 
 1 went to see my sister Mary married to Mills, 
 and he. Mills, was from home. I asked her 
 to lend me ten dollars for a while. She told 
 me she had no money then, yet allowed she 
 would get some by Sunday. I had a parcel 
 of ornaments and pictures, I carried them to 
 my sister on the Sunday she allowed to have 
 the ten dollars for me, I told her to keep them 
 for me until I was out of my apprenticeship, 
 as I had no way of keeping them. She took 
 them from me, and gave me the ten dollars, 
 and forbid me saying any thing, for fear 
 Mills might get to hear it. I assured my sis- 
 ter there would be no danger. I went home 
 
103 
 
 to my master, laid my money away, and mu o 
 it my business to see John Lane the next eve i- 
 ing, and told hirn I had made the raise of ten 
 dollars, at which he expressed his glad feel- 
 ings, and added, that by the time fixed by us 
 to put out, he would be able to raise fifteen 
 or twenty dollars. I told him I would do all 
 I could to get more. The next week, me and 
 another boy got a barber''s shop to plaster, for 
 which we got fourteen dollars, which we di- 
 vided equally, so that I had seven dollars 
 more to add to my stock to scamper upon; 
 and while we were at the barber shop, a man 
 living two doors from the shop, he had a par- 
 tition to plaster; he asked us to come up to see it, 
 and see what we would do it for. We went 
 up and took a look at it, and told him we would 
 do it for three dollars. He asked us, how 
 much we would have, if we found the mortar. 
 We asked him how many coats he wanted it 
 to have; he said one would do it, we could 
 make it smooth enougli for papering. We told 
 him, we would do it for six dollars, and do it 
 well. He asked us when we could do it; as 
 soon as we are done with the barber shop. 
 We told him we would have to do it at night; 
 
104 
 
 he said he did not care, and in that week it 
 should be done, and accordingly we did the 
 plastering. However, we used finese with the 
 barber, we made him make more stuff than 
 he wanted; we bought it from him, and fixed 
 the partition; he paid us the six dollars, we 
 divided it, and by this time I had twenty dol- 
 lars, for expenses on our contemplated jour- 
 ney. 1 made it my business to see John Lane 
 on Sunday following, and I reported my suc- 
 cess in makicg another raise of ten dollars 
 more. He asked me how I made it. I told 
 him by plastering a barber shop, and the par- 
 tition, and other worlc Upon which delibera- 
 tion, we came to the conclusion to hook it. 
 We were to get our clothes ready, have ano- 
 ther blow out by way of a clear up shower to 
 our sprees, and then.put out between two days. 
 We accordingly pat our clotlies to a certain 
 Mrs. Paxton, a widow, whose occupation was 
 that of wash-woman, to have them all ready 
 for a go. We met our comrades one night to 
 have the farewell spree at Mr. Drakes, and 
 according to appointment, about fifty of our 
 gang met, and made a contract for our admit- 
 tance fee. We agreed to go and make an ap- 
 
105 
 
 pearance, ten in number, and the rest of the 
 gang were to rush in, when the ten who had 
 paid went in. We called Mr. Drake out, and 
 asked him, if he would let ten of us in for a 
 dollar. He said he would, if we would be 
 civil, and make no disturbance in the house. 
 We made a promise we would not make any 
 noise; that we would behave ourselves quiet 
 and orderly. We went and gave notice of our 
 proceedings with Drake to our comrades, that 
 the bargain was struck, and that we would go 
 up to the door-keeper, and that they should lay 
 shoulders to, and begin the push forward, to 
 force the door open, and some should lay hands 
 on the door-keeper, and pull him away from 
 his station, with a view to prevent him of 
 knowing who was who; and the door was 
 cleared of its keeper, and the portals were 
 soon forced as wade open as the hinges of the 
 door would allow, and in we all went. Mr. 
 Drake allowed, that we were a very long ten 
 and confessed that we caught him napping that 
 time, and gave us assurances that we would 
 never catch him again. The door-keeper 
 called for the watchman, two of them came in 
 and asked what was the matter. He told 
 them, that a parcel of boys came in, and 
 
106 
 
 kicked him out of doors. The watchmen ask* 
 ed him which were the boys that had kicked 
 him. The door-keeper picked me and four 
 others as the offenders. We called on ou^ 
 comrades to prove our innocence, and that we 
 had paid our entrance fee, as we had contract* 
 ed for with Mr. Drake. This information, and 
 verification of our comrades for us, complete- 
 ly unhinged the door-keeper^s accusation a- 
 gainst us, which fell to the ground in the esti- 
 mation of the watchmen; and they told the 
 door-keeper, that he must make the best of a 
 bad bargain he could; and as long as they 
 (meaning us boys,) behaved ourselves, that 
 they, the watchmen had nothing to do with us. 
 The boys began to dance, and danced for about 
 an hour, and then we began to set things to 
 rights; We broke every glass in the whole 
 house, and cleared it of men, women, and 
 children; and after that performance, we clear- 
 ed ourselves from the premises. We scam- 
 pered off to a grog-shop, and there we took 
 our farewell drink together, and the shaking 
 of hands in the last farewell being over, Dick 
 Turner was to take us over the North river 
 in a pleasure boat, together with about a half 
 
107 
 
 dozen of choice spirits, to accompany us by 
 way of escort. 
 
 The time for our departure had by this 
 time nearly arrived; I went to the washer^ 
 woman, and got our clothes, and gave them 
 to Dick Turner, and told him to wait there 
 for about an hour, when we would be back, 
 and then we would set sail. I had a small 
 affair to settle with Mr. Mills, which I could 
 notleave undone; accordingly, accompanied 
 by John Lane, we went up the bowery to 
 the "cross key's" tavern; I told John to go 
 in and inquire if Mr. Mills was in; he 
 went in and found Mr. Mills there, he 
 told Mr. Mills that there was a gentleman 
 in waiting at his house to see him; Mr. Mills 
 came out with Lane, and did not let myself 
 be known to him until We come to a part 
 of the city where the watchmen are not too 
 handy; I then fell upon him, and I ham- 
 mered him until I thought I had the worth 
 of principal and interest out of him for my 
 share of my honored father's estate; and 
 that was the only share I ever had from 
 him, and depend upon it I did my last job 
 well; after 1 had dressed the lad, I did not 
 
108 
 hear fiom him for about two years after- 
 wards. We then went to Dick Turner and 
 the lads who were to go aloni^ with us over 
 the North river, and found them at the 
 wharf at their post Uke men; we got 
 into the pleasure boat and we sailed 
 across the river; John Lane and myself 
 took our final adieu of the city of New- 
 York. We landed in safety on the Jersey 
 shore, and went to the ferry-house, and 
 made promise to write to one another 
 to tell of our adventures; in our final exit, 
 the city of New York lost two very fine 
 boys, in John Lane and myself; however, I 
 may be premature in my opinion, I will 
 leave the reader to judge lor himself. John 
 Lane and myself were on the road from 
 New York to Philadelphia about three days 
 and a half; and arrived in the latter named 
 city in safety about the middle of March; 
 we called a halt in a tavern in Market St. 
 at the sign ol the black horse; my comrade 
 inquired of the Ian llord if he knew a man 
 of the name of John Kline, a baker resid- 
 ing in Cambden, Northern Liberty, in Phil- 
 adelphia; he told John Lane that he did 
 
109 
 
 know him, and said that one of his (Kline^s) 
 hands was in the markets every day; that 
 he would shew him to us; and the next 
 morning our landlord did as he had pro* 
 mised, he shewed us the boy; we went to 
 him and asked him if he lived with Mr. 
 John Kline in Cambden; he said he did; 
 after he had disposed uf his marketing*, we 
 went with him to Mr. Kline's; Mr. Kline ex- 
 pressed himselt'as being very glad to see Mr, 
 Lane, as he had come on. Lane introduced 
 me to him as a plasterer, gave my name, 
 &c. Mr. Kline was a man that preferred a 
 life of single blessedness, and had to board 
 ab»road; John Lane inquired of him if he 
 knew any place where I could get board* 
 ing. Mr. Kline said he would speak to his 
 landlady, perhaps she would board me a 
 week or two; he spoke to Mrs. Smith for me, 
 and she gave me boarding. John Lane told 
 Mr. Kline, that he felt fatigued from our 
 walk, that he would rest a day or two be- 
 fore he would go to work; in the mean 
 time we would take a look round to see the 
 city, and to see if I could get a birth to 
 work. We did so, and I went into every 
 10 
 
110 
 
 building that I could see going on, inquir- 
 ing for work; ot length I came to one, the 
 master's name was Timothy Currans, I 
 asked him, if he wanted a hand; he said 
 he would in the course of a week. He 
 asked me where I had learned my 
 trade; I told him in New- York. He 
 asked me who I had learned my trade with. 
 I told him with a Mr. King. He said I 
 looked young for a journeyman. I told him 
 I had bought my time; he next said, then 
 I suppose you call yourself a master work- 
 man. I told him, I did, at any kind of plain 
 work. He asked me what I would be ask- 
 ing a day. I told him, I did not know the 
 rules of the city, and asked him what was 
 generally given; he told me from one and 
 a quarter to tv/o dollars per day; and said 
 if I could cornish, that he would give me 
 two dollars a day. I told him 1 could not 
 cornish. I asked him, if he boarded any of 
 his hands; he said he never had boarded 
 any. I told him, if he would board me, I 
 would come two weeks upon trial to see 
 how he liked me, and how I hked him. 
 He asked me in the next question, if I had 
 any tools. I told him no, I had none; he then 
 
Ill 
 
 said, that 1 should go to Rose's factory 
 across the Schuylkill, and buy myself a 
 set of tools, as I could get them cheaper at 
 the factory than any place in the city; in 
 the mean time, John Lane and myself, we 
 cruized about the balance of the week, to 
 see and learn the fashions, and we were 
 apt scholars, being members of the old 
 school in New-York; and I thought, learn- 
 ed pretty fast, for we became perfectly 
 acquainted in Southwark, being the lower 
 part of Philadelphia, where all the lads 
 with specks in their characters lived. 
 
 On Monday, I then repaired to the house 
 of Mr. T. Currans to fall to work, and work- 
 ed for him the two weeks we had agreed 
 upon; as the time for trial to see how we 
 liked one another; at the end of that time, I 
 asked him what he thought he would be 
 able to give me ^for a week's work. He 
 said, that if I would engage myself to him 
 lor the season, he would pay me at the 
 rate of eight dollars per week. I told him 
 I would engage myself to him for the sea- 
 son at that price, provided he would find 
 me in boarding; he agreed to my proposi- 
 tion, provided I would pledge one weeks 
 
112 
 
 work as a security for him, which I as- 
 sented to; and to confirm our contract, we 
 entered into an article of agreement, at the 
 prices set forth above for the season; hav- 
 ing now a whole summer's work before 
 me, and a birth secured, I fell to and be* 
 gan to work. 
 
 I worked one month, and being* hand- 
 somely fixed, and so was my companion, 
 for he made about twenty-five dollars a 
 month. I seen him, and urged upon him 
 the necessity of writing to our comrades in 
 New-York, to let them know how we fared, 
 and to let them, in answer to our letter, let 
 us know howthe land lay. We accordingly 
 wrote the letter, and in it, we inquired 
 how my brother-in-law came on. Dick 
 Turner, he answered our letter, informing 
 us, that Mills and my master were both on 
 the hunt for me, one to have me to atone 
 for the violation of the law, the other to get 
 me to work, and Mr. Drake he also had 
 joined in the hunt. He was successful in 
 his watch, for he caught three of the gang, 
 of which we were honorary members, and 
 they had to pay the sum of twenty-five doU 
 
113 
 
 !ars, to make fair weather with him. We 
 of course, found ourselves bound by the 
 ties of friendship to help our mates, and 
 sent our quota to our cronies to help them 
 out of the scrape in which they had been 
 caught. Nothing- of any importance hap- 
 pened worth noticing", being every day 
 
 occurrences, with the exception of a fond- 
 ness I found insensibly stealing upon my 
 affections, occasioned by a young lady 
 with whom I became acquainted, for about 
 three months, all which time I worked 
 faithfully at my business. Now to talk of 
 what my feelings were, when I found my- 
 seli in love with a lady fitted by nature to 
 fill my eye to a fraction, can be better felt 
 by the reader than described by me, as it 
 is a thing which in its very nature is inhe- 
 rent, and we all like it, and 1 began to feel 
 queer, very queer; and one day being full 
 of it, I spoke to my companion about it, 
 and he gave me my castle which I had 
 built in my imagination, a death blow, by 
 saying, he would be bamboozled if he 
 would marry any girl with red hair, of 
 which my dulcet dear had a very beautiful 
 
 head full. Mr. Master too found out where 
 10* 
 
114 
 
 I had come to, he wrote a letter to me, to 
 learn from me, if I would come back and 
 work for him, he would clear away all dif- 
 ficulties which were hanging" over me, and 
 allow me a dollar a day besides. I wrote 
 to him in reply, that I would be back in 
 the course of about two months, and con- 
 sulted John Lane about the matter; he gave 
 me his opinion, that I had better stay where 
 I was; this idea was in unison with my 
 own, on the subject, and of course it was 
 adopted by me. I earned money fast, and 
 I expended a reasonable share of my earn- 
 ings in good clothing, of which I had got 
 for myself a very decent set, the balance of 
 my money went for the first three months, 
 light come, light go. Having always a 
 propensity for fun, an opportunity present- 
 ed itself to give loose to, and gratify it, and 
 as all things have beginnings, the following 
 Bcrape in which I participated, had its ori- 
 gin in the following manner: A number of 
 FRIENDS purchased a suitable lot of giound 
 in Cambden, on which they erected a 
 house of worship for Africans, who, after 
 some time, became so numerous as well 
 
115 
 
 as clamorous in their worship, that they 
 were estimated (at a fair calculation) by 
 the neighborhood as a nuisance, and to rid 
 themselves of their noisy blackies, they fell 
 upon the plan to get the boys and let them 
 make a set upon them. The boys were as 
 ready as wiUing, as they had assurances 
 from the neighbors to see them safe 
 through. A conspiracy was formed, and 
 my friend, John Lane, gave me notice; so 
 one Sunday night, the evening in which 
 the darkies had worship, we repaired to 
 the theatre of action, when we were about 
 fifty or sixty strong, we had formed a plan, 
 moving systematically, and the watchword 
 was "Glory." We consisted of butchers, 
 ropemakers, carpenters, plasterers, and 
 bakers. The ropemaker's were armed 
 with weapons called colts, which is a short 
 rope with a heavy knot at the end; the rest 
 were armed by the butcher's, they had 
 calves' tails with bullets twisted in the hair. 
 The first thing we done, we got an old he- 
 goat, put a dog< chain round his neck, and 
 had him chained ready for action; he was 
 prepared by some of our hands in the most 
 
116 
 
 ludicrous manner imaginable; he was 
 blind-folded,' and had a part of an old sheet 
 stripped over him, and goats are not the 
 most pleasing smelling animal at best 
 in a natural way, and his smell was ex- 
 ceedingly heightened, insomuch so, that he 
 outstunk ihe devil himself, being daubbed 
 all over. All things being now in readi- 
 ness, we got the door-keepers away, by 
 telling^ them that some bo\s intended to 
 disturb their meeting, and if they would 
 come to one side, we would help to catch 
 them; while we decoyed the door-keepers, 
 the rest of the gang brought up the goat to 
 the door, and as the words fell from the 
 mouth of the venerable preacher, "Don't 
 you see the devil a coming;" into the meet- 
 ing-house they popped the blind-lulded 
 goat, and he seen the light at the altar more 
 distinctly than any think else, he made for 
 the altar moving along the aisle, straig-ht- 
 way, and as soon as he was safely moored 
 in church, they fastened the door on the 
 outside; and all the screaming and halloo- 
 ing that fell, these exceeded all things I 
 ever heard. A rush was made for the door, 
 and it was fast; the blackies forced the 
 
117 
 
 windows, and as sure as any set foot on the 
 outside of the church — bip, a calf tail or a 
 colt would take him, and down he'd go; 
 and they kept on until nearly the whole of 
 the darkies were stretched out. No parti- 
 cular regard was paid to sex, they levelled 
 them indiscriminately. 
 
 The next day, a general search was 
 made to find out who hal been concerned 
 in the spree, and several butchers were 
 taken up on suspicion, and that was about 
 the amount of the inquiry, as nothing could 
 be proved against them; they came out 
 clear, yet the costs for defence was about 
 twenty dollars, which sum was raised by 
 the citizens. This was the first spree I 
 had a hand in since my arrival in Philadel- 
 phia. 
 
 The next day I went to my usual avo- 
 cation, and worked for about two weeks, 
 and in the evenings we would walk out in 
 the market-house, that was the place of 
 general rendezvous for privateering, and 
 among the first things that threw itself in 
 our way as an object of diversion, was an 
 old woman who frequented the market^ 
 house and the adjacent neighborhood, 
 
118 
 
 who was in the habit of inakinf^ some kind 
 of soup, called pepper-pot. She was as 
 cross-grained as the pepper-pot itself. We 
 concluded to have a little fun at her ex- 
 pense. We got a ball of twine, and waited 
 our old lady's arrival in the market-housej 
 at length we heard her usual note of pep- 
 per-pot. My comrades stopped her to buy 
 of her a bowl of her soup, and while they 
 were drinking it, I tied the twine around 
 the handle of her kettle. After she had 
 made all the sales she could, she put her 
 ketde on her head, and started off; and as 
 she went, I paid her steps with twine as 
 she was going down the market-house; and 
 as she was going along, she met two young 
 men to sell some of her pepper-pot; and 
 as she was preparing to take the kettle off 
 her head, I gave the twine a sharp pulh 
 and down came kettle and pepper-pot on 
 the floor of the market-house. She began 
 to curse the lads for a set of rascals, for 
 knocking her ketde off her head; and with- 
 out more ado about it, seized one ol them; 
 she being under the impression, that it was 
 them who had spilled her soup, and began 
 to call upon the watchman for assistance J 
 
119 
 
 by this we ran up to them, and while the 
 scuffle lasted between the old lady and the 
 lad with whom she had grappled. I cut 
 off the twine I had tied around the handle 
 of her kettle. The watchman he came to 
 her assistance, and asked the old lady 
 which was the lad. She was not able to 
 distinguish the one in the lot, and they 
 thought that it looked as if there might be 
 short holds about for them; being taken by 
 surprize they put out, and no doubt thank- 
 ed their stars, that they got off as well as 
 they did. The watchman asked her, if it was 
 any of us that had demolished her pepper-pot. 
 She said no, and praised us as very clever 
 young men, that we had just bought some 
 from her; and that was the time she was mis- 
 taken. 
 
 My companion, John Lane and myself, took 
 a few days to ourselves, as a kind of blue- 
 Monday. We went to the wharf, and while 
 there, a number of butchers being assembled, 
 in the act of buying calves, I seen a pick- 
 pocket, he made free enough to ease the poc- 
 ket of one of them of its contents. He took 
 his pocket-book and walked down the wharf, 
 quick time. I went to the man he had robbed. 
 
120 
 
 and asked him if he had not lost his pocket- 
 book. He told me, he had not. 1 asked him 
 to look, as I had seen a man filch it. He 
 searched, and it sure enough was gone. I 
 pointed out to him the man who had it; he pur- 
 sued him, and the villain got on board a 
 packet, and we followed him; when we came 
 on board, he had got into the cabin, and laid 
 upon a settee resting himself. The butcher, 
 after I had identified the thief, charged him 
 with the theft, and the thief denied it, and 
 they seized one another, and raised a rumpuss. 
 I became somewhat frightened, and the cap- 
 tain he came to see what was the matter, after 
 he learned the accusation, and the pocket- 
 book not being found on his passenger, he ra- 
 ther sided with the thief. The butcher told 
 him, he was no better than the passenger, or 
 he would not take his part; and they, the ac- 
 cuser and accused went on shore. The but- 
 cher he went on board the packet again to 
 search for his pocket-book, and at length 
 found it lying under the settee whereon the 
 lad lay, and the pick-pocket being a lad who 
 understood things better than the butcher did, 
 effected his escape. The butcher asked me 
 
121 
 
 what my charge was for the information I had 
 imparted to him. I told him, nothing at all, 
 Sir; lie pulled out a five dollar note and hand- 
 ed it to me, and insisted upon my taking it, 
 which at length I did to oblige him. 
 
 Strange as it may appear, (there is some 
 things in the affairs of man, always calculated 
 to lead to detection,) I was made the instrument 
 by which the butcher regained his stolen pro- 
 perty, and by his bad management the thief 
 escaped punishment, and that same interposi- 
 tion by the same means, I was made the in- 
 strument of detecting another villain in the 
 fact of theft, which happened as follows: — 
 One day, as we were coming from our work 
 to dinner, in company of two carpenters and 
 a plasterer, we were met by a negro man in 
 Market near Chesnut-street, he appeared dis- 
 tressed and feigned to raise a cry, saying he 
 had a rent to pay, and no money wherewith 
 to discharge it, and asked us to buy from him 
 a watch he pulled out from his pocket, and 
 offered to sell it to raise money to pay his 
 rent, as he said. We asked him what he 
 would take for it; he said he would take ten 
 dollars for it, (being worth about fifteen dol- 
 11 
 
\22 
 
 lars,) it had no chain, key or seal to it. We 
 asked him about them; he told us, he had them 
 at home, and allowed to keep them. The 
 carpenters allowed it was cheap at the price 
 he offered it; I bid seven dollars for it, upon 
 condition he would furnish the chain and key 
 to it; he promised he would. I borrowed 
 three dollars from the carpenters, and took 
 the watch at the seven dollars. At dinner, I 
 shewed my purchase to my boss, and told him 
 the price I had bought it at. He said he was 
 sure it was a stolen watch, as it was quite 
 new, and wanted chain, key and seal. My 
 boss asked me permission to have it, and shew 
 it to a certain watchmaker in the city, whose 
 shop had been robbed a short time before* 
 He took the watch to the man who had been 
 robbed. The man, he said it was his, as he 
 had the number of the watch in a book kept 
 for that purpose. He asked my boss after 
 me; he told him where I was. The watch- 
 maker and my boss came, and he asked me 
 how I got the watch. I told him, and called 
 upon the plasterer and the carpenters to vouch 
 for me; which they did; he asked me, if I 
 thought I would know the man I had bought 
 
123 
 
 (he watch from, if I seen him. I told him, I 
 was certain I could recognise him, if I could 
 get sight of him. He said, if I would go along, 
 he would pay me per day my usual wages- 
 I told him, if my boss was agreed to it, I had 
 no objections; my boss immediately consent- 
 ed, and off we started. We walked about 
 that afternoon, and all next day, and part of 
 the third day, when I got my eye on him. I 
 pointed him out to the watchmaker; he asked 
 me if I was sure that he was the fellow. I 
 told him I was. We were on the opposite side 
 of the pavement, and to convince the watch- 
 maker, I went across to the negro, and asked 
 him for the chain and key; he reached in his 
 pocket, and said he had not got it with him; 
 upon which the watchmaker felt satisfied he 
 was the bird; he seized him, and at the same 
 time tore from his fob, a gold repeater, gold 
 chain and seal; and the negro being too strong, 
 tore away from him, and ran down street 
 among a parcel of carters on the street, he 
 hallooed "stop thief" The carters knocked 
 him down, and we secured him, and carried 
 him to the sheriff's office. Mr. John Hart 
 was then the high sheriff of the city and coun- 
 
124 
 ty of Philadelphia. The sheriff called him to 
 an account how he came to the watches. He 
 told Mr. Hart, he got them from a man up in 
 Cambden. The sheriff enjoined on him to tell 
 the truth, that nothing would happen him, 
 provided the watchmaker got his watches 
 again. After a little pause upon the subject, 
 he said, he would tell the sheriff" the truth , that 
 he had the watches in Southwick. The sheriff 
 said, we must all go down there, and off we 
 all started together for Southwick to get the 
 watches. He led us up one street and down 
 another; at length we came to an alley where 
 the villain lived; at length we came to a house 
 which he acknowledged to be his habitation. 
 He enlered the house and we all followed 
 him, and we went upstairs to the room which 
 he occupied, and he pulled out a trunk from 
 under the bed, wherein he had secreted his 
 stolen treasure, consisting of watches and 
 parts of watches, silver spoons, and sundry 
 other articles of jewelry. The sheriff took 
 his pocket handkerchief, spread it upon the 
 floor, and began to put in the aforenamed ar- 
 ticles, and while the sheriff was employed as 
 I have related already, he, the thief made a 
 
125 
 
 bolt at the window, forced it, and jumped out 
 of the window, and in litlng upon the pave- 
 ment below, the black villain broke liis leg by- 
 jumping on the curbstone. The sheriff and 
 watchmaker ran down to prevent him from 
 escaping tlieir vigilance to bring him to pun- 
 ishment, which he endeavored to avoid, no 
 doubt that was the inducement for such a bold 
 adventure to effect his escape. As soon as 
 the sheriff seen how matters was with him, 
 that his escape was impossible; he returned to 
 his room, and laid all the jewelry in his hand- 
 kerchief he could find, and stated that his leg 
 was broke; upon which piece of intelligence, 
 the woman we found in the room began to 
 make a dreadful lamentation about him. The 
 sheriff told her not to be alarmed, that she 
 must go along-. The sheriff then began to 
 search farther into the fellow's trunks which 
 were in his room, and found some silks, 
 shawls, shoes, &c. After we had every thing 
 that savored of stolen goods, which those 
 above-mentioned, no doubt were, the sheriff 
 hired a cart, and hauled the black man and 
 woman to the Mayor's office. A Mr. Wharton 
 who filled that office at that time, examined 
 
 11* 
 
126 
 the prisoners, and committed them to jail for 
 trial; while under examiniation, a surgeon was 
 called upon, who bandaged his leg in the of- 
 fice. I had to enter into recognizance for my 
 appearance as a witness against him. When 
 this was done, tlie sheriff hoisted them off to 
 jail. In two or three weeks after, the court 
 term commenced, and during its sitting their 
 trial came on. He was tried, found guilty, 
 was convicted, and sent to the penitentiary 
 for five years. All the time I attended court, 
 I was allowed my per diem as the witnesses 
 are allowed, and the w'atchmaker he received 
 his goods, and I got the watch I had bought 
 from the black man, as a present from the 
 watchmaker, and the farther sum of twenty 
 dollars as a fee for my service, in detecting 
 the robber and bringing him to proper punish- 
 ment for his transgressions. This brings this 
 matter to an end. I forgot to name, that the 
 woman was sentenced to the same punishment, 
 and for the same time that he was. 
 
 My boss, he observed to me, when the 
 whole job was ended, that I had made pretty 
 well by my watch. 
 
 My boss in this time got a raw Irishman to 
 
127 
 
 carry the hod, something of a green lad; he 
 had a half guinea, which we found out by 
 way of a slope. We began to make contri- 
 vances to draw him out on the field of honor? 
 to get his half guinea laid as a wager. Ac- 
 cordingly I made a proposition to John M'Clay, 
 my fellow plasterer, that the Irishman could 
 not carry a certain number of hods of mortar 
 upstairs in half a day. M'Clay bet five dol- 
 lars he could, which so tickled the Irishman's 
 vanity, he went M' Clay's halves in the bet. 
 M'Clay, he bought a pint of whiskey for his 
 share, and I got two doses of jalap, and mixed 
 the jalap and whiskey together, and M'Clay 
 and the Irishman were very great cronies; he 
 gave him the bottle of the mixture to strength- 
 en him; he liked the stuff raw and otherwise; 
 he took a hearty swig and began to work, and 
 he worked with a great deal of spirit; the more 
 he exercised, the more his dose was likely to 
 prove burthensome. inconvenient, and unhandy 
 to him, as he had not time to idle; nay, he 
 €ven had not time to attend to the most press- 
 ing calls of nature, and did not, which had 
 been exceedingly heightened by artificial 
 means, and his blood was raised, with a view 
 io win the bet and achieve athletic honors; he 
 
128 
 unheeded all the pressing calls; however, he 
 at last had to yield, he became so much ex- 
 hausted by labor and the operations of the 
 medicines were so very active, that he gave 
 fairly out, and I won the bet. The Irishman's 
 half guinea we got it snug enough, which was 
 exactly what we wanted. After that Irish- 
 man's spree was over, our boss sent Jacob 
 Smith and myself to whitewash the Spanish 
 ambassador's house; a black woman of un- 
 common size carried blackberries about for 
 sale. I told Jacob Smith, if he would engage 
 the black woman in a conversation, that I 
 would pour a bucket full of the whitewash 
 soup over the blackberries; he did as I 
 requested, and when they were in full glee 
 in their conversation, I let slip my white- 
 wash souse upon her blackberries, and gave 
 them a decent whitewash coat. The white- 
 wash found its way through the berries 
 aad basket, and finally upon the black 
 girl, which made her inquire in this man- 
 ner into the matter: Who the hell done 
 that, meaning who had poured the white- 
 wash over her; and by that time I had got 
 down stairs, and 1 inquired of her, what 
 
129 
 
 was the matter. She took the basket from 
 her head, and she said that some rascal 
 had bUnded her, for the hme got into her 
 eyes. I told her that it was Hme, that some- 
 body had pom'ed into her basket, and in 
 commisseration for the poor wench, we 
 took her to one of the hydrants and wash- 
 ed her; but before we washed her, she put 
 one in mind of striped molasses, white 
 and black appeared alternate; at last, how- 
 ever, we got the lime out of her eyes, and 
 she was restored to her usual vision. I be- 
 gan by pitying her, and told her, that it 
 was a tarnel shame for any body to play 
 such a trick upon her, and proposed to 
 pay her in part for the berries. Some of 
 the by-standers followed my example by 
 giving her some little change, and we made 
 up as much money as to pay her for her 
 blackberries. She washed her blackber- 
 ries at the hyrant, and gave Smith and 
 myself about half a peck of them for the 
 money raised for her, as a mark of respect 
 and reciprocity for our kindness. 
 
 I worked awaj^ and things went on 
 smoothly in the usual way, until about the 
 
ISO 
 
 latter end of the month of September. A 
 gentleman from Valley Forge, in Chester 
 county, Pennsylvania, came to Philadel- 
 phia in quest of hands. He inquired of 
 John M'Clay, if there was any chance to 
 get hands in the city. John M'Clay gave 
 him, the gentleman, a vague answer, with 
 a view to elicit from him, what wag-es was 
 going in Chester county, at that time. He 
 replied, that he would give to a good hand 
 seven dollars a week, find him in washing, 
 boarding, &c. all the balance of that sea- 
 son. John M'Clay invited him to call at 
 the building the next morning, that he 
 would inquire, and let him know if he 
 could find out for him any hands. So ac- 
 cording to appointment, the gentleman 
 called the next day at the building, where 
 we were at work. John M'Clay in the 
 mean time observed to me, that there was 
 a good chance for somebody. I told M'Clay 
 that if he would pay me every week that I 
 would go along with him. M'Clay said to 
 me, that he supposed that he would pay, 
 and observed, that my better plan would 
 be to draw an article of agreement with 
 
131 
 
 him, which would set forth our contract. 
 In reply to M'Clay, I told him, that if the 
 gentleman from Valley Forge would do 
 that, I would go with him the next week. 
 M'Clay in conclusion predicted, that I ne- 
 ver would stay with him. I told him I 
 would, if he gave me work for the fall sea- 
 son, and keep me over winter. M'Clay 
 then got off from the scaffold and went 
 into another room to meet the gentleman 
 from Valley Forge, and acquainted him, 
 that there was a young man in the build- 
 ing who was willing to go along with him, 
 if he would observe the several requisites 
 made by me. He inquired of M'Clay, if I 
 was a steady young man. M'Clay said I 
 was perfectly a sober man, all that ailed 
 me was, that I was full of devilment; to 
 which he said, that he did not mind that; 
 he inquired if I was a good workman, to 
 which M'Clay said for me, that I was a very 
 good plain workman, and that he could 
 show him some of my work in the building, 
 which the gentleman examined, and said 
 that he did not want any better work done 
 than that. After he had examined my work 
 and approved of it, he authorised M'Clay 
 
132 
 
 to call me into the room where they were, 
 and asked me how I should like to work in 
 the conutry. 1 told him, I thought that I 
 should like it very well, if I could get wages 
 enough. He told me, that he would give 
 me seven dollars a week, wet or dry, for 
 all the fall season, as also in the spring, t 
 next asked how about the boardinc: during: 
 the winter; to which he replied, that if I 
 would lathe one house, that he would not 
 charge me boarding during the winter, j 
 asked him how large that house was, to 
 which he had reference. He replied, it 
 contained about eight rooms; to which pro- 
 position I assented. I then asked him, how 
 the boarding was in that country; to which 
 he replied, that it was first rate. My ob- 
 ject in inquiring into that subject, may be 
 easily guessed by the reader, as I thought 
 that I might help out with some of the good 
 things of this world, and found he had not 
 exaggerated, when I came to test his 
 country. I never hved better in my life, 
 than in Chester county during my stay, 
 which was about six months. We agreed 
 to meet at the Black-horse tavern on that 
 
133 
 
 evening-, to conclude our contract, and to 
 ratify the same by an article of agreement. 
 When I came home, I acquainted my boss 
 of my intention of leaving" him, and going 
 to Chester county for that fall and the fol- 
 lowing spring. To which piece of infor- 
 mation he observed, that I must know my 
 business, and added, that he wished that 
 he had known it sooner to have made his 
 affairs meet the case, but did not throw 
 any blame upon me, that it was all fair 
 sailing for every body to do the best for 
 themselves they could. Agreeably to ap- 
 pointment, when evening came, I repaired 
 to the Black-horse tavern to meet the gen- 
 tleman from Chester county. When I came 
 to the house he was there in waiting for 
 me. We reduced our bargain to writing; 
 after the contract was ratified and confirm- 
 ed according to Hoyle, I told the man that 
 I would be at the Valley Forge by the mid- 
 dle of the following week; allowing myself 
 a few days for a genteel blow out, by way 
 of a city good-by. I had by this time just 
 seventy dollars in money, and it was deem- 
 ed by my companions, as well as myself, 
 12 
 
134 
 
 too much money for any journeyman to 
 carry away from any place. We held a kind 
 of jury over my purse, and the verdict was, 
 that fifty dollars would be sufficient for any 
 decent use for any body who was in the habit 
 of daily earning money; accordingly twenty 
 dollars was convict to sustain the cost, da- 
 mages and charges of a spree, which my com- 
 rades helped to sustain at my expense. We 
 kept the pegs moving for two nights, and the 
 way it wound up was just nobody's business. 
 
 Early in the morning I took stage, as rail- 
 roads was unfashionable at that time of day; it 
 since, however, is deemed the top of the 
 fashions; in them days for a fellow to be rode 
 on a rail was not considered the tip of the 
 TON by any means, as I myself heard, those 
 luckless wights whose bad luck took them to 
 the rack, say, that if it wasn't for the name 
 of the thing, that they would prefer to walk. 
 The driver of the stage cracked his whip over 
 his horses, and away we went, leaving the 
 city of Philadelphia behind us. When we 
 came to Chester county, I stopped at Mr. 
 Clark's tavern, near the Valley Forge. I in- 
 quired of Mr. Clark, if he could tell me where 
 
135 
 
 Mr. Ford the plasterer lived; he told me that 
 he lived about two miles from there. Mr. 
 Clark asked me, if I v^as acquainted with Mr. 
 Ford. I told him I was not, and asked him 
 if he was, to which inquiry he answered me, 
 that he was. I then asked Mr. Clark what 
 kind of a man Mr. Ford was. He in reply 
 told me, that Mr. Ford was a very clever fel- 
 low; a few friendly remarks expressed by 
 Mr. Clark towards Mr. Ford, I told 
 him my business, he then took the hint^ 
 and said that Mr. Ford was there on Sun- 
 day, looking out for a young man from 
 the city, and Mr. Clark supposed that I 
 was the man he was looking for. I replied to 
 him, that I was the man who had engaged 
 with Mr. Ford. 1 concluded to stay all night 
 with Mr. Clark, being in part weary from the 
 journey, and in part worried from our spree 
 which we had put through, and after having 
 made an arrangement with the hostler to go to 
 Mr. Ford, to let him know that I had arrived, 
 which office he performed in the evening, for 
 which I paid him. I gave myself up for that 
 night, and the cares of the world were lying 
 dormant at my feet. In the morning, Mr. Ford 
 
136 
 
 came to the tavern with his (tarry- all, as old 
 Jesse Martin calls them,) to remove me and 
 my baggage, and off we started, and in a lit- 
 tle time we came to Mr. Ford's house. I told 
 Mr. Ford that I would prefer not to commence 
 work so late in the week, that I felt some- 
 what fatigued from my spree and jaunt, that 
 I would like to see a little of the ways of the 
 world, &c.; all which he assented to in a mi- 
 nute, and observed, that he had a job about 
 five miles from there, we would go and see it; 
 by this we got on horses and rode over to see 
 the house and the country, and a little of the 
 fashions in our way; we travelled along the 
 Schuylkill in the direction of the Black Rock, 
 a most delightful section of country. We rode 
 about the country, and my particular object 
 was to feel my bosses pulse, to see what kind 
 of a lad he was. I proposed to him to go past 
 the tavern and take a glass of ale, to which he 
 agreed as soon as the proposition was made to 
 him. We set our horses heads for the Bull- 
 head tavern, kept by Mr. Clark, and when 
 we came there, we began to touch upon the 
 ale modestly, and I topered off on ale. Ale 
 is, as you know, an Englishman's meat, drink, 
 
137 
 
 washing, and lodgings, as the Irishman said to 
 an Englishman. The Englishman said, that 
 the ale of his country was so delicious, that it 
 was his meat and his drink, and so they part- 
 ed; in the evening the Irishman came along 
 the same way, and found the Englishman lay- 
 ing in a ditch, along a hedge-row. He look- 
 ed at the Englishman and saw that the lad was 
 tight on ale; he concluded, that it was not only 
 his meat and drink, but his washing and lodg- 
 ing too. When we had drank as much as we 
 wanted, and more too; in the evenmg, we 
 took horse and rode home to Mr. Ford's 
 house; went in a reasonable time in the even- 
 ing, retired to rest for that night, and the 
 next day I got the loan of Mr. Ford's gan, 
 and went gunning to get a little better ac- 
 quainted with the Valley Forge settlement. 
 The day after being the Sabbath, my boss 
 gave me an invitation to go to meeting; being 
 a dry kind of a gathering, which I had not 
 got much in the habit of attending them, and 
 I feel a pretty strong prediliction never to 
 get myself much into that habit, being a kind 
 of motley crew of all sects of Christians. We, 
 however, made out to go; but, before I con- 
 12* 
 
138 
 
 sentcd to go, I inquired if the meeting-house 
 lay in the vicinity of the Bull-head tavern. He 
 told me it did not, and added that a great ma- 
 ny fine girls would be there, and it would af- 
 ford me an opportunity to become acquainted, 
 as that was my wish. After the meeting was 
 over, w^e went home, and I joined work on 
 Monday morning, at a Mr. Pennypecker's 
 house. My boss put me there for one w^eek, 
 by myself, as I supposed to try me. I work- 
 ed like a Turk, for I lathed and first coated 
 seven rooms in that week. Mr. Pennypecker 
 inquired of me, how long it would take me to 
 lathe and first coat his house. I said, I sup- 
 posed it would take me a week or two; at 
 which piece of intelligence he seemed to be 
 satisfied, by saying, if I could do it in two weeks 
 it would afford him entire satisfaction, as he 
 had to find the laborer; and when I had it 
 lathed, I put on the first coat in two days. 
 Mr. Pennypecker to explain himself to me, 
 the reasons why he made those inquiries of 
 me was, that he was going to the city. I 
 told him that I was glad that he mentioned his 
 intended journey to the city, that my intentions 
 were to first coat his house all, except one 
 
139 
 
 room, by Saturday night, and that he would 
 have to hire another laborer; to which he said 
 it was impossible, that I could not do that. 
 I told him, I thought I could; to which he ac- 
 quiesced and said, that I knew best, and said 
 he would get me another hand, if I could keep 
 them at work; to which I told him, I would 
 insure that part of the performance; he ac- 
 cordingly hired another hand, and then he 
 started for the city; and after I began to plas- 
 ter, the second day at noon one of my tenders 
 gave out, and he swore that he would not 
 work at that kind of work, and at that gait for 
 five dollars a day. I went to Madam Penny- 
 pecker, and informed her of the facts, that one 
 of the hands had given out, and that I must 
 have another, or the work would be entirely 
 stopped. She said she would go down to the 
 mill, and see if the miller would give his hand 
 which he had in the mill, until Mr. Penny- 
 pecker would come home. The miller con- 
 sented that his hand should go to supply the 
 place of the one who had yielded up the 
 ghost. When he came, he said, he would be 
 damned if he wasn't just the lad, that could 
 keep me a going, if the other one could tern- 
 
140 
 
 per it fast enough for me. I told him, that 
 he was the very lad I wanted. The build- 
 ing was a stone-house, and the way I slung the 
 mortar against the wall was a caution; some 
 times I would have a hod full thrown against 
 the wall before my man got down stairs, and 
 I kept him under whip and spur until Saturday 
 at noon, when he also gave out, and fully con- 
 vinced that he had barked up the wrong tree; 
 when he bragged of his being all sorts of a 
 man, and when he was gone, Dick, he swore 
 that me and the house might all go to the devil, 
 for all he cared for us, by way of a decent 
 offset. I by this time had all first coated the 
 whole house, except one room. My pro- 
 gress in my profession had astonished the 
 folks in the neighborhood; as I was deter- 
 mined to give myself a reputation amongst 
 them, a good many folks to called to see the 
 wonders, and among the rest was an old cod- 
 ger, who, when he learned that the second 
 hand had given out, and but one room to finish, 
 he volunteered his service to finish the last 
 room, and to keep me a going. I told him, if 
 he would keep me a going for that room, that 
 I would give him a dollar; and if he did not 
 
141 
 
 keep me going, that I would give him no pay; 
 our bargain was struck, and we went to work. 
 The old fellow was a sucker, I gave him a 
 good dram, and suffered him to keep the 
 board full, as long as I worked at the ceiling; 
 the old fellow began to feel himself a man, 
 when he found he could keep the board full of 
 mortar while I was at the ceiling; and said, 
 that he had before now carried the hod for 
 masons, and that he could always keep two 
 a going, and then he began by taking a wider 
 range in conversation, observing, that some 
 men did not know what hard work was, that 
 he understood all these little notions to a T. 
 I kept him in conversation and work too, until 
 I took the scaffolding down, for fear he would 
 give out too soon, and I then could not accom- 
 plish my design. When I had the scaffolds 
 removed, I began on my old lad; by this 
 time the miller, he came from the mill to the 
 house, and says to him; well, John, how do 
 you come on. Oh, my God, said he, I never 
 seen the man yet, that he could not keep a 
 going. The miller observed to me, that I 
 would loose my dollar. I told him, I thought 
 so, for this man, said I, works like a horse. 
 I told the miller to wait awhile till I would 
 
142 
 
 shew him how he could keep me a going; the 
 miller said he would. He brought another 
 hod full of mortar in, and I had that daubbed 
 against the wall before my old lad was clearly 
 out of the room. He brought me two or three 
 hods full of mortar after that, some of which 
 I had laid on the walls before he had his hod 
 cleaned. He made a remark, that I was al- 
 tering my gait. I told him, yes, I had altered 
 it a little; and he took the hint, and made eve- 
 ry exertion in his power to keep me a going, 
 to verify his declarations as to his capability 
 to keep one man in employ at any gait. He 
 still found it necessary to increase his exer- 
 tions, as was demonstrated to him, beyond 
 the possibility of a doubt, for what his eyes 
 saw, his heart was bound to believe; and he 
 came in a very great hurry, and in the act of 
 stepping into the entry, his toe struck the sill 
 of the door, and down went my John, hod 
 and mortar, and broke the hod into splinters, 
 and his neck nearly into the bargain, splash 
 upon the entry floor. The miller he pro- 
 nounced the sentence on my John, that he had 
 fairly lost the dollar, to which he replied, he did 
 not care, that he was determined to carry the 
 
143 
 
 hod no longer for any man; and concluded 
 his speech by saying, that I worked like a 
 damn fool. 1 made out, to put my job to an 
 end about five o'clock in the afternoon on Sa- 
 turday, as I did not like to leave it, until I had 
 entirely finished it, as a small degree of pride 
 pervaded my breast in the rapid progress of 
 my work. I was thought in the neighborhood 
 of Valley Forge, to be a jam hand at my busi- 
 ness, and I labored hard to get up that opinion 
 in my favor, as it was a theme on which my 
 self-pride owed its whole existence. On that 
 evening, Mr. Pennypecker returned from the 
 city, a few hours after I had finished my job. 
 He asked me, how I came on. I told him, 
 that I had done all, excepting one room. He 
 said, that cannot he possible, that I could have 
 done it in so short a time. I told him that it 
 was a fact, upon which he went into the house 
 to see, and to his astonishment his incredulity 
 dissipated before him, as I had asserted only 
 what he had actually beheld with his own 
 eyes. He, in continuation of his surprise, 
 asked me, if all hands worked with such ex- 
 traordinary speed in the city — to which I re- 
 plied^ that they did not, only some of them. 
 
144 
 
 He asked me to tell him honestly, how long 
 it would take me to finish his house, as near 
 as I could guess at it, by myself. I told him, 
 that I thought that I could finish it in ten days, 
 out and out, as the saying is; to which he 
 brought Mr. Ford's opinion in contact with 
 mine; as he, Mr. Ford told him, it would take 
 eight weeks to finish it. I asked him, how 
 much he was to pay Mr. Ford for doing of his 
 house. He said, that he was to pay him 
 eighty-five dollars for it, and allowed that it 
 was too much for doing it, if I could finish 
 it in the time I had said I could finish it; to 
 which I replied, that I would be very sorry to 
 work eight weeks for eighty-five dollars; up- 
 on which he asked me what wages I got; I 
 told him I got seven dollars per week; to 
 which he allowed, that I was very foolish to 
 work at that price, seeing that I could work 
 as I had done at his house, all which was 
 done by way of a slant to become acquaint- 
 ed, and to establish a reputation. In answer 
 to his remarks, I told him that I worked jour- 
 ney work; he then wanted to know what I 
 done with my money. I told him jocularly, 
 that I generally spent it in any way it suited 
 me; then he had learned a secret, and said^ he 
 
145 
 
 believed thai the mechanics in the city were 
 generally in the habit of spending their mo- 
 ney, nearly or quite as fast as they earned 
 it. I told him, yes, indeed, and some had 
 a knack to spend it even faster than they 
 earned it. He then said, he hoped that I 
 would not leave Mr. Ford until his house 
 was finished. I assured him, that I would 
 stay with Mr. Ford all the fall, as I expect- 
 ed, and during the winter too, added he, if 
 you can leave the city that long; to which 
 I coolly observed, that I would do that and 
 not distress myself in the least about it. 
 ] On Tuesday evening I finished the eighth 
 room, which finished the whole house of 
 first coat; after I had done with Mr. Penny- 
 pecker's job, I went home to Mr. Ford'sj 
 my boss; when I came home. Madam Ford 
 inquired of me, what was the matter; I 
 told her that nottiing was the matter, that 
 I was done, and had first coated my job, 
 Mrs. Ford said, that Mr. Ford told her, that 
 it would take me three weeks to finish my 
 jjob, which I perceived from her inquiry of 
 me when I came home, as my appearance 
 quite surprised her, as I perceived. I ask- 
 
 13 
 
146 
 
 ed her if the boss was at home; she said, he 
 was not, that he was about ten miles from 
 home. I told her, that I was out of work, 
 and what to do for another job we did not 
 know. I adroitly observed to her, that it 
 iall went in my week's work; however, on 
 Friday Mr. Ford came home; asked me, 
 how I came on at Mr. Pennypecker's. I 
 told him I was done with the lathing and 
 first coating of that job; to which he ob- 
 served, that if I worked at that rate, his jobs 
 ' he had on hand would not last him till the 
 cold weather. I said all the better for that; 
 I asked him where and at what I should 
 work at to-morrow; he said no where, 
 since I had got done with that job so quick. 
 My bb?s took his horse the next day and 
 rode over to take a look at it; when he 
 came back, I asked him if my work would 
 do; he said, yes, very well, and he paid 
 me fourteen dollars the number of days I 
 then had been with him, amongst which I 
 had worked eicrht. 
 
 On Monday morning after, he took me 
 to a widow lady, by name Madam Taylor, 
 to lathe and plaster two rooms for her, for 
 
147 
 
 the purpose of keeping a store in them, it 
 was a log-house. He asked me how long*, 
 it would take me to do that job. I told 
 him I thought I could do it in about five 
 days. Mr. Ford allowed it would do very- 
 well if I would finish it in a week, that 
 perhaps that the rest of the jobs might not 
 be ready. I began work, and began to be- 
 come acquainted with the widow, and put 
 over that week quite agreeably to myself, 
 finished her house, which afforded her en- 
 tire satisfaction, praised my dexterity as a 
 mechanic, and observed that I worked- 
 very smart according to her notion of 
 things; and on Saturday noon I took leave 
 of absence and repaired to my boss to our 
 general place of rendezvous, as I h?id oc- 
 casion to bring into notice the house of 
 Mrs. Taylor; justice demands that I should 
 let the reader know, that she was a lady of 
 unquestionable character, and as such 
 maintained that dignity of character a- 
 mongst her neighbors. I spent the Sab- 
 bath as usual, and at the tavern of Mr. 
 Clark drank a few glasses of his ale, and 
 in the evening I repaired to my home, and 
 
148 
 
 on Monday morning my boss he put me at 
 a job at a certain old quaker who resided 
 near the Black Rock. The Black Rock is 
 a place of some notoriety in that neighbor- 
 hood; it projects about one half" over the 
 Schuylkill, is a soft kind of stone, similar 
 to the Jefferson Rock at Harper's Ferry^ 
 Virginia, and visitors are in the habit of 
 carving their names on it as a memorial of 
 their visit to that place, and is the greatest 
 curiosity in that part of Chester county. 
 Well, then, I began at my work at my old 
 quaker, and put over with him one week 
 quite agreeably, and by way of a slope, I also 
 formed an' intimacy with one of his daugh- 
 ters, who in some degree filled my eye? 
 being young and a little inclined to feel as 
 young folks do about those matters, and 
 the old man chimed in with our mutual 
 views on the subject; for his part he per- 
 mitted his daughter and myself to take the 
 horses and ride out among their neighbors 
 when we pleased, which opportunity we 
 on several occasions embraced, and in the 
 fullness of her kindness towards me, she 
 betrayed herself and developed in her cha- 
 
149 
 
 raciei a weakness which is utterly ansuf- 
 ferable in the female; she was a Httle fond 
 of the drops, which she out of kindness to- 
 wards me let me have shared, and yet 
 thought to hide under the cloak, by say- 
 ing it was her brother's, and by the by that 
 kind of apology would have done to tell 
 marines, but the sailors would not beUeve 
 
 it. 
 
 Mrs. Taylor, on my way home to my 
 boss, gave me to .understand, that I was 
 the lover, so she had learned from my lit- 
 tle quaker girl and the: beloved, and gave 
 . me to understand, that she . labored under 
 an infirmity of which she thought to ap- 
 piize me, and ended by saying, that if I 
 would be quaker, that 1 would get a for- 
 tune by marrying her; to which I replied, 
 ,that i was a quaker long ago. After leav- 
 ing Mrs. Taylor's store, I put out for my 
 bosses house. 
 
 On the Monday morning following, I 
 went to Mr. Pennypecker's to finish his 
 house; just as I was finishing the house, I 
 informed him, that he ought to have a cen- 
 tre piece in his entry for an ornament; he 
 being quite lost at the suggestion of mine? 
 
 1 51* 
 
150 
 
 as the man had not the least idea in the 
 world how they were made, nor even how 
 they looked, as he had never seen one in 
 his life. I asked him, if he had never been 
 in any gentleman's house in the city, and 
 if he had ever taken notice where the lamps 
 hung; he said, yes, but he thought that 
 they were made of wood; of which I told 
 him that they were not, and that I could 
 make them out of plaster of paris. He 
 then asked me what I would charge to 
 make one. I told him, that if he would 
 have one made, being it was the first one 
 made in that part of the country, I would 
 make it for five dollars, the usual price in 
 the city was from eight to ten dollars for 
 making them. He asked me how much 
 plaster of paris it would take; I told him 
 that about half a bushel would make it, and 
 how long it would take me to make it^ 
 some would take two and three days, but 
 promised him to make his in a day or two; 
 after he had the whole theory of the centre 
 piece business fairly demonstrated, he told 
 me to make one for him; in the night I be- 
 gan my hocus-pocus in boiling the plaster? 
 
151 
 
 and in the morning Mr. Pennypecker start- 
 ed ofl* for Westchester, the seat uf justice for 
 Chester count}, I began my centre piece 
 after dinner, and in the absence of mine 
 host, and hnished it in the space of two 
 hours. Next morning he came home, I 
 stood at the mortar-box; he asked me if I 
 had began my centre-pieoe; to his interro- 
 gation I replied, that it was up already. 
 What, made too, said he, quite surprised 
 and amazed at my declaration; yes, said I, 
 finished out and out. He went in to take a 
 look at it, and sure enough it was there; 
 he asked me how I had put it up, and whe- 
 ther it was nailed fast; I told him it was 
 not nailed, that it was nothing but the plas- 
 ter fastened, and by way of a brag, told 
 him, I would give any body five dollars to 
 pull it down; to all that, he listened with 
 an attentive ear, and expressed a desire to 
 see the operation; finding that his curiosity 
 .was excited, I told him, to heighten it still 
 farther, that I did not show those things to 
 every body. Mr. Pennypecker paid me the 
 five dollars, my boss paid me seven, and 
 them two sums added, made my week's 
 
152 
 
 earnings twelve dollars, and in the space of 
 fourteen days his house was just finished to his 
 hand, where my boss calculated on an eight 
 week's job of it. After he had paid me, he 
 allowed that if I had and could earn money 
 .as I did with him, that I would soon have a 
 house of my own; to which I replied quite 
 gravely, yes; I lay all my money out in houses, 
 and he took it for granted that I was expend- 
 ing my money in the purchase of houses, and 
 oh, he labored under a sad mistake, although 
 I laid out my money at that time in houses, his 
 ideas never carried him so far as to think that 
 the houses in which I laid out my money were 
 ornamented with a sign and sign-post, those 
 were the houses I alluded to, and he took it 
 for granted that I meant buying houses — -He 
 allowed that I was making good use of my 
 money, and I entertained the contrary opinion. 
 The following week I went to my friend Mrs. 
 Taylor, to finish that job of her's, being a 
 place so much like, O 'twas love, 'twas love, 
 I nursed the job a little, for I made out to 
 stretch it seven days before I got done with 
 it. Within those seven days my little quaker 
 girl came there with some marketjpg, know- 
 
153 
 
 ing that I was there, Mrs. Taylor prevailed 
 on her to stay and take tea with her, and on 
 my account she consented, knowing that after 
 tea we would necessarily or rather compli- 
 mentary be thrown in each others company, 
 which by the by was a little finese on the part 
 of Mrs. Taylor, and in the esteem of my lit- 
 tle quaker girl was deenned a courtesy, and 
 when tea was over, I gallanted my little quak- 
 er girl over the beautiful lawns along the 
 Schuylkill to the Black Rock mansion, staid 
 all night, and in the morning I returned to 
 Mrs. Taylor's, she quizzingly asked me how 
 I had spent the last night. I told her quite 
 agreeably. She then allowed from my man- 
 ner, as she had drawn her inferences from my 
 answer, that I would as she supposed remain 
 in Chester county for a long time; to that quiz 
 I began to anticipate her manouvres. I repli- 
 ed, I did not know how that would go as yet. 
 She said, she supposed that when 1 would be 
 done with her house, that I would go back to 
 finish the house of my little quaker girl's fa- 
 ther's. I said I did not know how that would 
 be, that depended altogether on my boss, if 
 he would direct me to do it, of course I would 
 
154 
 
 do so; I continued the conversation, by ex- 
 pressing my wishes that I should like to have 
 the doing of that job myself; she said she sup- 
 posed that if the right one was there, I did 
 not care how long it would take me to finish 
 it, but manifested a share of fear that the right 
 one had been left in the city; that epistle of 
 her's brought me to the rack, fodder or no 
 fodder thinks I, this is a pretty spot of work, 
 and said that I had left the city free as air, and 
 had came into the country to seek amongst 
 the fair a partner for myself; our confab, as 
 to these little matters, of which we were both 
 candidates in the field in a matrimonial point 
 of view, was brought to a close, and in the 
 end of the week I also ended my job and bid 
 Madam good bye, and made tracks for my 
 bosses house. ' 
 
 The following week my boss took me ten 
 miles in a different direction from the one I 
 had in my mind's eye, to a small job, we did 
 not quite finish that week, but at the end of 
 the week I was sent home to finish the job 
 near Black Rock for my old quaker; and on 
 Monday, on my way to my old friend the 
 quaker, I called a halt at Mrs. Taylor to see 
 
155 
 
 how the work stood, and how she came otij 
 she, after the ceremony of hands shaking, and 
 how-do-ye-do was over, she asked me if I 
 was on the road to the old place, as she called 
 it. I said, yes. She next inquired if I had a 
 mind to finish the job myself, which question 
 was also affirmed; she allowed that I was cun- 
 ning enough; after which I went on to my 
 good old quaker, and began work after a 
 friendly greeting with all hands. He asked 
 me if Mr. Ford intended to come to help along 
 with the job. I told him not, that he had gone 
 up the country to work. He said he was very 
 glad of that, that he had learned that I was 
 able to keep one hand a going myself, and 
 that he had but one hand to spare. I worked 
 on that week, and the next week his sons got 
 an invitation to a corn-husking frolic, and they 
 asked me to go along. I told the lads I did 
 not know what that was, as I never had seen 
 a thing of the kind in my life; I however con- 
 sented to go to the husking frolic, to get an 
 idea what it was; so when evening came, the 
 boys, myself, and my little girl, we all start- 
 ed off together to the place where the husking 
 frolic was, and all the corn I husked that night 
 two men could easily eat at one meal; first I 
 
156 
 
 did not intend to hurt my fingers husking corn, 
 where I had such delightful notions as country 
 girls to romp and sport with, but at the sup- 
 per table I guess I counted myself a full hand, 
 and about midnight we all returned home to 
 the Black Rock mansion, and I went on with 
 my work until the end of my job, and among 
 other things seen in the little girl that I ac- 
 knowledged as mistress of my heart, a fault 
 which she had concealed from me of such a 
 character, that I thought so important an item 
 in the account, that gave me the bats and I 
 bolted. When I had finished my job at Black 
 Rock I went to my boss, staid with him that 
 winter, which by the by was a dismal one, 
 I got tired of Chester county, settled accounts 
 with my boss, and squared off my little bills, 
 and put out for Lancaster county, lying west 
 of Chester county, working myself into the 
 interior of the country. When I came to the 
 city of Lancaster, I called a halt at a house 
 kept by Mr. Daniel Whitmer, sign of the 
 Lamb. The reader may suppose that two 
 lambs met, one inside of the house and the 
 other on the sign; but let me inform all those 
 whose suppositions may lead them to think 
 
157 
 
 so, that they are in the suds, although that 
 of peace was exhibited on the sign, that I was 
 not exactly as innocent as lambs are taken to 
 be, and took boarding and lodging with Mr. 
 Whitmer for one week. I inquired of him for 
 a master plasterer in the city. He said he 
 knew one, and told me that Mr. Hash was a 
 boss at the business, and supposed I could get 
 work with him. Mr. Whitmer gave me di- 
 rection, how and where to find Mr. Hash. I 
 went and found Mr. Hash, and engaged a job 
 of work with him; the first job I worked at 
 was what they called the New Bank at that 
 time. I asked Mr. Hash what he w^ould be 
 willing to give me per day, after I had shew- 
 ed him a sample of my work. He told me 
 that he was giving his hands one dollar per 
 day and find them their board, &c., or one 
 dollar and twenty-five cents and they find their 
 own board. I told him that I would not work 
 for these wages. He said, that what he had 
 said, was the highest wages he had been giv. 
 ing, and then asked me what did I ask as a 
 fair compensation for my labor. I told him 
 that I would not work for less than one 
 dollar and fifty cents per day. He said that 
 one dollar and fifty cents was more wages than 
 14 
 
158 
 
 he had ever given in his life to any journey- 
 man, but allowed, that if I worked as I had 
 commenced, and paid him two dollars for 
 boarding per week, that he would give the 
 w^ages I had asked him; to which surmise, I 
 told him he w^as at liberty to discharge me 
 any day he chosed. So according to Gunter, 
 we struck, and I u^orked for him three months, 
 in that time he sent me to the house of widow 
 H. to plaster it. I w^ent to work, and on the 
 third day that I worked at her house, I found 
 out my old lady, she got right genteely boozy; 
 she became so extremely polite, that the old 
 lady began to be a kind of lathe bander to 
 me, and bothered me so much with her kind- 
 ness, that I could not work a bit for her, and 
 she seated herself on the scaffold, complain- 
 ed very much of sick headache; I persuaded 
 her to take bed, and between the maid and 
 myself w^e got her into bed, and when she 
 was fairly stowed away, I went to work 
 again; this gave a kind of introduction be- 
 tween the maid and myself; and a familiarity 
 necessarily followed in its train between the 
 maid and myself, in discussing the old ladies' 
 infirmities. 
 
159 
 
 I went home, and told my boss that I could 
 not do the work I intended to do, on account 
 of the old lady bothering me while she was 
 in a spree; he knew what kind of a bird she 
 was; he told me not to mind her, but to go on 
 with my work; accordingly to his instruction 
 I went on with my work, and the next night 
 I staid with the maid, this is what folks in 
 Lancaster called seeing the girls. The day 
 after, the old lady gave the maid a hell of 
 a lecture for sitting up with me. T overheard 
 them, and in their confab, the maid said to 
 the widow, that if she was not permitted to 
 keep whose company she pleased as long as 
 she behaved herself decently, that she would 
 leave her house. I called the girl, and offer- 
 ed to her, that before she should leave the 
 house on my account, that I would leave it. 
 Just as I was going to dinner, I got in con- 
 tact with widow H. I told her, I would leave 
 the job, that I did not wish to have any 
 quarreling about her house on my account. 
 She was a little how come you so; after a 
 few words had passed between her and my- 
 self, she to prevent my abandoning the job, 
 at her command and to make her word ortho- 
 dox as well as the law, she took up my trow 
 
160 
 el, hawk and brush, and they being full of 
 mortar, she took them and locked the whole 
 of them up in her bureau among her fineries. 
 I went to dinner, and w^hile there, I told my 
 boss that I would not work there, at least for 
 that afternoon, until the old lady should get 
 better. The next day I went to widow H's 
 house and fell to work again, and the old lady 
 and myself made good friends, and 1 finished 
 the job without the let, hindrance and moles- 
 tation of the old lady; in this time, a gentle- 
 man of the name of Croutt, a resident of Co* 
 lumbia, a town lying on the banks of the 
 Susquehanna, in Lancaster county, and of such 
 notoriety that I deem a description of the 
 place unnecessary, as every reader is well ac- 
 quainted with it. I settled with my boss, and 
 had just fifty dollars in ready money, and after 
 I had all my matters fixed, I left Lancaster 
 and started oft' for Columbia. After I had 
 came to Columbia, I agreed with Mr. Croutt 
 to work for him at twenty-five dollars per 
 month and found in all, for the whole of the 
 season; in this time, he, Mr. Croutt, put me 
 at a job in the town of Letitz, placed myself 1 
 and another journeyman to board at a widow ^ 
 woman's house; she, good soul fed us on buck- 
 
161 
 
 wheat cakes for breakfast and supper every 
 day, until we were worried out with her 
 buckwheat cakes, and we fell upon a plan to 
 have our dish changed, in the mean time our 
 force was enlarged by the addition of two 
 carpenters; they asked me to devise a plan to 
 effect a change of diet. I told them that if 
 they would buy three or four doses of jalap, 
 that I would mix it in her batter-pot; and to 
 effect my purpose, I had to wait a suitable 
 opportunity, w^hich opportunity presented it- 
 self the next evening, for all hands in the 
 house had an invitation to an apple butter 
 boiling, and I mixed the jalap and batter to- 
 gether in the bustle going to the frolic; the 
 hands about the house all went to the frolic, 
 and frolicked all night, and took bed at near 
 day break, and slept late the next morning, 
 until we were called to breakfast. At the table 
 a general complaining match was heard among 
 the hands, some had violent headache, some 
 had other ailments, and none of us touched a 
 bite of breakfast, save the old lady and her 
 daughter, wbo eat a hearty breakfast of the 
 buckwheat cakes and jalap mixed; after a few 
 hours the jalap as is usual in ordinary cases was 
 14* 
 
162 
 determined to ftnd its way out, and put the 
 female part of our family into a terrible 
 fright, as it gave them a pretty fair scrape 
 to get out of, they conceited that they had 
 symptoms of aggravated cases of flax, 
 pronounced themselves unable to cook 
 dhmer for us; they made out to provide a 
 cold check for us, as a substitute for din- 
 ner. We began by setting up an inquiry 
 into the probable causes of our old lady 
 and her daughter being so violently and so 
 suddenly attacked; and we all agreed that 
 it was the buckwheat. I confirmed the 
 opinion to be well founded, by asserting 
 that 1 felt unwell for near a week gone by; 
 the rest of the hands chymed in and com- 
 plained in the same way that I did, and 
 charged the whole account of flux and flux 
 symptoms to the buckwheat bag, and by 
 one unanimous consent of all the hands? 
 widow and daughter included, rendered a 
 judgment against it, and after judgment 
 condemnation, nay, even abolition was en- 
 forced, and by these means we got a 
 change of diet, although the means used 
 had produced momentary flux. We worked 
 away, at length we finished our job, it be- 
 
163 
 
 ing a middling" large one, and when we 
 were done our boss removed us to within 
 a mile of Latitz, at a tavern stand. The 
 landlord had a very large baboon chained 
 to the sign post; after working awhile, we 
 run out of nails; the landlord had occasion, 
 to jro to Lancaster for nails. I told the 
 lads that in the absence of the landlord, we 
 would have some sport with the baboon, 
 who was chained as I have already said to 
 the sign- post, we threw pieces of apples 
 to him to make him fee] his keeping, and 
 after we had given him enough of apples, 
 as we thought, I concluded to change his 
 diet, I let him have a slash of lime from 
 my brush bip into his eyes, v/hich burnt 
 the poor devil equal to fire, it made him 
 raving; he in his fit of rage laid his paws 
 to his chain and tore the staple out of the 
 sign-post, which was driven in about two 
 inches, and in his fit he danced about like 
 though he were mad, and they shut the 
 doors upon him, and he jumped through 
 the window attacked the landlady and tore 
 nearly ail the clothing off her back, and 
 then he left the landlady and made an at- 
 
164 
 
 tack upon the maid, and such a rumpuss 
 and screaming- as ensued in that house 
 among the women on one part, and the ba- 
 boon on the other part, was never been 
 witnessed any where between Dan and 
 Beersheba; the only way we had to con- 
 quer the baboon was, the laborer he ecave 
 him three or four knock-down Ucks with 
 his hod, and we gave him the wliite-wash 
 pretty free into his eyes and moutli, which 
 at length put him so busy rubbing his eyes 
 that we caught him, and tied a rope round 
 the middle and then to the sign-post, until 
 the landlord came back. The way the ba- 
 boon kept us moving while he had the free 
 use of his limbs was the right way, no 
 time was allowed for chat. As soon as the 
 landlord came home, the landlady related 
 the baboon's performance to him, allow- 
 ing that he was mad, and from his appear- 
 ance any one who did not know the fact 
 of the lime being thrown into his eyes and 
 mouth, would unhesitatingly have arrived 
 at the same conclusion that the landlady 
 did, that he labored under hydrophobia, 
 for he foamed at his mouth, as all animals 
 
165 
 
 do, laboring under canine madness. The 
 landlord got sweet oil and anointed his 
 mouth and eyes, allowing that he labored 
 under great fever, which by the by was the 
 case, produced from the lime, he chained 
 the old lellow to the sign- post again, and 
 as long as we were there he manifested his 
 displeasure at us, whenever he had a 
 chance. 
 
 When we had finished that job, our boss 
 put us to work at a job at the house of a 
 Mr. Hartzell, in the neighborhood of Co- 
 lumbia. and Marietta, after working there 
 three or four days at Mr. H?rtzell's we be- 
 gan to be somewhat acquainted with the 
 old man, who by the by was a pretty hu- 
 morsome sort of a jockey, and learning 
 that I had a vein of fun in me, we soon 
 found one another out, and verified the 
 old adage, "that birds of a feather will flock 
 together." He had a fine orchard and 
 plenty of fine apples, which we ate just 
 when we pleased, and had frequent con- 
 versation about it, being such fine fruit? 
 he was aware of it, and as often as we 
 spoke of his apples, he would regret that 
 
1G6 
 
 he had no pears to share with us. He ob- 
 served, that he had a neighbor about a 
 half a mile from his habitation, who had 
 very fine pears, but would not share thein 
 with any body. I told him by way of a 
 slant, that if I knew where he lived that 
 I would not ask him to share them with 
 me, that I would find a way to get them 
 without his consent. He said, that if I 
 would do that, he would give us a treat of 
 good old whiskey for one week, as much 
 as we could drink, by way of prize, for the 
 performance of which offer of his, I closed 
 the bargain with Mr. Hartzell, who observ 
 ed, that attempts of the kind had often been 
 made, and every assailant had been beaten 
 out and driven back. 1 told him, that on 
 Sunday following we would take a walk 
 past his neighbor to reconnoitre the ene- 
 my's camp, and learn how the land lay, so 
 I was determined to show the old lad a 
 trick or two of my own contrivance; so 
 then we took our Sunday walk and spied 
 how the pear trees were planted, and how 
 things looked any how. After I had seen 
 the local situation of the spot on which I 
 was to display my talents, I felt satisfied 
 
167 
 
 that I could attain my object in getting the 
 pears. I called for a drink of water at Mr. 
 J's; he gave me a driak of water, and be- 
 gan to inquire of me, if I was a traveller- 
 I told him not, that I was going to Mariet- 
 ta. I asked him to direct me the nearest 
 road to that place; he shewed me through 
 his lane as the nearest way, about halfway 
 down his lane I saw six head of horses in 
 his field, among them were two colts; I 
 said to my comrades, my lads here is the 
 trap for tlie pears, '^ne of them asked me 
 how, and where is it, to which I said, do 
 you see them horses over in yonder field 
 to which they replied, yes; I told them the 
 plan, which they assented in a minute af- 
 ter I had ^explained it to them, would do. 
 We then went home, and old Mr. Hartzell 
 asked us if we got any pears at Mr. J's. I 
 said, no indeed, we never asked for any 
 to prevent him from forming a suspicion, 
 then he began to quiz me, if I thought that 
 I could get them, as the pear trees stood 
 on each side of the gate in the front yard 
 before the house; I told him, yes, that I had 
 the trap set for them. I then told him that 
 I would go for them on Monday night 
 
168 
 which was the day after, so on Monday 
 evening 1 told Mr. Hartzell tiiat he must 
 lend me three bases. He did not Hke to do 
 that, for fear we would be chased and leave 
 the bags lay, and they would lead to a dis- 
 covery, which he would not like if a bag 
 should be left, and a discovery be made. 
 I authorised him to say, that if a discovery 
 should be made, I had stolen his bags 
 away unknown to him, upon which condi- 
 tion he let me have the bags. My comrade 
 and n\yself had a coffee bag in which we 
 commonly carried our tools — we took it 
 along, knowing that if the matter should 
 go as it would, it would never leak out 
 through our coffee bag, and on it I stayed 
 my sole dependance to carry my designs 
 into execution in stealing Mr. J's pears. 
 After supper we started, Mr. Hartzell cau- 
 tioned us to take care of ourselves, thatMr. 
 J's dogs was very dangerous. I told him 
 to make himself easy on that score, that 
 there was no danger to be apprehended in 
 that quarter. We went into the field where 
 the horses were, and to give the reader an 
 idea of the plan fixed to carry the pear 
 
169 
 
 stealing into execution, was in the follow- 
 insr manner: We drove the horses down 
 the field to the lowermost corner thereof, 
 and we caught one of the colts and put 
 our coffee bag over the colt's head and tied 
 it round his neck; the dog began to bark 
 at the house, some of our lads began to 
 evince symptoms of cowardice, and per- 
 haps would have fled, had I not given them 
 the assurance that the dog would run after 
 the horses, and not after us; and we had 
 not much time to spare, as it is well known 
 that there is no stop in a horse race; we 
 started the horses, and they all took fright 
 at the bag horse, and run as hard as old 
 Nick could drive them through the field 
 snorting and prancing, and the bag horse 
 tried to follow them, and so it went round 
 after round in the field one trying to over- 
 take the other, the rest running to get out 
 of his way; the dog he pursued the horses 
 as hard as he could link, still flying, still 
 pursuing, ever and anon, which brought 
 Mr. J. into the field to see what the devil 
 was the matter among the horses. He dis_ 
 covered that somethmg was not right, but 
 what it was he could not tell, and he nor 
 15 
 
no 
 
 twenty men could not then have stopped 
 the horses from rannmg", for the bag horse 
 he always brought up the rear, and made 
 the rest run Uke devils. He called to Mrs- 
 J., she came into the field, and the daugh- 
 ter too, and lastly, the servant boy; after 
 they were all in the field, and wondering 
 as Mrs. J. did in Dutch, "was der divel fehlt 
 do'' — We put out through the cornfield for 
 the pear trees, shook off every pear on 
 both trees, gathered them all into our bags, 
 which took us about half an hour, and we 
 had what we wanted, we listened to the 
 fun, and while we were listening, the horses 
 jumped into the cornfield, and the bag 
 horse after them, and the way they tore 
 about the corn was a sin; we in the mean 
 time put out home to Mr. HartzelPs with 
 our pears, leaving Mr. J. to enjoy his won- 
 der, and that continued till near day-lightj 
 there was no stop in the horses, as long as 
 the colt that had the bag tied over his head 
 ioUowed them, and the dog he liked the 
 sport, he kept up the fun as long as it last- 
 ed, at length the colt lost Mr. J's horses^ 
 and he jumped the fence into one of his 
 neighbor's fields and scared the neighbor's 
 
171 
 
 horses, they started off and broke the fence 
 and run home as hard as they could stave, 
 and run into the barn-yard, and the colt that 
 was blind-folded with our coffee bag, got Into 
 the barn-yard among the horses, they began 
 to kick the colt, which alarmed Mr. J's neigh- 
 bor, and they got up and relieved the poor 
 brute, and so ended that spree. 
 
 It was about one o'clock in the night when 
 we came to Mr. Hartzell's, we found them 
 all in bed and fast asleep; we hid our pears in 
 the cellar in the new building in a pile of shav- 
 ings, in the morning when Mr. Hartzell got 
 up, he came to the building where we were 
 at work, and asked us what luck; we told 
 him we had all the pears that Mr. J. had to 
 spare, which piece of intelligence he could 
 not believe until I went and shewed them to 
 him. He asked me how the deuce I had ma- 
 naged to get them. I told him my plan, he 
 was very much pleased and highly gratified at 
 my success, and allowed it was worth a bar- 
 rel of whiskey. I told him a half barrel of 
 whiskey would do us — and Mr. Hartzell came 
 up to his promise, for he gave us as much old 
 rye whiskey as we chose to drink as long as 
 we were there. 
 
172 
 
 The next morning, Mr. J. come to Mr. 
 TIartzelPs and laid in a grievous complaint, 
 first, that his pears had been all stolen, and 
 told him the manner in which it had been ef- 
 fected; how his horses had acted, and how his 
 colt had been blindfolded with a coffee bag", 
 and that the colt was nearly killed; he brought 
 the bag along to shew it, and try to find out a 
 clue on the trick by a recognition of the bag. 
 But nobody knew the coffee bag, and his in- 
 quiry failed. We all went along over to Mr. 
 J. to see the destruction, and indeed it was 
 wonderful, the horses had nearly run them- 
 selves to death, and the colt was skinned and 
 nearly flayed by running against fences, posts, 
 and the kicks it got among the horses at his 
 neighbor's. Mr. J. had the grief to endure, 
 and w^ had the pears to eat, and enjoyed our- 
 selves most elegantly at the raps he got. 
 
 The next spree that I had, was one of some- 
 what more profit to myself than the horse race 
 which we had instituted at Mr. J's without 
 his consent, and it happened to turn out to be 
 this: My boss placed us at work in the town 
 of Columbia, he had taken two houses to 
 plaster in that town, and he got boarding for 
 
i73 
 
 his hands at the house of Mr. C. inn-keepei*^ 
 in said town. * I worked for about the space of 
 three week's time, I began to find out what 
 kind of a lad Mr. C. was; David Psalm's like, 
 he was one pretty near like myself in every 
 respect, for he was as fond of sport as any 
 body, with one exception, he was fond of the 
 hardware, and I was not, although I never 
 poured it into my shoes, neither when it was 
 agoing, although I never was so fond of it as 
 Mr. C. was. 
 
 On Sunday evening, Mr. C. was caught in 
 one of his sprees, he and myself went to a 
 Methodist meeting, when we had been there 
 a few minutes a preacher mounted the pulpit 
 and began to preach, and raised his voice to 
 an excessive pitch. Mr. C. he asked me, what 
 I thought of him, (meaning the preacher,) I 
 told him I thought he was a tarnel fool in my 
 judgment, he wanted to display by force of 
 voice what he should have done in eloquence. 
 In the middle of his sermon Mr. C. got up 
 and interrupted the man of the gospel, and in 
 terms not to be misunderstood; he refuted the 
 preacher, and in conclusion told him he was 
 a damned liar; which remark, acted in the 
 15* 
 
174 
 
 meeting-house among the zealous members as 
 would a firebrand in a magazine of powder: 
 they began a general fight, some were for 
 putting Mr. C. out of the meeting-house; by 
 some friendly interference on our part, we got 
 Mr. C. home to his house, he became so out- 
 rageous, that he began to break all his bar 
 furniture; he played hokey among the bottles, 
 decanters, tumblers and glasses; smashed eve_ 
 ry thing that came in his way, not even con- 
 tent with that, he threw the kegs out into the 
 bargain. His wife, for such gross misdemea- 
 nor, as she held all the property in the house, 
 and the house itself by virtue of her former 
 marriage, had Mr.C. committed to jail; he lay in 
 limbo three months, at the end of that time he 
 was let out; but how he came out or by what 
 means I never learned. Mrs. C. w;is under 
 the necessity to renew her bar furniture — I 
 still boarded on; I began to hint to Mrs. C- 
 that I was glad the cold weather was coming 
 on, that I should get clear of hard work* 
 Mrs. C. asked me one day, what was I going 
 to do that winter.-* I told her that I was not 
 going to do any thing that I knew of. She 
 asked me what 1 w^ould charge her to attend 
 
175 
 
 to the affairs of her bar for that winter. I told 
 her, that it would not be worth my while to 
 think about any thing like that, remarking 
 to her, that Mr. C. would be home shortly 
 again. She gave me the assurance, that he 
 would not see her house for that winter. I 
 told her if I staid, I would not charge her any 
 thing for my services, except my boarding, 
 washing, and so forth. She told me she would 
 find me in all that, and pay me besides. In 
 one week after our confab, I quit my trade, 
 and began to keep her bar for that winter. I 
 lived jam, up in my new sphere till some time 
 in the month of March. During the winter I 
 struck a bargain with Mr. Henderson, in Ma- 
 rietta, to work for him during the season for 
 twenty-four dollars per month, and to find me 
 in every thing. 
 
 I worked in the town of Marietta about one 
 month, in this time, as all young men will do, 1 
 sauntered about the town, I called in at a ta- 
 vern kept by a Mr, J. Nichols, and happened 
 to see a little Dutch girl, with whose appear- 
 ance I was wound up pretty tight at first sight. 
 My boss was bound by our contract to find me 
 board, I requested him to change my board- 
 
176 
 
 ing house, to which he readily consented as 
 the prices of boarding were all one, it made 
 no difference to him, so I left my old boarding 
 bouse and took up my board with Mr. J. N., 
 on account of my little Dutch girl, who by 
 the by was rather shy, owing to her youth, as 
 she had not attained her fifteenth year, and 
 not very well versed in my native language, I 
 had a considerable difficulty to encounter to 
 obtain an interview with her; although I had 
 spent nearly one and an half year's among the 
 people of Lancaster county, who are in gene- 
 ral descendants of Germans, and was at a loss 
 as I could not speak the language that was com- 
 monly used in that neighborhood, being of 
 somewhat a twister. I shuffled my pack until 
 1 had worked myself into her notice. I pro- 
 posed one Sunday to take a jaunt to the York 
 county shore of the river Susquehanna; she 
 consented, and we went to get some pears 
 on the farm of Mr. Hoke, wc got pears and 
 cherries as many as we wanted, and on 
 our way back our boat struck on a kind 
 of sand bar, the male part of the boat's crew 
 got out to shove the boat off the sand bar, and 
 while in our exertion to get the boat afloat 
 
177 
 
 again, a snake bit me in the foot just below 
 the ankle, and left a mark there which I shall 
 carry to my grave, as the saying is; my foot 
 swelled most prodigiously, and kept me in 
 bed for four or five weeks in the hands of Dr. 
 Watson. While I was convalescing, I Had 
 time and opportunity to press my suit with my 
 little Dutch girl, and things began to go right 
 smooth; although things began to go pretty 
 smooth, I had two formidable rivals to contend 
 with, insomuch as one of them had lands in 
 the western country, which to my little girl 
 was an obstacle for me to remove; I soon, how- 
 ever, fell upon a plan which counterbalanced 
 the objection — I advanced the idea, that I held 
 in my possession Indian lands, and that as soon 
 as we were married we would go and take 
 possession and enjoy our riches, which kind of 
 blarney quieted the objection she had to me 
 and considered me as a freeholder; however, we 
 never yet went, and perhaps never will, to take 
 possession of our western country farm. 
 
 The other lad, who was a tavern-keeper in 
 Maytown, I stigmatised him as a gambler, who 
 would lead her a life of wonders, and leave 
 her room to rue her folly when too late, to 
 
178 
 which she lent an ear as though it were all or- 
 thodox, and so next after that I had less trou- 
 ble when all her objections were removed, I 
 perceived that I rose in her esteem daily, and 
 I of course became more and more enamored 
 with her, as her appearance filled my eye to a 
 fraction. She was beautiful, in a word, she 
 was just what I thought a wife ought to be; 
 being chuck full of it, I proposed matrimony 
 to her, which she refused, upon the grounds 
 that she was too young, and that her father 
 would not be agreed to the match. I next en- 
 listed a Mrs. Shaur, a neighbor of ours, into the 
 service, and instructed her to help the cause 
 all she could, and as soon as she could. She 
 succeeded in her undertaking to a minute, she 
 obtained all I wished, and in about two weeks 
 we went to Maytown, and had ourselves mar- 
 ried by an old German preacher, on the 19th 
 day of July, 1898. Her father heard that I 
 had married his daughter, which raised his 
 dander to such a pitch as to elicit a threat from 
 him, that he would shoot me, which put me 
 into a notion that he might be fool enough to 
 carry his threat into execution, and to avert 
 such a state of things, not willing to die then, 
 
179 
 
 I came to the conclusion to absent myself for 
 a while, until his passion had cooled down to 
 a proper temperature. So off I started, and 
 bent my course westward, and stopped in 
 Adams county, Pennsylvania, in the neighbor- 
 hood of Oxford, and there I called a halt and 
 commenced a job of some considerable note. 
 I plastered a very large two story brick house 
 for a Mr. John Steigers; the job amounted to 
 eighty dollars. When Mr. S's house was fin- 
 ished, except the basement story, which was 
 not included in our bargain, and newly mar- 
 ried, I proposed to Mr. S. to let me have the 
 old mansion house for that winter to live in, 
 until I could see about me to get a house to 
 live in, that I would pay him a rent for it dur- 
 ing my stay, to which proposition he acquies- 
 ced in as soon as I proposed it to him. I also 
 got him to send his team to Marietta to bring 
 my wife and baggage from Lancaster county 
 to Adams county, which he did. He gave me 
 a horse to ride, to go ahead of the team to see 
 how the land laid. I entered the town of Ma- 
 rietta after night, and found all was well. I 
 loaded our affairs the next morning, and put 
 out for Mr. S. like a man who had just beea 
 
180 
 
 married. We arrived in safety with our cargo 
 and remained with Mr. S. for that winter. 
 
 In the spring following, I changed my place 
 of residence, by moving to M'Sherry's-town, 
 to the house of an old Dutchman, a tailor, by 
 the name of Overbaugh. While we were in 
 the bustle of our flitting and ready to sit down 
 to supper, we had a coffee-pot full of hot cof- 
 fee, and coffee-pot full of cold water; our land- 
 lord in the plenitude of his goodness called to 
 pay us a visit. I asked him to help himself to 
 a drink of whiskey, which he did by taking it 
 in the good old way; he took the bottle and 
 applied mouth and mouth together; the whis- 
 key as it rolled down burnt his throat, and as 
 our cold water was in the coffee-pot, he pick- 
 ed up the pot that had the hot coffee in it, 
 and sent a swad of the hot coffee after the 
 whiskey, which terribly scalded his throat. He 
 screwed up his face and mouth, that it looked 
 nine ways for Sunday. He bawled out bah. 
 It was fun for me, and death to Mr. Over- 
 baugh. We lived with our good old Dutch- 
 man from April to the month of September, 
 when I moved from M^Sherry's-town to Ha- 
 nover, in York county, Pennsylvania, to a 
 
181 
 
 Mr. F. H's house, whose wife had been 
 called, as I hope, to a better and happier 
 than this world, and as he had been be- 
 reaved of his better half, he concluded to 
 sell his family provisions and quit house- 
 keeping, so we struck a bargain in thefol 
 lowing articles; and mark reader how he 
 sowed up my eyes, he took the barrel of 
 flour and made it lay as loose as possible, 
 and made me believe that two bakings only 
 had been used out of it, and I was to pay 
 him five dollars for it; he had also a half 
 barrel of shad, and he had the meanness 
 to sell the best of them at 18 3-4 cents per 
 piece, and left all the small ones for me; 
 says he. Bill, you can take this half barrel 
 of shad at 18 3-4 per piece, and he was to 
 take the whole of that out in boarding with 
 me at the rate of j^l 50 per week, for him- 
 self and his boy. I also bought all that was 
 in the garden, not a single thing in it was 
 excepted, for ten dollars. My wife, after 
 she baked two bakings out of my five dol- 
 lar barrel, she reported that the flour was 
 all gone. Thinks I to myself, very well, I'll 
 pay you for that, Mr. H., and told my wife 
 16 
 
182 
 to say nothing about it. I in the mean^ 
 time became acquainted among my neigh- 
 bors, and among the rest was a Mr. B., he 
 asked me one day, if I had bought all Mr. 
 H's house ammunition, such as flour, shad, 
 and all that was in the garden. I told him 
 I had; he asked me what I paid a piece for 
 the shad; I honestly told him, that I paid 
 him 18 3-4 cents per piece for them. He 
 told me, says he, that is too bad; and con- 
 tinued he, why, I bought the pick of the 
 whole barrel at that price. I told Mr. B. 
 that I would mind Mr. H. for that, he then 
 told me, that I should watch him, that he 
 was a pretty slippery little fellow. By this 
 time, the fall of the year was approaching, 
 I had a pony, and having bought the whole 
 garden, I put my pony called Bonaparte? 
 into the grass-patch to fill himself on the 
 grass that grew on that part of the lot, and 
 when I had turned him into the garden, I 
 went up town; when I came home, my 
 wife informed me that Mr. H. had turned 
 out my horse, and would not suffer him to 
 run at large in the lot — to which piece of 
 intelligence, 1 told my wife, that I would go 
 
483 
 
 and turn him in a^in. She begged of me 
 1 should not, that we certainly would have 
 a quarrel about it; to which I replied that 
 I did not care, that the lot was certainly 
 mine till spring, and 1 just went and turned 
 my pony into the garden again, and watched 
 my pony to see il Mr. H. would turn him out 
 again. Mr. 11. came a second time, arm- 
 ed with a hoop-pole to turn out Bonaparte, 
 and when I seen what he was up to, I ob- 
 served to him, if he ofTered to turn out my 
 horse, I would throw him over the garden 
 fence; he dared me to throw him over the 
 fence; and I dared him to turn Bonaparte 
 out; so this was about the beginning of our 
 quarrel- While we were in the height of 
 our quarrel, an idea flitted over my brains, 
 that I had bought the whole garden and 
 nothing excepted therein; and to put him 
 into the fidgets, I told him that I had bought 
 
 the whole garden, and I would be 
 
 if I did not chop down every apple tree 
 that was on the lot; and he dared me to do 
 it; and I, to apply the action to the word, 
 I went for the axe, which he espied, and 
 supposed that I would realize my words. 
 
184 
 
 he started off full tilt down to 'Squire Hil- 
 man; he told the 'squire that I was going 
 to cut down all his apple trees, which would 
 ruin his garden, and he wanted a warrant 
 for me right away. The 'squire advised 
 him to send for me as a neighbor, and try 
 to come to a compromise about the matten 
 that he could do nothing with me until 
 spring, until my lease had expired — upon 
 which, Mr. H. came in his proper person 
 for me, to come before the 'squire without 
 the warrant; he acted as a kind of consta- 
 ble for himself in tlie way I have told you. 
 I told H. if the 'squire wanted more with 
 me than I did with the 'squire, he should 
 Come to me; and added, that I cared no- 
 thing for him nor the 'squire, or any body 
 else. He found himself higher behind than 
 before, as the saying is; he began to apo- 
 logise to me and said, he was in a passion, 
 and made overtures to bury the hatchet 
 and make good friends. I told him as an 
 offset to remember the flour and the shad, 
 as I allowed that he could do whh me as 
 he pleased as I was a new beginner, and a 
 little green. 
 
185' 
 
 I told him, however, that if he thought 
 €0, that he reckmied without his host. I 
 consented finally to settle the hash, after he 
 allowed me to put my pony Bonaparte into 
 the grass-patch when I pleased, upon 
 which we made good friends. We then 
 for a short time had a cessation of hostili- 
 ties, the truce lasted till winter. 
 
 Mr. H. was in the habit of workinfir late 
 at night, he had a fashion of coming every 
 night into the kitchen to examine for him- 
 self, I asked my wife what took Mr. H. to 
 the kitchen every night before he went to 
 bed. She said she did not know, unless he 
 went there to get something to eat. Said 
 I, I'll stop him of that if I mistake not, the 
 first cold night that comes; so one night be- 
 ing very cold, I took a bucket of water and 
 hung it over the door of the kitchen, and 
 when he opened the kitchen door, and as I 
 went to bed, I told my wife that she should 
 not go to sleep until Mr. H. went into the 
 kitchen; she wanted to know my reason. 
 I told her, that I had hung up a bucket of 
 water for him; she wanted to rise and remove 
 it, and I would not let her; she then said 
 16* 
 
186 
 
 fehe would call to him whenr he came, I 
 told her she should not, and we laid ia bed 
 but a short time when he came and open- 
 ed the kitchen door, which gave the buc- 
 ket a tilt, and the water came souse over 
 Mr. H. and gave him a complete shower 
 over his head. He changed his linen and 
 clothing before lie went to bed, muttering 
 something all the time, and I laid snug in 
 my bed laughing and enjoying the fun. In 
 the morning after his shower bath I called 
 him to breakfast. He asked me how I came 
 to serve him such a nice trick last night. 
 I thought it was not so very nice, and asked 
 him, if it was him that went into the kit- 
 chen; he said, yes; and I knew very well 
 that it was him; I told him, yes, I know it 
 now; he said that he might get his death 
 of cold by it. I told him, that I did not tell 
 him to go there I was sure. 1 told him that 
 if he was hungry and would say so, my 
 wife would have a piece ready for him in 
 the room, that he had no right to go to the 
 kitchen. He said he went there to see af- 
 ter the fire. I told him 1 thought my v/ife 
 was old enough to take care of them things, 
 
187 
 
 that was anether offence which we also 
 made up; I told him I had merely done it 
 for fun. 
 
 We lived in peace and harmony after the 
 ratification of our last treaty until spring, 
 when spring came, and moving time which 
 happens on all fool's day; I moved away 
 from Mr. H's house into the houee of Mr. 
 Swope, who resided nearer the diamond 
 of the town. Some time after that, he ask* 
 ed me what I would have to plaster the two 
 rooms and passage I had occupied, and 
 which I had left; being in the fall of the 
 year, I had not much work on hand, I told 
 him I w^ould do it for twelve dollars, and he 
 find the laborer; he said that sum was too 
 much, he would rather give it to me by the 
 day, that I could do it quicker than by the 
 job. I told him 1 did not know. I asked 
 him what he would give a day; he told me 
 he would give me a dollar a day and I 
 board myself I told him that his offer was 
 lower than I had ever worked in my life; 
 but if he would give me a half gallon of 
 beer per day, for me and the laborer, 1 
 would do it for him; to which proposition 
 
188 
 
 he agreed to, and I fell to work, and I be- 
 gan to think that now it was time to get 
 pay back for my flour and shad. I worked 
 until I had spun out the job for thirty-one 
 days, and polished my work, the walls 
 were as smooth as glass. Mrs. Meyers, a 
 neighbor lady, came in one day to take a 
 look at the work, she said it was as smooth 
 as a mirror. Mr. H. as well as the neigh- 
 bors began to see that he was sucked; he 
 began one day to throw out an insinuation, 
 that I had caught him in our contract. I 
 admitted I had, and observed to him, that 
 I knew that he never would give me ano- 
 ther chance to put it to him, and thought 
 that now we were about even in our deal- 
 ings, as he had cheated me in the flour 
 and shad, and I had hellishly cheated him 
 in the plastering, so I allowed it was tit for 
 tat, the plastering was worth about twelve 
 dollars, and I charged him thirty-one, and 
 thirty-one half gallons of beer, so I thought 
 I had fixed his flint pretty well. 
 
 The reader v/iU be here informed, how 
 I got the name of Big Bill the plasterer; 
 having taken up my residence in \he town 
 
189 
 of Hanover, in York county, Pennsylvania^ 
 the inhabitants of the town are principally 
 descendants of Germans, and of course 
 have inherited from their ancestors their 
 manners and customs; they soon found a 
 name for me, as they were not willing to 
 put themselves to any trouble to ascertain 
 my name, they supplied my real name 
 with that of "Der gross Bill der plasterer,'' 
 i. e. Big Bill the plasterer, and to corrobo- 
 rate their ideas, suffer me to add, that in 
 height I am six feet four inches, and my 
 weight about that time was two hundred 
 and fifty-two pounds; being then about 
 thirty-one years of age; my present weight 
 is two hundred and fort} -seven pounds, 
 and am m the forty-eighth year of my age. 
 So after the description of Big Bill the plas- 
 terer; when I had a little leisure time, I 
 took a tramp to Emmitsburg, and a good 
 job of considerable value to me and my 
 partner, Mr. Samuel Agnew. We plaster- 
 ed the white house for the Sisters of Cha- 
 rity, house of St. Joseph's, near Emmits- 
 burg; while I was in the pursuit of my la- 
 bor in plastering the sisterhood house, I 
 
190 
 
 took sick, and laid confined to bed for two 
 weeks. Mother Seaton was at that time 
 superior sister, their attendance on me dur- 
 ing my sickness, was superior to any at- 
 tendance I got in my life. I can scarcely 
 refrain from passing an eulogy upon the as- 
 sociation incorporated by the name and 
 style as above stated, and am only re- 
 strained by the feeling that might be awak- 
 ened as they wish to be styled only what 
 they de facto practice, charity; for which I 
 here present them my warmest and most 
 cordial thanks for iheir kindness towards 
 me, as a mark of esteem and respect for 
 them as a body politic. After I had reco- 
 vered my health, Mr. Agnew and myself 
 finished our job, and after we were done 
 we started for our home, and between the 
 town of Gettysburg and Oxford, Mr. Agnew 
 and myself, we were attacked a little after 
 dark by a set of very cross dogs at the farm 
 of Mr. J. Witter; we were in the main road 
 leading towards Hanover, the rascals were 
 so fierce that we could scarce defend our- 
 selves; I at length made use of my hatchet, 
 I threw it at one of them, and it being 
 
19^1 
 dark, I could not find it again, Mr. Wittef 
 came out and asked us what we were doing 
 there, I told him I had lost my hatchet, he said 
 if you do not clear out you Irish Rascals I'le 
 hatchet you with the devil to you. I began to 
 think that poor comfort was about for us. 
 
 I told him that I'd go just where I pleased, 
 and I scarcely had the word uttered until he 
 hit me a pelt and knocked me down, my part- 
 ner he had a stick in his hand and he up and 
 knocked Witterdown, and when he was down 
 I crawled on top of him and began to hammer 
 him, when he began to sing out murder; at his 
 cries his mother came out armed with a pair of 
 tongs in her one hand and a candle in the other 
 hand, and she saw that I was on top of her son 
 beating him, she hit me a lick across my back 
 with her tongs, my partner he gave the auld 
 lady a kick and sent her heels over head, and 
 then she sung out murder, the lick the old witch 
 gave me on the back gave me a very severe 
 bruise, and unstrung my nerves, I let go my 
 hold and Witter he crawled on his porch with 
 a broken skin, and head fractured, he called to 
 his hireling, Yunt by name, to bring him his 
 gun to shoot the rascals, as he called us, at 
 
192 
 
 which we picked up our tacklings and put to 
 our scrapers as speedy as we could move, they 
 followed us to Upbolt's tavern near Oxford, we 
 told Mr. Upbolt the circumstance, he told us 
 us to hide up stairs, we we were scarcely there 
 ten minutes when Mr. Witter came along in- 
 quiring after us, the tavern keeper said he heard 
 us go past the bridge towards Oxford, they 
 then renewed their pursuit after us, the land- 
 lord told us we might now come down they 
 were gone, so I called for a gill of Brandy to 
 wash my face and neck which were pretty 
 much scratched and cut from our rencontre. I 
 washed my wounds with the Brandy, we then 
 made the best of our way home through the coun- 
 try. When we came honne on the following 
 day we started off for Baltimore, to draw our 
 pay for finishing the white house at the Sisters 
 of Charity, our order was drawn on the Rev- 
 erend Mr. Balchster at Baltimore. When we 
 presented the order it was promptly reduced 
 at sight; we returned home, and on our return 
 found out a trick or two. Witter he found the 
 hatchet I threw at his dog, and sent his man 
 Yunt to Getty sburgh to ferret out whose hatch- 
 et it was, and in his inquiries he met John Ag- 
 
193 
 
 new, the Brother to my partner, he told Yunt 
 that his Brother Samuel and myself had pass- 
 ed through Gettysburgh that day. Witter 
 having a clue upoa the matter he got out a 
 states warrant for us; when Samuel Agnew 
 learned that a states warrant was out for us he 
 put out and left me to make of it the best I 
 could. One day I rode to M'Sherry's-town on 
 my poney Bonaparte, to a kind of a shop kept 
 by a certain man by the name of Oaster. Mr. 
 Witter's Brother, who was a constable and held 
 in his possession the state's warrant 1 have al- 
 ready spoken of he inquired of Oaster if I was 
 Big Bill the plasterer, to which Oaster replied 
 I was. So then he arrested me and began to 
 call for assistance, I told him he need not call 
 for any help that I would go with him to Ox- 
 ford to Squire Slagle's. So when we came to 
 Oxford we stopped at the house of George 
 Hirne, and sent for Squire Slagle, I had not been 
 there fifteen minutes until all the men, women 
 and children in the town were there to see me 
 and some called me the big Irish Murderer,they 
 made a great many remarks about me and all 
 unfavorable, I began to feel the lads a little for I 
 got some idea of the German language by this 
 17 
 
194 
 
 time, the constable as usual in those cases had 
 the Squire brought to the town, and they told 
 him that they had got this big Irishman; the 
 Squire asked me if I was the man, I told him 
 yes I was one of them, he asked if I was pre- 
 pared with security for my appearance at court, 
 I told him I was not acquainted with any body 
 in that county, he said that it Was a very hard 
 case that sucli a young man as f should go to 
 jail and lay in jail until court time, he then ask- 
 ed where I lived, J told him that I resided in 
 Hanover. Well said he have you no acquaint- 
 ances about here said he me to me, I told him 
 I knew no body except his Father, who was 
 Judge of tlie court, he asked me how I came to' 
 know his father, I told him I became acquaint- 
 ed with him when I plastered Mr. Steiger's 
 house, he asked me if I was the man who had 
 plastered Mr. S's. house, I told him I was, he 
 then said that if I would ask the old man, mean- 
 ing Judge Slagle, that he perhaps, would go 
 my security'for my appearance at court, I told 
 him I could not ask the Judge, or any other 
 person about here, meaning the neighbuor- 
 hood of Oxford, and gave Justice Slagle an 
 idea that I would have to go to jail, inasmuch 
 
195 
 
 as I could not furnish the security that he as a 
 conservator of the peace would require of me 
 to fulfil the office which he fi.Ued, he observ- 
 ed it would be a pity if I should lay in jail un- 
 til court, and he took his Magesterial Chair 
 and began to discharge the duties imposed up- 
 on him by virtue of his office and wrote a Mit- 
 timus, and when he had written it he gave it 
 into the hands of the official officer who had 
 arrested me. When the constable had the 
 commitment in his possession he asked Mr. 
 Hirnes, the landlord, for a pair of pistols in the 
 German Language. Mr. Hirnes in the same 
 language replied to the constable to make me 
 drunk and after I was drunk he could take me 
 along just as he pleased, that he had no occa- 
 sion at all for a brace of pistols. He took Mr. 
 landlord's advice, he called for a large glass of 
 brandy sling mixed with other liquors, called 
 stone-ience; we drank the brandy sling amongst 
 us, and in the meantime I called for a gallon of 
 oats for my pony Bonaparte, the Squire asked 
 the constable if he was going to take me to 
 Gettysburgh that night, he told him no, that he 
 was going to take me to his brother's, which 
 jyas about half way between Oxford and Qet? 
 
196 
 
 tysburgh that night, that he would there tie me 
 and remain at his brother's for the night, and 
 take me to Getty sburgh the next day. Thinks 
 I to myself boy you have not got me there yet, 
 he called for another glass of brandy sUng, the 
 first being drank, we drank that, and he called 
 for another glass. Hirnes, the landlord observ- 
 ed to him after the third glass was drank, that 
 he thought that now I had enough; by this time 
 he had our horses ordered to the door, I mount- 
 ed my pony, the crowd of folks being gathered 
 around us to witness the scene, off we started, 
 and rode about one and a half miles to a Mr, 
 Knight's tavern, near the tavern was a fine 
 piece of woods, I began to think that tliose 
 chances which there presented themselves to 
 me to make my escape ought not to be neglect- 
 ed. I addressed my Mr. constable in plain 
 words (whicli he did not expect, I knew he 
 was not armed with any kind of weapons more 
 than the one nature supplies all men with, the 
 fists) by saying to him I believe I shall go no 
 farther with you to night, he asked my reasons 
 for my wish, I told him I never was tied in my 
 life, and did not intend to be tied by him that 
 night, I laid my hand on my pony's neck and 
 
J 97 
 
 turned his head into the woods, gave him the 
 whip, and off he ran into the woods as hard as 
 he could lay legs to the ground, and the consta- 
 hle he after me and he raised the cry of stop 
 thief and I hollowi^d stop thief, we run as I 
 thought about half a mile, until my pony ran 
 bolt up to a high fence, I jumped off, pulled 
 down a few rails and jumped my poney'over, 
 thinking that if the constable came up to the 
 fence 1 would knock him down, at length I 
 heard him give tongue about one hundred yards 
 from me, 1 made answer to liim, he came to 
 where I was, lie asked me where the devil Iwas 
 going to, I told him I did not know yet, where 
 I was going to he began to expostulate with me 
 and advised me to come back and go with him; 
 to which I told him I would not, and said I 
 would sooner die than go with him, he tried to 
 persuade me, 1 told him it was useless, that go 
 with him I would not upon no account, he then 
 made an attempt to get on the fence to which 
 manouvre I gave him a caution to stand off, if 
 he made the attempt to get on the fence I cer- 
 lainly would knock his brains out for him; we 
 then maintained our position as we were with a 
 fence between us, we had a long argument on 
 17* 
 
198 
 
 the stale of our affairs. At length he offered 
 to go my security upon condition that I would 
 not run away, I told him I could not depend 
 upon that kind of mush, and observed to him 
 that I believed that I would rather depend upon 
 my own course. I got on my pony and made 
 a move to be off. he did not like to see me 2:0 
 as he said to me when I was on the point of 
 riding off, to which I said if he would swear 
 that he would go my secui-ity that I would go 
 with him, to which he swore a very heavy 
 plantation oath that he would, and told him to 
 ride a head to Squire Slagle's and I would fol- 
 low him. So we rode to Squire Slagle's, and 
 when we came there he was in bed, we roused 
 hiui up, the Squire asked who is there, to 
 which interrogation he answered that it was 
 Mr. Otter and himself, saying he believed he 
 would bail me, that he pitied me, the Squire 
 he thought it was right, he thought there was 
 no danger in it. I staid on my horse until the 
 Squire said it was all fixed, we then went to 
 George Hirne's tavern and took a drink in 
 friendship, and then I mounted horse and rode 
 home. My wife knew nothing of this perform- 
 ance until court time came on. When the 
 
199 
 
 time of Oyer and Terminer and General Jail 
 Delivery came up on the court rolls, amongst 
 the rest my case made its appearance, I called 
 upon an attorney^ Mr. George Mitzgar, a prac- 
 tised Barrister, to defend my case. Mr. Wit- 
 ter, the State's evidence, he produced the 
 bloody shirt as an evidence against me, as also 
 the hatchet, and swore point blank that 1 had 
 struck him with the hatchet, which was as 
 point blank a falsehood as ever fell from the 
 lips of man, for I threw the hatchet at the dog 
 before we came into contact with each other. 
 In the course of the trial while Mr. Witter was 
 on the stand. Judge Hamilton, presiding Judge 
 of the court, asked the witness pointedly this 
 question, did you see the defendant or his part- 
 ner distinctly strike you with the hatchet, to 
 which he answered that lie could not distinctly 
 and positively say that he did for it was dark 
 and could not discriminate which of the two 
 had struck the blow, the absence of proof of 
 my guilt in striking the blow, my attorney im- 
 pressed the idea upon the Jury, who without 
 ever leaving the box pronounced a verdict or 
 not guilty for me — upon my acquittal one of 
 the witness made information upon oath against 
 
200 
 
 Mr. Wittor for keeping a set of dogs so fero- 
 cious in their nature as to constitute them a pub- 
 lic nuisance, and proved tlietn sucli to the sat- 
 isfaction of the court and Jury, and Mr. Witter 
 was fined ninet}' dollars, and he had the court 
 charges to pay in both suits, and I came off 
 with flying colors and glad of it. Mr. Metz- 
 gar my attorney, told me to go to Witter and 
 ask him for my hatchet, and if he refused to 
 deliver it up to me to sue him on the spot for 
 it, and to prosecute him for false imprisonment 
 into ihe bargain. I went to Witter and de- 
 manded my hatchet, he asked me if it was mine, 
 and I asked him if it was his, he said it was 
 not, I said then give it to me or else Pie sue 
 you for itupon the spot, as for the false impris- 
 onment I cared nothing for that, I was glad I 
 was clear of the scrape, and so ended this spree. 
 The next spree was one of rather more force 
 than fighting dogs and men, it arose as the 
 reader will learn in the sequel. I got a job of 
 plastering to do in Gettysburgh for a Mr. Da- 
 vis, a chair maker, he had a journeyman ofthe 
 name of James Doogan, in a few days after I 
 liad commenced work at Mr. Davis's, James 
 Doogan and myself became acquainted. 1 
 found that James had got himself in the habit 
 
201 
 
 of running after night, and was determined to 
 watch the lad; I watched him, one night he 
 took away the shop ladder down to the lower 
 end of the garden to a small house that stood 
 near a vacant lot, lie put up the ladder against 
 the gable end window of the house, it was a 
 one story house. I laid concealed about a 
 a quarter of an hour, I then went and took a- 
 way the ladder and alarmed the old people? 
 who occupied the house, the Daddy of the fam- 
 ily was somewhat a rough sort of a christian, 
 he in short order raised a hell of a rumpus? 
 James he slipped his understanding out of the 
 window to catch with his feet the top of the 
 ladder, but no ladder was there, being hard 
 pressed he iiad to let go his hold and down he 
 came sock on the ground. I had laid myself 
 into a fence corner watching the lad, and to 
 see the performance, poor Jim who by the way 
 had a very hard fall, he came crawling on his 
 hands and knees towards me, making his way 
 homewards as well as he could, every yard or 
 two he would mutter the words O Lord, which 
 tickled me most prodigiously, 1 almost killed 
 myself laughing at him — he crawled over the 
 fence into Mr. Davis's lot, and I ran round by 
 
202 
 
 an ally and got into bed before him, and by 
 and by my Jim he came crawling up stairs up- 
 on his hands and knees, when he came into 
 the room he called for me thus, oh Otter, and 
 I pretended not to hear him, then he called to 
 me O Bill, I responded who is there, he said 
 for God sake get up, and go for the Doctor 
 for me, I told him to go the devil and not both^ 
 er me, he by this time crawled up to the bed 
 side and insisted on me going for the Doctor 
 for him, I then asked him what was the mat- 
 ter, he had a good lie made up bad as he was 
 hurt, he said he was coming up the back alley, 
 that two dogs attacked him and in trying to get 
 out of their way he fell over the fence, and be- 
 ^eved that he had broke some of his ribs. To 
 vyhicb speech I remarked that he was only ma- 
 Idng fyn — he declared to God that he did not, 
 J then said he should come to bed that I would 
 go for the Doctor for him, he said he could not 
 that he had crawled from the lower end of the 
 lot up to the bed on his hands and knees. I 
 then vyent for the Doctor for him, the Doctor 
 came and I got a candle, the Doctor examined 
 him and found his ribs black and blue all on 
 pne side of his body, from his shoulder to the 
 
205 
 
 hip. The Doctor after the examination pro- 
 nounced his ribs very much jarred but not 
 broke; he asked him how he fell, Jim told him 
 that he was so much in a hurry he cauld not 
 tell him how he fell, which in part was the 
 truth, for the old fellow was so wrothy that 
 there was no time to think either before or af- 
 ter he fell from the gable end window. I 
 asked Jim, to humor the joke, if he knew 
 whose dogs they were, he said he did not, 
 and added if he knew whose they were he 
 would be switched if he woddn't shoot them. 
 I added and so would 1 if I were him. The 
 Doctor said it was well that the dogs had not 
 caught him, I allowed they had caught him, the 
 Doctor he tapped Jim's claret and took a good 
 deal of blood, and told him that he would call 
 to see him the next morning. After that he 
 put out, and as he went out he enjoined it on 
 Jim ib lay as still as he could for that night. — 
 Jini he obeyed the Doctor's directions, he lay 
 as quiet as he could during that night until 
 morning. Agreeably to the Doctor's promise 
 to call and see Jim in tlie morning. Doctor 
 Wells came as he had promised and gave hinn' 
 some mediciHC. I inquired of the Doctor how 
 
204 
 
 he was, the Doctor said that he must certainly 
 have got a higher fall than off of the fence as 
 he was bruised too severe for a fall of the size 
 described by Jim, and allowed that he was not 
 dangerously ill, he the Doctor asked me if I 
 was with him when he fell, or did I know any 
 thing about it, I told him I was not with him 
 when he fell and that I knew nothing about it. 
 Mrs. Davis she came in the morning to pay Jim 
 a visit, as he was an inmate of the house, and 
 had some toast to refresh him, with that she 
 set up an inquiry about his misventures, he 
 told her the made up story of his falling over 
 the fence. Jim lay quiet as a mouse until a- 
 bout the middle of the afternoon when a 
 circumstance occurred which led to a dis- 
 covery of the true cause of Jim's caper and 
 mine. Mr. Davis the boss had occasion to go 
 aloft for some stuff to make chairs, he could 
 not find the ladder which they had to ascend 
 with to get their chair stuff off the garret, he 
 asked the boy if he knew where the ladder 
 was; the boy said no, Mr. Davis sent the boy to 
 enquire of Jim if he knew where the ladder 
 was, Jim answered him no, he then asked 
 me if I knew where the ladder was, and I 
 
205 
 
 answered him no. So there was all no, and no 
 ladder amongst us as we did not want it then, 
 the boss told the boy that he must go and hunt 
 the ladder, and the boy had some idea for what 
 purpose it had been used on former and similar 
 occasions, for he went down to the end of his 
 master's lot and found it like a daizy. Davis 
 and his wife arrived at the true conclusion of 
 Jim's scrape, they allowed thatin visiting a cer- 
 tain house which stood at the end of their lot 
 that Jim must have fallen from that window in 
 the gable end, and asked me if I knew any 
 thing about it, to frustrate their surmise as 
 all their ideas on the subject was conjecture, I 
 replied to them that I knew nothing about it, 
 and told them that I would ask that night when 
 I went to bed. I told Jim when I came to bed 
 how I had been chatechised about the ladder 
 by the boss and how and where he found it, 
 and his suspicions about it. Jim he confessed 
 to me that all was true, and that he would give 
 ten dollars if he knew who took away the lad- 
 der, yet enjoined it on me not to say any thing 
 to the boss about it. I told him I certainly 
 would conceal it from him, and told Jim that 
 if any body was to serve me so, that I would 
 18 
 
206 
 
 give him a hell of a thumping if I would 
 find him out. Poor Jim had to keep his 
 bed for about two weeks, until he was able 
 to work again — so ended that scrape, and 
 Jim he paid for the roast, and when 1 was 
 done with my work, I put out and left all 
 hands about the house^ as the miUtary 
 phrase is, "as you were.'' 
 
 The next job that I done was a house for 
 a Mr. Joseph Walker, near Monococy, 
 where I once got dinner while the old man 
 was saying grace at the table; he had been 
 in the habit of saying grace before meals, 
 and one day we had apple-dumplings for 
 dinner, and my work admitted of no delay; 
 when the old man began to say grace, he 
 closed his eyes, and kept them closed un- 
 til he was done with his prayer, and as he 
 began to pray, I began to play away at the 
 apple-dumplings, and as he finished his 
 prayer I finished my dinner; and when he 
 Opened his eyes, he invited me to help my-« 
 Self, to which invitation, which was a very 
 cordial one, as they treated we very well 
 all the time I was there, I thanked the old 
 gentleman, and informed him, that I had 
 
207 
 
 just fiaished my dinner. This I thought 
 was doing business on a middling short 
 
 scale. 
 
 One Sunday, I had a notion to take a 
 ride to myself, I kept dodging about the 
 stable till about two o'clock, P. M. when I 
 thought dinner should be ready, and no sign 
 of dinner, I asked one of the little girls 
 how soon will dinner be ready; she said 
 not until-the-cows-come-home. I told the 
 iitde girl to go for the cows that I was very 
 hungry; her mother saw us talking toge- 
 ther; she inquired of the little girl what I 
 had said; she told her mother that I had 
 said, that she must go for the cows, that I 
 wanted my dinner. The old lady told the 
 little girl to call me to the house, that she 
 would give me pye and milk. I went to the 
 house and eat pye and drank milk as much 
 as I wanted, and then got my horse and 
 took a ride to myself, and that was 
 one way of taking dinner when the 
 cows-come-home. When I was done with 
 Mr. Walker's, I went to Hanover to see 
 my family; and when 1 had got home, the 
 fair at the town of Berlin came round, at a 
 fair estimate, I thought I should b,e there tQ 
 
208 
 
 see the sport. I started off for the BerUii 
 fair myself, and went as far as Abbotstown, 
 and was there joined by a certain Mr. Ca- 
 leb Bailes, who was one of the wonders of 
 the world, we went ironi Abbotstown to 
 Berlin together, and sported about all day, 
 and another man in company with Bailes 
 and myself, who was the owner of a small 
 pony; he was solicitous to know if Bailes 
 and myself were going- home that evening. 
 Bailes, he asked me if we would go. I told 
 him I would rather stay than go home — 
 and I asked Bailes where the fellow lived; 
 he told me he lived near Abbotstown; I 
 asked Bailes what kind of a lad he was; to 
 which Bailes said, that he was a kind of a 
 green chap. I said to Caleb, let us keep 
 him with us for the night, and let us have 
 a spree. Bailes asked how would we keep 
 him; I said to Bailes, I would hide the fel- 
 low's pony; Bailes told me, that if I would 
 hide his pony for him, that he would give 
 me a handsome treat. I told Bailes to keep 
 the fellow in the dancing room, I would 
 soon fix that matter. Bailes kept the fel- 
 low, and I went to the stable and looked 
 
209 
 
 about the stable, and found near to the sta* 
 hie a corn crib, wherein they had stowed 
 some barrels filled with rye, and some 
 empty barrels, and a door to the corn crib. 
 I told the hostler to take my horse, and 
 Mr. Bailes' horse down to the creek and 
 wash their legs well, that we would be 
 there all night, while the hostler took our 
 horses to the creek to wash their leers -^s i 
 directed him, I took the fellow's po'^iy out 
 of the shed and put him into the cf^jrn crih, 
 and shut the door on him. I we nt to the 
 hostler when he came back from the creek 
 with our horses, and ordered a p eck of oats 
 a piece, telling him thr..; we v .1^1,1 not go 
 away until morning — next af ,; '.t I went 
 into the tavern, and went into the room 
 where they were dancing; Culeb Bailes 
 when he seen me, he asked me. if I Lad fix- 
 ed him, I told him I had; this "^^0111 ig man 
 was dancing at that time, the ovvner of the 
 pony which I had hid in the cornc-rib. Bai- 
 les, iie asked me where 1 had hid th e pony, 
 1 told him he was in the crib; Caleb, he al- 
 lowed that the pony was in a very ;. ^ 
 place. After the young man had his diu ,. 
 out, we all went up to the bar and took ■ 
 18* 
 
210 
 
 drink; while we were drinking, Mr. Bailes 
 asked me if I was going to stay all night. 
 I told him I would, as the day had worn 
 away too far now to think of going home? 
 that I should stay in town now for that 
 nisrht. He then addressed himself to the 
 youcg man whose pony was hid in the corn 
 crib, if he was going to stay for the night; 
 i. . said he believed not, that he was going 
 hu;. • ^^ e all three agreed we would go 
 and tal^e shipper, it was about supper time; 
 after sai>per we all went down to the sta- 
 ble; Mr. 'Bailes asked the hostler if he had 
 led ourliorses; he told Mr. B. that he had, 
 that I had been there and had ordered him 
 to give tht?ni a peck of oats a piece. Mr- 
 B. looked f ibout for the young man's pony; 
 the hostler f^aid that he was hitched in the 
 shed; he tc>ld the hosUer to bridle him, and 
 he took the lanthern and went into the 
 shed, and» when he came there, no pony 
 was ther'e; we went into the shed ourselves 
 and looked all about the yard and could 
 seenothirgof the pony; the young man 
 Seg-an to feel for himself in the absence of 
 hiKi pony, and said that he would look to 
 tl\e hostler for him. The hostler said, that 
 
211 
 he never gave him to him to keep hi^n for 
 him; he said it was a very nice piece of 
 business. We began to persuade him to 
 stay all night, that perhaps he would find 
 him in the morning; he consented, and we 
 cruized about until midnight, we all called 
 for beds; the landlord, Mr. Sw.artz, he put 
 us into a bed-room, that he had at least one 
 dozen of beds in it. The beds were arrang- 
 ed in a row on one side of the room in 
 \vhich they were placed, with a sufficient 
 room to get into them. Two young meri 
 lay in a bed next to the one Caleb Bailes 
 and myself occupied for the night, arid they 
 were both fast asleep when Bailes and my- 
 self retired to rest. Bailes observed to me, 
 if I could and would keep from laughing*^ 
 that he would have them two fellows a! 
 fighting in about five minutes, and Iwa^ 
 all my life fond of sport; to see how he 
 would manage the fellows who were sound- 
 ly asleep at" the time to get them fighting? 
 I made him a faithful promise, that L under 
 all and every circumstance would refrain 
 from laughing; he lay on the far side of 
 the bed; he reached over me and uncover- 
 ed the lads and exposed their legs, and 
 
212 
 
 when he had that done, he had an extra- 
 ordinary knack to pinch with his toes, and 
 to heighten the scene for fun, his subjects 
 had a dram or two ahead; he reached with 
 his toes over our bed and got a hold of the 
 lads hams and gave him a hell of a pinch; 
 he sung out to his bed-fellow, "har ufp 
 DU," i. e. behave yourself; this performance 
 of Bailes made me feel the force of it so 
 sensibly, that I was forced to take my pil- 
 low to my mouth to smother the laugh 
 which was swelling within, and which I 
 was apprehensive I could not stifle, as I 
 measurably had anticipated, the fun which 
 had in part then been realized; he let the 
 lads lay a little while, and then he gave the 
 fellow another nip; the lad who received 
 the pinch, addressed himself to his bed-fel- 
 low in the German, sa;ying, "ich will ver- 
 damnt sey, wan da noch a mohl mich 
 pctz'st ich schlagt deir ains he das dich der 
 deifei hohld." The fellow whom he ad- 
 dressed in fi.uch rough and uncouth lan- 
 guage, all the while lay snoring and uncon- 
 scious of what was going on. Caleb let 
 him lay a Uttle while longer, and presently 
 
213 
 
 iie reached over a third time and gave the 
 Dutchman a rouser of a pinch with his toes, 
 upon the receipt of which he hastily set him- 
 self up in bed and addressed himself to his 
 comrade who all the while was asleep with 
 *'By God ich will dish Schaarckzes," and whap 
 he let the fellow have a hell of a blow with 
 his fist right between his eyes, the fellow who 
 was asleep jumped out of bed and began to sing 
 out murder, the other fellow who had been 
 pinched by Bailes he out of bed after him, and 
 the two Dutchmen had a very hard fight for a. 
 bout five minutes, when we began to feign our^ 
 selves awake, we jumped out off bed and 
 begged them not to fight. We as well as 
 the fellows who fought were all in undress, 
 the one he asked his comrade, after we had 
 parted them for what he had struck him, he 
 asserted that he had pinched him, that it was 
 all black and blue, the other he called him a 
 verdaumter ligner, conscious of his innocence, 
 and at the exchange of the lie, they got at 
 fighting the second time and did beat one ano- 
 ther most unmerciful. After they raised the 
 second row, the landlord and the landlady came 
 into our dormitory to see and learn what was 
 
214 
 
 the matter and they had a candle or two, to 
 throw light upon the suhject, and as luck 
 would have it they caught the whole of us in 
 an undress, and the combatants start naked, for 
 they had torn one another's shirts off of their 
 backs. 
 
 We'got the boys parted a second time and 
 begged them to drop it and make friends, and 
 after keeping them apart for a considerable 
 time they at last agreed to make it up; they did 
 so. After it was all made up the landlady in- 
 quired into the cause of their rumpus, the one 
 whom Bailes pinched asserted that the other 
 one had pinched him,and to confirm his assertion 
 he turned his bum to the landlady's inspection 
 to corroborate what he had said was the truth 
 by producing the marks which he said were 
 black and blue. Next he drew her attention 
 to his ham, and there showed the marks which 
 were then visible of the fellow's pinching him. 
 The landlady having before her the evidence 
 of the facts and by her declared as such — the 
 other fellow who by this time stood convict in 
 the landlady's estimation, said that if he had 
 pinched him he must have done it in his sleep 
 and was unconscious of it, and our pony rnaj) 
 
^15 
 
 lie lay in the bed next to our's trembling, and 
 half scared to death, all the while the fellows 
 were fighting; and to close the scene they got 
 a drink and we joined and got the pony man 
 to participate in it. When we had all drank 
 friends, we went to bed and slept soundly for 
 the balance of the night, and the blackest pair 
 of eyes I ever seen was exhibited by the fel- 
 low who got the first blow the morning after 
 the affray, and so ended the scrape, and the 
 pony man the next morning he paid for the fun 
 until he got his pony, which was about all the 
 sport I enjoyed at the Berlin fair. And the way 
 the pony business wound up was, we all fell 
 to searching after his pony, and all to no pur- 
 pose, he at last told the hostler that if he would 
 find his pony he would give him a dollar, and 
 after a reward of a dollar had been put upon 
 the pony I told the hostler if he would keep 
 dark I would tell him where the pony was, 
 the hostler he said he would not divulge it for 
 the sake of getting the reward, I then told him 
 that he was hid by us in the corn crib adjoin- 
 ing the shed^ he went there and seen that the 
 pony was there as I had told him, and after 
 some time he came in and told him that he had 
 
216 
 found him, we asked him where he was, he 
 said that if we would come out he would show 
 us, we all followed the hostler to see where 
 the pony was; he took us to the corn crib, and 
 sure enough there Mr. pony was, the owner 
 he said that he was the biggest rascal of the 
 horse kind he ever knew. 
 
 I told him that all that kind of ponies were 
 like him, and he believed me as he had been 
 so wofully tricked by his, as he thought by the 
 pony, and he happened to be tricked by me 
 all the time, the hostler he got the pony out of 
 his place of concealment and the pony man 
 paid him the reward. We all took a horn 
 and mounted horse and started off from the 
 Berlin fair for Abbotstown, when we came to 
 Abbotstown, we all three Bailes, the pony man 
 and myself, we stopped at the tavern kept by 
 Mr. Gardner, the pony man he put out for his 
 home, and Bailes he lived next door to the ta- 
 vern, and opposite a Mr. Ickes also a ta- 
 vern-keeper in Abbotstown, and a very inquis- 
 itive kind of an old root; Bailes knew exactly 
 what kind of game we had before us, he told 
 me that he, Ickes, would certainly call over to 
 see and learn who I was and where I was from 
 
217 
 
 and where I was going, and fifty idle questions 
 besides, which he was in the habit of asking 
 strangers, and Bailes knew Ickes's propensi- 
 ties and told them to me, and said that he 
 would introduce me to him, under a fictitious 
 name, and that I then must humor the joke; I 
 seen the web laid by Bailes to hoax old Ickes^ 
 and I began to prapare accordingly. In about 
 five minutes, sure enough who came across the 
 street but old Mr. Ickes, leaning on his walk- 
 ing cane, he came into the bar-room, the place 
 where I was, and began his interrogatory as 
 Bailes had anticipated by asking me how 1 did, 
 are you, continued he, travelling; by this time, 
 being at a happy juncture of our affairs, Bailes 
 he came in, I addressed myself to Bailes if he 
 would take a drink of something; he said he 
 did not care, I called for some brandy and Bai- 
 les and myself we took a drink of brandy. Mr. 
 Ickes he called Caleb to one end of the bar- 
 room and asked him in Dutch w4io I was, Mr. 
 Bailes told him that I was a gentleman from 
 Buff'alo. Mr. Ickes began on Bailes just as 
 he, Bailes, washed it, by signifying a wish to 
 be introduced to me so that he could learn from 
 me if I knew his son or not, who was captain 
 18 
 
218 
 
 of a company of Militia men, in the service 
 of the United States, stationed at Buffalo, 
 Mr. Bailes he brought Mr. Ikes up before me 
 and said to me Mr. Irvine, I'll make you ac- 
 quainted with Mr. Ickes. Mr. Ickes, said I 
 how do you do. He waived all farther cere- 
 mony being extremely anxious to hear from 
 Buffalo, he asked me in nearly half Dutch and 
 half English, if I came from Buffalo, I told him 
 I was just from it, he then asked how times 
 was at Buffalo, I told him to excite him the 
 more that times there was very hard — he ask- 
 ed me in what respect — I told him that a great 
 many of the men were dying with the camp- 
 fever, and my object was to go on to the city 
 of Washington to give the intelligence to the- 
 heads of Department to get our quarters chan- 
 ged for a healthier place, he said he supposed 
 that I scarcely ever was along with the army,. 
 I told him I was very seldom with them, that 
 my business principally was buying cattle, 
 that sometimes I went as far as a hundred miles 
 from the army to procure a sufficient quantity 
 of cattle for them — he said he supposed I got 
 good wages for my office — I told him I got 
 eighty dollars a month, and found in a horse, 
 
219 
 
 Slc, he alio wed that 1 had reason to be glad 
 that the war should last a good while, I told 
 him I should not be grieved if it would last 
 my life time. He then asked me if 1 had ever 
 been in any of the battles, to which 1 answer- 
 ed him that I had not, my not having any oc- 
 casion to fight, my whole business was to pro- 
 cure provisions. He asked me if I had any ac- 
 quaintance with any of the captains who were 
 out at the lines, this was the hoax, I told him 
 I had, and was the bearer of a list of all the 
 names of those who were wounded — he then 
 asked me if I knew a certain captain Ickes, I 
 told him I did, and added that captain Ikes had 
 either a leg or an arm shot off, and did not re- 
 collect which of the two limbs he had lost. — 
 This piece of intelligence brought the old man 
 to shedding tears, and his sympathy was arous- 
 ed, he pitied him, and yet allowed withall that 
 he knew that captain Ikes was a soldier; he al- 
 lowed that the rascally English ought all to be 
 killed. He began to inquire if there was any 
 danger of death among the officers who were 
 wounded, I told him it was thought not, that 
 if care was taken, that they were all convales- 
 cing. He asked me when I was con[iing back 
 
220 
 
 again I allowed myself a month's time, when 
 should be able to transact my business, I should 
 then return, he wished me on my return to 
 call, saying he wanted to write by me to his 
 son, I told him that I dare not carry any let- 
 ters for any person as I was doing business 
 for government. He asked Bailes and myself 
 to take some brandy. After a while I mount- 
 ed horse and put out for Hanover, and when 
 I came to Hanover, being then at home for a 
 day or two, a gentleman from Liberty, iu 
 Frederick County, Maryland, came to my 
 house and told me he had lost a negro man, 
 who had ran away from him, and he had been 
 informed that I had the knack of apprehending 
 fugitives of that class, he gave me a handbill 
 describing his black man, and a reward of fif- 
 ty dollars to any person who would apprehend 
 him and lodge him in a jail, or deliver him to 
 the boss so that he would get his negro again. 
 He wished me to take horse and immediately 
 pursue him, I told him if he would give me 
 five dollars I would pursue him two days, and 
 if I overtook him and apprehend liim I should 
 then charge him the reward, and if I did not 
 succeed in overtaking him, that the five dol- 
 
221 
 
 lars should be my fee for my two days service; 
 he acquiesced in my proposition, he gave me 
 the five dollars, and the next morning I got on 
 my horse and went in pursuit after the runa- 
 way, and rode that day until about the middle 
 of the afteruoon in the direction of York in 
 Paradise township, I became very hungry, j 
 called at a house and asked the man if I could 
 get something to eat and my horse fed, and add- 
 ed that I would pay him lor it, he said yes, 
 that he could feed me and my horse. I dis- 
 mounted and we took my horse to the barn to 
 feed him, and as we were to wait awhile until 
 my dinner should be ready, he said he was 
 making mortar, and to suit the action to the 
 word he went to the mortar bed and I went 
 along with him, and while he was at work at 
 the mortar I asked him if he was building, he 
 said that he had a chimney to build and a room 
 to plaster. I then went into the house and the 
 plasterers were at work to see how things 
 were, after I came out I asked mine host how 
 long the plasterers had been at work at the 
 room, they were at the first coating, he told 
 me they were at it two weeks, I then asked 
 him what he gave them for doing it, he said he 
 18* 
 
222 
 paid them a dollar a day. I then told him that 
 I knew a man that could finish it in two hours, 
 yes said he, I would give him five dollars if he 
 were there to do it, as he was quite sick and 
 tired out with the hands he had at work, and 
 added that he also knew a big Irishman who 
 lived in the town of Hanover that could do the 
 whole job in one day, to which I observed that 
 I did not know any thing of him, 1 then told 
 him if he would give me five dollars, provided 
 the plasterers were agreed that I would do it 
 in two hours, he said that I could not possi- 
 bly do it in that time, by way of surprise I 
 told him if the men would give me their tools, 
 and if I did not finish it in the time by me lim- 
 ited that I would do the work free from charge, 
 but if I done it in the two hours he was to pay 
 me the stipulated sum, he said that he would 
 give me the five dollars, if I done it I told him I 
 would upon condition, if he would keep me 
 in stuff, he also agreed to do that, he allowed 
 that they all hands could keep me a going. I 
 then asked the men if they would allow me to 
 put on the ceiling in that room, they said yes, 
 with a great deal of cheer, and confessed that 
 they did not understand the business. So then 
 all things being fairly understood amongst us 
 
223 
 and the hands, I then hauled off my coat and 
 began to get ready to work, and the two plas- 
 terers and mine host were kept very busy in 
 carrying and tempering mortar for me during 
 the time I was putting on the ceiling, as no 
 time was allowed for chat, and in one and a 
 half hours I was done with the whole, gimbang. 
 One of the plasterers said he had often heard 
 of that Irishman at Hanover, who was such a 
 celebrated plasterer, but he allowed that the 
 Irishman was no touch to me. The owner of 
 the house asked me where I resided, J told 
 him I lived in Baltimore some time, well know- 
 ing that they alluded to me all the while, but 
 they did not know that I was the Big Irish- 
 man all the while, and I did not wish them to 
 know that fact, one of them said that if he 
 could work like me that he would not work at 
 it long. We all washed ourselves and went 
 into the mansion house, the man of the house 
 paid me the five dollars, I asked him how much 
 he charged me for my dinner and for feeding 
 my horse, he said that he would charge me 
 nothing for that. He told his men that Apple- 
 man talked so much about the big Irishman in 
 Hanover, he allowed that I could plaster round 
 
2U 
 
 him. I then asked the two plasterers how 
 long they allowed it would take them to finish 
 their job, they said that they did not know, 
 and being ashamed of tlieir work they allowed 
 that they would have nothing more to do with 
 it; they in turn asked me how long it would 
 take me to finish such a job, I told them that I 
 could do it in about half a day. I told them 
 that it was time for me to be moving, as I was 
 in pursuit of a black man who had run away 
 from his master, I asked them if they had seen 
 or heard of any black man passing through 
 that part of the country, they said they had 
 neither seen or heard of any. I then mounted 
 my horse, bade them a good bye, and went on 
 to Little York that evening, and put up at a 
 tavern in York, kept by Harry Shafer, it was 
 at the time of the last war, the militia of York 
 County that had been called into the service 
 were encamped on the commons, waiting for 
 marching orders; the next morning I went to 
 see the troops and when inside of the guards, 
 I seen an old man inside of the lines who had 
 a waggon load of onions, cabbage and potatoes, 
 the onions were strung on long bunches; by 
 this time I got along side of the wagon, and 
 
225 
 
 while there, four or five soldiers came along 
 that way, one of the soldiers asked the old man 
 how he sold his onions, he said twenty-five 
 cents a hunch, the soldier allowed them to be 
 too dear at that price, and ofiered the old man 
 a dollar for five bunches, the old man he pick- 
 ed him out five bunches, and the soldier he 
 took them from him and laid them on the 
 ground and turned himself towards the old man 
 and in the act of getting out the money to pay 
 for the onions the old man observed to him, 
 that one of the hands that was with him had ta- 
 ken his onions and was running away with 
 them as hard as he could, and the one that 
 was to pay for them he ran after the thief to 
 overtake him, as hard as he could, and the pur- 
 suer did not overtake the pursued, and the old 
 man laughed at the performance ready to split 
 his sides, and by the bye the soldiers forgot to 
 come back to pay for the onions, which was 
 a complete bite, and he only seen the hoax 
 when it was too late, and no doubt the sol- 
 diers in their turn laughed as hearty at the old 
 man as he did at them while they were carry- 
 ing away his onions. After I had witnessed 
 the above related performance I went to tlie 
 
226 
 
 town to my host, Mr. Harry Shafer, I asked 
 after a man of the name of Stoutzenberger, an 
 officer of the peace, and when I found Stout- 
 zenberger I told him that I was after a runa- 
 way, I showed him my handbill he said he 
 seen nothing of him, and added that he had in 
 his possession some handbills from Baltimore, 
 and believed that they were in Columbia, and 
 said that if I would go along with him we 
 would go there and see. 
 
 I told him I did not care, and off we 
 started for Columbia, and put up with Mr. 
 Livergood'g for that night; we asked the 
 hostler if he knew of any negro houses 
 about there; he told us that there was one 
 in one of the back alleys in which the ne- 
 groes danced almost ever> night, and said 
 that he could find out in a few minutes if 
 they would have a dance there that night; 
 we told him he should find out for us thai 
 fact; and we went into the house and called 
 for supper, and when we had supped, over 
 we went into the stable again; he, the host- 
 ler told us, that there was a negro dance 
 down the river, a short distance from town- 
 We told the hostler that we wuuld give him 
 
227 
 
 a half a dollar if he would go along with us 
 to the house: he said he would, if we would 
 say nothing to the landlord; we agreed we 
 would keep dark. We went there and took 
 a look at them dancing, and Stoutzenber- 
 ger, he seen one of the lads he was in pur- 
 suit of; then came the rub hovv^ to get him 
 out. We were looking out, and asked the 
 hostler, if he knew a certain negro whom 
 we pointed out to him; he said he knew 
 him very well, that he lived at Mr.' Wright's 
 cutting wood for him on the bank of the 
 river. After we had received this piece of 
 intelligence, we went home to our lodg- 
 ings, and came to a definite conclusion 
 how we would take the lad in the morn- 
 ing. We got up and ordered the hostler to 
 give our horses a gallon of oats a piece; 
 we then got our breakfast; then we told the 
 landlord our business, and requested him 
 to let the hostler take our horses about a 
 half a mile from town. He said that he 
 would, if we would keep it a secret. We 
 promised we would, and enjoined on him 
 to keep our business a secret; he assured 
 us that there was no danger of his divulging 
 
228 
 oup business. We told the hostler to take 
 our horses and ride them as far as the old 
 road, and wait lor us there until we came. 
 We went up the river, and at length we 
 heard our lad chopping* wood. I staid be- 
 hiiid, and in concealment, and Stoutzen- 
 berger he went to where he, the negro, 
 was chopping wood; and he told him that 
 he would give a half a dollar if he would 
 come down to the river and help him off 
 with his boat, that it was fast. The negro 
 he came to help us off with out boat, and 
 we took him into our special custody, and 
 told him that he was our prisoner, and told 
 him that if he said one word, that we would 
 blow him through. We took him up the 
 river a piece, and thence through the coun- 
 try to the old road, and we took him on to 
 the city of Lancaster before a justice of 
 the peace, and had him committed to jail. 
 We were called upon to give security for 
 four days. We entered the required secu- 
 rity, and went to the stage office and wrote 
 on to the fellow's master in Baltimore im- 
 mediately, informing him of the apprehen- 
 sion of his negro man, and to come on 
 immediately to prove and identify the black 
 
229 
 
 man whom we had arrested to be his pro- 
 perty. 
 
 He came on the third night and released 
 us and our security, by entering the jaij 
 with his proof required of him, and identi- 
 fied the lad to be his slave, and took him 
 out of jail, and from the jail he took him to 
 Mr. Slaymaker's tavern, and put on him a 
 pair of hand-cuffs; paid us the reward and 
 all our expenses, and hoisted of!' the lad 
 for Baltimore. 
 
 After the man had gone, we also started 
 off, and put out for home, each of ns hav- 
 ing in our pockets an equal share of the 
 reward, which was one hundred dollars — 
 so there ended that performance, and I 
 then put out for Hanover, and did not hear 
 or see any thing of the negro who I had 
 started especially for, when I left Hanover, 
 In the mean time I undertook a very large 
 job of plastering for the next season near 
 Moytown. 
 
 I laid on my oars, having no particular 
 employ for several days, and one night 
 while I had nothing to do, I in the evening 
 got into company with several jolly fellows- 
 
 19 
 
230 
 
 We sat (Iowa at the tavern of Mr. John 
 Aniich in Hanover, to take a few games 
 at cards for a little sport. VV^hile I was in- 
 dulging myself in the dissolute amusement, 
 Mr. Jacob Eichelberger sent his man Fri- 
 day down to tell me, that a gentleman had 
 called at his house who had a wish to see 
 me. I told liis man as soon as our game 
 was lip, I would call up and see the gen- 
 tleman; and, when our game was finished 
 according to promise, 1 called up at Mr» 
 Jacob Eichelberger's tavern, to wait upon 
 the gentleman who had sent for me. He 
 told me, that he had lost his negro man, 
 Congo, and said, that if I would get him, 
 the negro for him, that he would give me 
 fifty dollars; he gave me a hand-bill de- 
 scribing his man Congo; and after a mo- 
 ment's reflection, 1 knew where Congo 
 was harbored. I then went back to Mr, 
 John Amich's tavern to see a comrade of 
 mine, in whom I had a great deal of confi- 
 dence, a certain Mr. Wm. Albright, to 
 whom I shewed the hand-bill I had got, 
 and told Mr. Albright that I knew where the 
 negro was, and got his consent to assist 
 me in apprehending negro Congo, and off 
 
231 
 
 we started for Mr. Jacob Hoffman's tavern 
 on the road leading" to Abbotstown, at the 
 foot of the Pi;Teon Hills, where negro Con- 
 go had been hired to haul stones for a barn 
 tliat Mr. Holhnan was about building. It 
 v/as about ten o'clock at night, when Mr. 
 A'ibright and myself came to Mr. Hoffman's, 
 and they all had retired to rest for the 
 night. We rapped at the door loud and 
 strong, at length Mr. Hoffman got up, and 
 I pretended to be warmed with a little 
 steam. Mr. Hoffman, inquired where we 
 had been; we told him, that we were at 
 Abbotstown, and our horses had broken 
 loose and Jiere we were, and on our way 
 home. He advised us to take bed and stay 
 all night, and go home in the morning-. I 
 told my landlord, tr at if my comrade was 
 agreed to stay, that I did not care to stay 
 myself Mr. Hoffman gave us a candle? 
 and told us to go into the ball-room, and 
 take bed in that room, the carpenters and 
 all hands were quartered that were em- 
 ployed about the building. We went up 
 into the ball-room as Mr. Hoffman had di- 
 rected us. The boss carpenter was awake 
 when we entered the room; he asked us 
 
232 
 
 what's broke, said he. I told him that we 
 were on a sort of a Jerry, and wished to 
 get a bed for that night if we could. He 
 said there was a vacant bed in the far end 
 of the room; and I pretended to carry my 
 cantico so far as to induce the hands to be- 
 lieve that I was really in a spree. I said, I 
 must see all hands first, and by this time 
 they were all awake, and I took the candle 
 in my hand and began a general inspection 
 of the hands, and got to the lower end of 
 the room, in a bed, and under the feather 
 bed lay snug and comfortable negro Congo. 
 I said, ho ho my lad to Congo, are you here. 
 The boss carpenter said to me, the negro 
 was very tired, that he had worked hard 
 that day, I should let him rest. I said he 
 is the very lad that I wanted. He told me 
 that I had no business with the ne^iro, and 
 if I did not go to bed he would call Hotf- 
 man up. I told him that I did not care how 
 soon he would call up Hoffman, that the 
 negro I must have. I pulled the bed from 
 off the negro and ordered him to get up, 
 and if he did not rise 1 would exercise v^im 
 with a club, to which he bluntly repHed^ 
 that he would not get up. By this time 
 
233 
 
 Mr. Hoffman was amongst us, and asked 
 me what the devil I wanted with the negro* 
 I told Hoffman that he belono-ed to me, and 
 I shewed Hoffman the hand-bill describing 
 Congo. AAer he had read it, he being sa- 
 tisfied that Congo was the very fellow who 
 was described in the hand-bill, he told me 
 that I might do with him just as I pleased, 
 that he had nothing more to say to him, or 
 for him. Mr. Hoffman went down stairs 
 and w^ent to his bed. I then peremptorily 
 ordered the negro to get up the second 
 time, and he again refused to obey my 
 mandate; I laid hands on him and hauled 
 him out of bed, and the boss carpenter 
 besrsred me not to abuse the neGrro. I told 
 him, that I was not quite so tipsey as he 
 imagined I was, I would use him just as I 
 pleased. In putting on his pantaloons, the 
 black rascal drew upon me a jack-knife; 
 at the exhibition of his knife, I up fist and 
 knocked him down, and took his knife from 
 him, for fear of small accidents, and tied 
 him with a rope. The boss carpenter 
 swore, that if he knew that, that I should 
 not have had the negro. I told him, I knew 
 
 that. I then made the negro go down stairs 
 19* 
 
234 
 
 into the bar-room; he asked me to give him 
 a dram before we started. I told Mr. Hoff- 
 man to let me have a half pint of whiskey; 
 he told me to go to the bar and get it. I 
 got the whiskey, and lold the negro to lean 
 back his head and I poured it down his 
 throat. I paid Hoffman for the whiskey, 
 and started Congo for Hanover. On the 
 road, he asked me if it was his old or his 
 young master that was at Hanover. I told 
 him he was a young man; he then said he did 
 not care, as he did not fear his young mas- 
 ter as much as he would the old man. I 
 then asked him from what reasons he ran 
 away; he began his reason, that he used 
 to drive the team, and that they charged 
 him with stealing salt. 
 
 We arrived in the town of Hanover 
 about two o'clock in the morning with ne- 
 gro Congo. Just before we came to Mr, 
 Eichelberger's, the house where his mas- 
 tor was, he begged me to untie him, that 
 he did not like to meet his master tied. I 
 told him, that made no odds that it was 
 night, and nobody seen him; I roused Mr* 
 Eichelberger up, and requested him to 
 
235 
 
 awaken his guest, and inform him that I 
 had his negro. Mr. Eichelberger who is 
 a perfect gentleman in every respect, and 
 one of the laziest men in York county, he 
 was too lazy to rise and let his guest know 
 that I had his negro; and told me to take 
 him to my house and keep him till the next 
 morning; thinking no doubt to shab me off 
 in that way. But the owner of the negro 
 heard us, and he demanded a candle, and 
 Mr. Eichelberger at last was forced to get 
 up, contrary to his wishes. I took the ne- 
 gro into the bar-room, and by this time the 
 master was there. I told him that I be- 
 lieved I had got him his man. He held 
 the candle close to the negro's face, and 
 interrogated him saying, "Well, Congo, is 
 this you," to which Congo answered, yes, 
 sir. He asked the negro how he had 
 been; he told him very well. He then ask- 
 ed him if he had got all his business ar- 
 ranged in Pennsylvania; Congo allowed he 
 had — to which the master expressed a sa- 
 tisfaction; saying to me, I wish you to se- 
 cure him until morning, that he was a 
 smart, keen, shrewd fellow, that for his 
 
236 
 part he could do nothing with him. I then 
 took a chain and chained him to the stovcy 
 made a good fire into the stove, and left 
 him, and I went home — when morning 
 came, I went up to Mr. Eichelberger's ta- 
 vern, about seven o'clock in the morning, 
 and found master and servant in the bar- 
 room. His master bade me good morning^ 
 and asked me it I would take some bitters. 
 I told him I had no objections, so we took 
 a horn together, and he asked me where 
 he could get a pair of hand-cuffs made. I 
 told him he could get a pair of hand-cuffs 
 made at Hensy Mauser's blacksmith shop. 
 We started off together to the shop, and 
 on the road to the shop, I asked him where 
 he lived. He told me he lived in Frede- 
 rick county, Maryland, near Liberty town; 
 so we got our irons made, and fixed them 
 on him, went back to Mr. Eichelberger's 
 tavern; he paid me the fifty dollars, and I 
 shared the reward with my comrade Wm. 
 Albright, and put out home, and the Fre- 
 derick county man and Congo they put out 
 for their home. 
 
 The time of year was arrived when me- 
 
237 
 
 chanics of my profession are obliged to lay 
 upon their oars. I was spending my time 
 in all sorts o^ fashions. One evening I 
 happened to go to the house of Henry Bear 
 who kept a public house in Hanover; and 
 while there, an old collier of the name of 
 Fetzer, he was in the tavern pretty well 
 how-come-you-so. Fetzer had a spang 
 new coat on, what folks now a days at a 
 fair estimate would term, a long tail'd blue, 
 and had in his coat pockets a parcel of 
 ginger-cakes. I got some beer, and got 
 the landlord to enter into a conversation 
 with the old collier, and while the collier 
 and Mr. Bear were in the height of their 
 conversation, I took up the beer and pour- 
 ed it into old Felzer's pockets among his 
 ginger-cakes, and began to chafe the poc- 
 kets pretty well; and it may be as easily 
 imagined, as described, what the cakes 
 looked like without much strain of imagi- 
 nation. Fetzer he let go the landlord, and 
 he began on me, by asking if I was the big 
 plasterer. I told him I was; he then said 
 that he knew me dis long while ago. I 
 told him, inasmuch as we knew one ano- 
 
238 
 ther so well, that we ought to drink toge- 
 ther; that I would buy a quart of beer, if 
 he would buy one too; to my proposition he 
 was agreed on the spot; so he called for a 
 quart of beer, we drank that; and I called 
 for another, and drank that too; and I ob- 
 served, tliat I snielled somewhat a sort of 
 a disagreeable smell; the rest of the com- 
 pany they chimed in whh me to heighten 
 the sport, that they smelled it too; and the 
 landlord said, that something was not right 
 amongst us. I made a proposition that all 
 hands should be inspected, and the guilty 
 one should pay a gallon of beer for his 
 misconduct, to which Fetzer was also 
 agreed. A general search was then uisti- 
 tuted, and nothing was found — we all 
 agreed that it was too delicate a subject 
 for one man to feel every man's pockets in 
 the company, that every man should have 
 tlie freedom to search his own pockets, 
 and by that, every man in company put 
 his hand into his pocket, and eld Fetzer 
 he had forgot his ghiger-cakes, and not 
 knowing that I had poured beer into his 
 pocket and chafed them well together; and 
 
239 
 
 it is well Ivnovvn to every body the nature 
 and tenacity of ginger-bread and its gene- 
 ral appearance. When all hands were 
 drawn out of the respective pockets into 
 which they had been thrust, the ginger- 
 bread hung to Fitzer's hand like wax, his 
 fingers were stifffull of the stuff, and his feel- 
 ings were very much hurt at his dilemma. 
 The whole company burst out in a roar of 
 laughter, that lasted at least fifteen minutes 
 without any kind of abatement, and as loud 
 as any I ever heard, which terribly morti- 
 fied our old collitr. After the burst of 
 laughter was over, we washed his hand 
 and cut out the pockets out of his coat; he 
 immediately attached all the blame to me, 
 and the more I tried to convince him he 
 was in a mistake, the closer he laid the 
 charge to my door. I then by way of offset 
 threatened_,to have the pocket brought in 
 and examined to see what was in it. I 
 told the hostler to go and bring in the poc- 
 kets, and that if I was guilty, that I would 
 pay the beer. I then asked the old collier, 
 if any thing was in his pocket before he 
 came into the house. He said, that he had 
 
240 
 
 nothing in them before he came into the 
 house. I said if that was true, that I would 
 pay for the beer; so then the pockets were 
 produced and examined, and their contents 
 were declared to be ginger-cakes; when 
 the ginger-cakes were named to him, he 
 recollected that he had bought six and a 
 fourth cents worth before he came to the 
 tavern. He was convinced in his own 
 mind that he had fost the bet, and was 
 agreed to pay for the gallon of beer; to 
 which I objected, and told him that he 
 should pay only for the one half, that I 
 would pay the other half, by way of mak- 
 ing good friends with the old lad. He, after 
 the beer was drank, he set awhile talking, 
 and at last he called for his horse to go 
 home. The horse was brought out and 
 hitched to the sign-post; the night was very 
 dark; I slipped out while he was talking to 
 Mr. Bear, and turned the saddle hindside 
 foremost, and slipped the bridle-bit out of 
 the horse's mouth, and then went into the 
 house again and sat down by the stove. 
 He in the conversation with Mr. Bear, his 
 landlord, forgot to pay bis bill which occur- 
 red to him; he hauled out his money purse^ 
 
241 
 
 paid his bill to Mr. Bear, and said, *'WelI, 
 I must go home," and out he went, got 
 hold of the bridle reins, threw them over 
 the horses head and mounted his old bay 
 horse. The lamp that hung at the sign- 
 post threw light on the subject, and the 
 saddle being turned, the old lellow pretty 
 well cocked, he thought that things were 
 not in their proper fixture — he addressed 
 himself to the landlord, "Bear, des is net 
 my saddel, er is zu verdamtd braed forne," 
 i. e. Bear this is not my saddle, it is too d — d 
 broad before. The landlord responded, O 
 yes, I think it is your saddle; the old col- 
 lier swore he would be d d if it was his 
 
 saddle, and dismounted his rosinante. I 
 placed the saddle at it ought to be, and we 
 allowed that the hosder had made a mis- 
 take about the saddle — after the saddle 
 had been planted right, the old fellow got 
 a straddle of his pony the second time; he 
 generally had a large cane with him; he 
 with his cane gave his old horse a clue 
 into his ribs, bade us all good night. 
 
 The bit being out of the horses mouth, as 
 he gave him the clue with his cane he reined 
 20 
 
242 
 
 him up by the bridle, gave a good smart pull 
 with the bridle, and off started the old pony, 
 took round the corner of Mr. Bear's house 
 and run into the shed, the place where he 
 had been hitched, as hard as he could lick, 
 the old fellow, when he found himself safely 
 moored in the shed, and felt sensible where he 
 was, he addressed himself in the German lan- 
 guage to his horse thus "du hist ein Narr, und 
 bleibast ein narr, so langed as du lebest, die 
 verdamter narr (ie. You are a fool, and you 
 will remain a fool as long as you live, you 
 damned fool) and at the last sentence he raised 
 up his cane and hit the old pony a hell of a 
 pelt across his head, we all followed the old 
 man and heard and seen the performance which 
 afforded us a good deal of amazement, I ap- 
 proached him and asked him what was the 
 matter, he said he did not know what the 
 DEVIL had got into the horse, that be could 
 not get him out of the shed, I then proffered 
 my services to him to lead out his horse for 
 him, I took the pony and led him into the street 
 and gave him a fair start, the horse he started 
 off up street, and ran towards the Diamond of 
 the town, and in the Diamond or rather on the 
 
243 
 
 opposite side of it was a Brewery, and the 
 road which led to it was through a gate which 
 was open, the pony made for the Brewery 
 yard, and run in among a parcel of beer bar- 
 rels, the dogs in the yard got after him, he hal- 
 lowed murder in Dutch, the brewer, he came 
 out and asked who was there, the old collier 
 he answered him by saying it is me; by this 
 time the brewer he had got his lantern to see 
 who it was, as he could not learn from his an- 
 swer he had given him; after he seen that it was 
 old Fetzer, he then knew him, lie got a hold 
 of his horse and led him out on the street to 
 give him a fresh and a fair start, then I made 
 my appearance (being concealed all the while 
 till then) I said to him well Fetzer, are you not 
 out of town yet; he said no, he was not out of 
 town yet, and he did not know when he would 
 get out, that his damned horse was fairly cra- 
 zy, I felt the horse to see if the bit was yet out 
 of his mouth and found it was, I let him go 
 again, and told him to take another start, he 
 did so and thought he was fairly started for 
 home, and instead of going down York street 
 in Hanover, the road leading to Fetzer'shome, 
 the pony he ran out the Abbotstown road to 
 a tavern kept in the suburbs of the town, by a 
 
244 
 
 Mr. Henry Michael, and there he run into the 
 shed, the old fellow found himself once more 
 in a shed which terribly offended the old col- 
 lier, he began to exercise his pony vvilli his 
 cane, and in raising up his cane he disturbed 
 a parcel of chickens that had roosted there, 
 they began to flutter and caw-caw, and the old 
 fellow swearing at his horse at a round rate; 
 by this time we were all there to see and hear 
 the sport. Mr. Henry Michael he was awak- 
 ened by the furss the chickens kept, he got 
 up and heard the rumpus in the shed, he asked 
 what was the matter, old Fetzer said to him 
 to go to hell, as he was very much enraged at 
 his pony's performance. Mr. Michael told him 
 if he-did not tell him his name that he would 
 shoot him, he told him he might shoot and be 
 damned, that his name was Fetzer, he then got 
 his lantern, got old Fetzer out of the shed, put 
 up his horse, took the old fellow into the house 
 to tarry there for the balance of the night, as 
 he couldnot get his horse home, and it was near- 
 ly day when we brought the spree to a close, 
 we put out home. 
 
 The next matter that presented itself to me 
 worth relating was, one day I was in the tavern 
 
245 
 
 of Mr. John Bart, an old fellow who lived at 
 or near the Pigeon Hills, accompanied by his 
 daughter, and her intended husband came into 
 the tavern for the purpose of a matrimonial 
 spree, he addressed himself to me and asked 
 me if I was the big plasterer, I told him 1 was 
 the man, he said that he had often seen me, and 
 invited me to take a drink with him, I went up 
 to the bar and took a drink with him, he then 
 began to tell me that they came to town for the 
 purpose of getting Suse married to that man, 
 pointing to her intended husband, and he was 
 a sweet looking lark, the old fellow he made 
 no secret of its being a case of necessity, aS 
 Suse had been fixed for slow travelling. The 
 old fellow he led me farther into his secrets, he 
 told me that a dollar and a quarter was all the 
 money the trio had in the world, he inquired 
 of me where I thought that they could get them 
 married the cheapest, I told him O yes I could 
 tell them that, and then told the old fellow by 
 way of sport how I fixed the Minister when I 
 got married, and told him that if he would 
 come back to Bart's tavern and spend the 
 balance of the money they would have left, 
 I would let him into the secret, he as well as 
 20* 
 
24G 
 
 the balance of the trio was asoapstick, he said 
 that he would spend the remainder of the mo- 
 ney cheerfully if I would put him on a way to 
 save some, so then the bargain was struck, and 
 I got anew half cent enveloped in two pieces 
 of paper and directed the old fellow to go to 
 Parson Meltzheimer and ask him to marrv 
 them, and when the whole ceremony was over, 
 and not before, he should give him the money 
 wrapped up, which direction the old fellow 
 kept tally agreeable to promise and direction, 
 the Hymenial knot was tied and the Parson 
 when his fee was handed to him he thanked 
 him for it, and he came back to the tavern 
 chuck full of it, and a dollar and a quarter in 
 pocket, so then came the rub, the dollar and a 
 quarter was all spent in wine, brandy and 
 cakes, while that lasted we lived jam, and ne- 
 ver gave it up until the money was all spent, 
 and all hands pretty glad. In a day or two af- 
 ter the wedding was over Parson Meltzheirner 
 had turned his horse out into his lot to let the 
 horse exercise himself, he was at the head of 
 his lot, I went up through my lot which was 
 adjoining Parson Meltzheimer's lot, and asked 
 him if he had married a couple a few days 
 
247 
 
 ago, he said he had, with a small laugh on his 
 countenance, he asked me if I knew them, I 
 told his reverence I did not, that I only had 
 seen them. I made a supposition to him that he 
 had been well paid by them for his service, he 
 replied that he had not been paid so very well, 
 and allowed that I had the regulating of the 
 fee, 1 told him I had been asked where I al- 
 lowed that they could get the job done the 
 cheapest and I allowed that it could not be done 
 cheaper any where, he allowed in conclusion 
 of our confab that the poor creature wanted all 
 the money he had, and I allowed so too. The 
 next was a hoggish cast of performance as it 
 was in my hog killing time, our hero went the 
 whole hog, tail and all, John Barts was my 
 place of general rendezvous for sport, I was 
 setting in his tavern one afternoon, there was 
 from the Pigeon Hill country a man who had 
 about three sheets in the wind, he had a won- 
 derful gift of the gab, and I thought I had been 
 peculiarly blest in that way, I soon found by 
 experience that I was far behind the lad in 
 that particular and to make up on my part, 
 when he got too fast for me I held in my hand 
 a small switch which I occasionally drew a- 
 
248 
 
 cross his mouth when it ran too fast for me, 
 and he then would try to catch it, we kept 
 on that piece of sport until at length the end 
 o f my switch took my old fellow in his eye, 
 the eye begran to weep water pretty freely, 
 being smartly wounded, some of the wags that 
 were in the room, full of fun and presum- 
 ing that they could work upon the fellow's 
 feelings, they asserted that I had jobbed the 
 fellow's eye out, and kept up the delusion so 
 well, that the fellow began to believe il him- 
 self that his eye was really knocked out, they 
 to heighten the sport with the fellow began to 
 express vindictive feelings towards me for the 
 injury done him, saying if they were him that 
 they would have me taken up, I told them they 
 need not apprehend me that I was willing to 
 do any thing that was right, and added that I 
 would send for a Doctor and hear what he 
 would say, by this time they had worked so 
 far upon the poor devil's feelings that he cried, 
 and the water trickled down his cheeks as fast 
 as rain, and they allowed that 1 should be very 
 quick in my sending for the Doctor, that the 
 aqueous humor of the eye would all be de- 
 stroyed; J tiien told my companions and feigned 
 
249 
 
 competitors that here was the Doctor, and we 
 took him and stretched him out on the bar- 
 room table, and the examination then commen- 
 ced, the Doctor declared the eye defunct, and 
 said that he must put in a new one, and John 
 Bart was butchering hog's that day, I went into 
 his yard and got a hog's eye, went into the 
 house and gave it to the Doctor, and he fitted 
 the hogs eye and placed it right to the place 
 where an eye ought to be and tied it up with a 
 handkerchief; after they had been matched by 
 the Doctor he expressed a good deal of self 
 complaisant satisfaction at the idea that the 
 eyes matched so well as it was the only one 
 that he now had left, he began to feel lor his 
 Wife and children, he allowed that it would af- 
 ford him a world of pleasure if he could only 
 see them once again. They then told him that 
 I was in the habit of fooling with every body, 
 and at last had the misfortune to put his eye 
 out for him, that if they were him that they 
 would go down to Squire Shultz and they would 
 sue me, the Doctor (Lauman) told him he 
 would give him the bill for fixing a new eye 
 into his head, which he allowed should be fifty 
 dollars in case he would sue me, and I had to 
 
250 
 
 pay for it, and if he had to pay for it himself 
 he would charge him twenty dollars only. So 
 then the pretended Doctor furnished the bill, 
 and got him started to go to Squire Shultz, be- 
 fore we got him to the Sqoire's shop, he had 
 got the whole town into an uproar, every man, 
 wo wan and child within the hearinarof his voice 
 .were at their doors and windovvs to see and 
 liear him for he kept on incessantly hallowing 
 and. bawling out "Herr Jesus my aug" i — e oh 
 Loji-d Jesus, my eye, it took the jockey nearly 
 .one. hour io get from Mr. Bart's tavern to the 
 , Squire's shop, for by turns he would forget 
 hinriself and he would shut the wrong eye, and 
 tfen he would fix himself in the attitude of some 
 awk\yard clown, playing hlind man's buff, 
 groping his way and getting the help of some 
 mischievous boys to help him along on the road 
 toder Schultz, as he said, at length he came to 
 the Squire's shop, surrounded by a mob of 
 boys, the appearance of which made the 
 Squire's dander raise, he addressed our hero 
 pretty gruffly what he wanted, he told Squire 
 Schultz in as pitiful manner as he possibly could 
 that ^'der gross plasterer hat mir my aug he- 
 raus geschlagne" and was going to show the 
 
251 
 
 Squire, that what he said was stubborn 
 facts; he raised up the handkerchief and' 
 bandaging-, and as he disturbed thetti, out 
 fell the hog's eye on the pavement; that 
 performance satisfied the Squire, that the 
 whole mess was a hoax; he shut the door 
 on the lellow and went into the house, and 
 themobofbojs that were around hini, 
 they got alarmed at the dropping of thfe' 
 hog's eye on the pavement, they all put 
 out, and our hero stood on the pavemerit" 
 all alone. He cried most bitterly when h^ 
 seen the cold charity of the world shower- 
 ed on him so profusely, he picked up his 
 hog's eye and went back again to Joha, 
 Bart's tavern. When he came to the ta-^ 
 vern, we put his eye to itsi place a second' 
 time, and suggested to him the idea of his 
 going to bed; he consented to go -to b^d 
 and we landed him safely in bed; the nej^t* 
 morning his eyes were well enough, he put 
 out home, and the whole of, it w{iis.h.oggish,, 
 and so ended the hog eye spree. , : ,,. 
 
 The next affair was a rouger \v|}uQhha,p,t, 
 pened in Gettysburg, between,,Dr. jV^nr^. 
 pike and myself, in company of several of 
 
252 
 
 the most worthy and respectable citizens 
 of that borough, amongst which were 
 Messrs. Barney Gilbert, Lewis Shaver, 
 and Mr. Welsh and others. This Dr. Van- 
 pike was a dandy in the fallest sense of the 
 word; his manners, together with his habits, 
 rendered him a complete nuisance in every 
 decent man's opinion; as he was fond of 
 gin, he kept a supply of that article con- 
 stantly in a flask about him, to use it when 
 he wanted a horn. The landlord, Mr. B..^ 
 Gilbert gave me an introduction to Dr. Van* 
 pike, and after the usual ceremonies of an 
 introduction were over, the doctor, who 
 wanted to blow off"some of the exquisite — 
 he asked me if I understood the science of 
 fencing with the broad sword. He blowed 
 a puff or two as to his acquirements in the 
 science. Barney Gilbert told me, that the 
 doctor kept his gin bottle in his coatee poc- 
 ket, that I should accept his challenge and 
 break the bottle of the doctor; he said that 
 if I succeeded in breaking it, he would treat 
 me to a bottle of wine. So then after the 
 doctor had blown off the steam for his broad 
 sword acquirements, I told him I under- 
 
253 
 
 stood the broad-sword exercise mvself, and 
 thought that I was no slouch at it; the doc- 
 tor understood that the challenge was ac- 
 cepted; he was provided with a cane and 
 ready for action. I asked B. Gilbert if he 
 could supply me with a cane. He said 
 there was canes in the bar, that I should 
 go into the bar and pick a suitable one for 
 myself; so 1 stepped into the bar and got ix 
 common walking cane, and came back to 
 the room in which our doctor and the rest 
 of the company was. The spectators m^ ' • 
 room for us two combatants at the ' ** 
 sword. The doctor he gave rri^ oroacl- 
 of command, "make ready" -the word 
 answered, "ready." He —to which I 
 figure one; at the wor^^ ' ^^f' «^^^' ^^^ 
 up cane and hit my , ^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^"^' ^ 
 the gin bottle, a^ , ^^"^^'^ ^ P^^^ ^^^^^^ «^ 
 for him; whe- ^^'^, '"^f^^"^ .^^^ ^^"^^^^^ 
 
 broke he '^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ 
 
 ^ Y said that I knew nothing at all 
 
 .road-sword exercise. I told him I 
 
 ^^ ght I did know a goo<J. deal about it,. 
 
 .at I drew blood the very first cut; which 
 
 remark raised a tremendous laughter at 
 
 the expense of the doctor's feelings. He 
 
 21 
 
264 
 
 allowed that I knew nothing at all about 
 it, or I would not have struck so low; to 
 which I answered, that I knew that his 
 heart laid pretty low, and concluded that 
 I had bursted his boiler for him; here end- 
 ed the broad-sword business; he got the 
 bar-keeper to pick out the pieces of the 
 bottle out of his pocket; we however drank 
 friends, and the whole company were de- 
 lighted at my dexterity at the business, and 
 at my peculiar success and skill of manage- 
 ment to get the whole victory so trium- 
 phantly. 
 
 We then went to bed and slept soundly 
 for that night on our broad-sword business 
 and the next morning then came the tug 
 of war. Our doctor he arose and display- 
 ed as much foppery as would have done 
 the folks in the borough of Gettysburg for 
 a month. He came outcap-a-pee with his 
 ruffle shirt, parading about the house, like 
 a peacock in the spring of the year; he, 
 when I came into the bar-room to get my 
 boots, was walking lo and fro in the room; 
 when he seen me and I seen him, he had a 
 glass of wine or gin standing on the stocks 
 
255 
 
 ready to devour it, and an egg laying along 
 side of it; he bade me a good morning; I 
 responded; said he to me, I'll bet you a 
 glass of bitters that you cannot tell what 
 that is, pointing to the egg; I told him I'll 
 bet you; I then went and laid hold of the 
 egg^ broke it, and let it fall into his glass 
 of hquor, and drank it (>fF, and then said 
 to him — I believed it was an egg. He look- 
 ed at me, and asked me, if I did not intend 
 to retaliate, which expression tickled me 
 so much, that I could hardly contain my- 
 self, as he was guilty of murdering the 
 king's English. I thanked him, and said 
 that I did not wish another drop; he look- 
 ed at me, and said to me, that from what 
 he yet had seen of me, that I must tte a 
 very impudent man; I aaked him, before I 
 answered, if I had not the common right 
 to think too; he said, certainly; then I an- 
 swered him and said, I thought he was a 
 very big fool, which caused another big 
 laugh at my doctor's expense. To give the 
 whole business the finishing blow, I began 
 to complain of being very unwell; after I 
 had made my complaint as long as I could, 
 
256 
 
 he, as a doctor, asked me the nature of my 
 complaint. I pretended to be totally unac- 
 quainted with the technical phraseology of 
 complaints, I gave him to understand that 
 I was laboring under vcnery, and he made 
 very light of it, and said that he could and 
 would cure me for ten dollars. 1 told my 
 doctor if he would cure me, that I would 
 cheerfully pay him twenty dollars; so tlien 
 he asked me to walk with him into his 
 room for the purpose of seeing how the 
 land laid, to which I objected upon the 
 modest principles of human nature. He 
 •made very light of the matter, and allowed 
 it was nothing at all; still I refused to go 
 .with him into his room, and suggested the 
 idea to him to go with him to the stable to 
 stand his examination, so down me and 
 my doctor went into the stable for the pur- 
 pose aforesaid, and he wished to see, and 
 I cautioned him that I could not control the 
 water by any means, so down he stooped 
 to take a look, and 1 let him have a squirt 
 pop into the eyes, into his face over his 
 ruffle shirt, and bepissed him all over, that 
 he could not see a single stiver; after this 
 
257 
 
 dreadful accident had occurred to me, or 
 say rather to the doctor; he allowed that 
 
 I might be before he would do any 
 
 thing for me again; and it offended Dr. 
 Vanpike so much, that he was determined 
 to see himself righted at common law; he 
 went to one of the Judges of the Court, 
 which then was in session, and complained 
 of my mal-treatment towards him. The 
 Judge told him that he knew nothing of the 
 affair, and could not take cognizance 
 thereof, that he should apply to an attor- 
 ney who would conduct the affairs for him; 
 when he had received at the hands of the 
 Judge the poor consolation above stated, 
 he allowed that there was no baJm in Gi- 
 lead for him, so he just bundled up his 
 duds and left the house. Whenever Bar- 
 ney Gilbert sees me, this spree occurs to 
 him, and has a hearty laugh at it. 
 
 The next was a spree of a character 
 with a friend of mine of much serious in- 
 terest; it happened in the town of Hano- 
 ver. My readers will come^to the same 
 conclusion with myself, when I shall have 
 related to them the circumstance: — My 
 21* 
 
258 
 
 friend he had the misfortune to get tipsey, 
 and did not wish to expose himself in the 
 condition in which he was in; he wished 
 me to take him to a certain lady's house, 
 in which he would be countenanced and 
 allowed to get sober again, without any ap- 
 prehension of being exposed; so we went 
 to the house, it was late in the night, she 
 had been in bed and soundly psleep. We 
 went to the back door and found our way 
 into the house and took possession of one 
 of the back rooms of the house, and in 
 grouping about in the dark lor a chair, I 
 got my hand on a flax- hackle and hurt my 
 fingers. I told my comrade that I had found 
 a chair, that he should sit down until I 
 should have found a bed, so down he sous- 
 ed plump upon the hackle, when he got in 
 contact with the flax-hackle and the parts 
 I need not name; he sung out murder most 
 horridly, which frightened our old lady; 
 she got up to see who we were; to allay 
 her fears, I told her who we were, and for 
 what we came there; she then came into 
 the room we had taken possession of with 
 a candle — and my friend who had a light 
 
259 
 colored pair of pantaloons on, he was all 
 over blood from his heels up to the false 
 seat of honor, and with an addition of at 
 least sixty holes pierced in his behind, and 
 indeed I cannot say, that I felt the least 
 compunction at heart for playing such a 
 painful trick upon my crony. 
 
 In the spring of the year, I took a notion 
 to take a look at the Western Country, en- 
 tertaining a remote idea, if the country 
 pleased me, that upon my return I would 
 sell ofi* and remove my family. In the 
 month of March I started off from Hano- 
 ver, and bent my course for the West, and 
 never came to a halt until I had arrived in 
 the emporium ol the West (the city of Cin- 
 cinnati,) when I arrived there, 1 spent 
 about six days in taking a good look out 
 through the city, to see how things went 
 on — during that short space of time, I be- 
 came acquainted with the firm of T. and 
 E. Graham, merchants of that city; they 
 were in the act of building a handsome 
 country seat, which in part was ready for 
 plastering when I became acquainted with 
 them. I made an engagement with them 
 
260 
 
 to work for them at the house for two dol- 
 lars per day — I then had to undertake two 
 rooms and finish them, which was to be 
 the sample pattern of my professional abi- 
 lities, and if he approved of my perform- 
 ance, I then was to have the balance of 
 the whole house, and if he did not like my 
 performance, he was to have the privilege 
 of dischars:in£]C me after the two rooms 
 were done — before my two rooms were 
 done, Mr. Graham boasted of my facility 
 in working; he allowed that I could do as 
 much in one day at plastering as any man 
 he had as yet seen at the business could 
 do in two; and expressed himself, that he 
 had a very cheap hand at his house, which 
 I learned as I have already stated. This 
 piece of intelligence coming from so high 
 and responsible source as the firm of T. 
 and E. Graham, spread itself among the 
 hands pursuing the same trade with myself 
 in the city; they called out at Mr. Graham's 
 country seat to see me at work, and every 
 one of the craft made themselves acquaint- 
 ed with me, and told me that I done the 
 work too cheap for Mr. Graham. I told 
 
261 
 them that I had popped on the job at a hap- 
 hazard not knowing any thing about the prices 
 of labour in or about the city, the first man 
 that made liimself acquainted was a Mr. Thorb, 
 a boss plasterer, he offered nie two dollars and 
 fifty cents per day if 1 would come and work 
 for him, 1 as a stranger naturally felt a strong 
 disposition to get into business. 
 
 I told him that I could not then make an im- 
 mediate engagement not until I had finished the 
 one I then had on hand, and when the two 
 rooms which 1 had engaged to finish were done 
 and my boss did not raise the wind I then 
 would come to him. So I finished my two 
 rooms, I then asked him how he liked my 
 work as he had a sample then before him to 
 judge for hinaself, he said that he was very 
 well satisfied with my work, and that I now 
 should go on with the balance of the house 
 without delay, I intimated to him that I could 
 not work for him any longer for the wages he 
 was giving me, that the plasterers had inform- 
 ed me that I was working at prices which were 
 lower than was the usual rates in the city, he 
 wanted to know from me who those plaster- 
 ers were, my informants, I frankly told him 
 
262 
 that Mr. Thorb offered me two dollars and fif- 
 ty cents per day, or twenty cents per yard if I 
 rather chosed te work by measurement, he 
 then asked me how many yards I could plas- 
 ter in a day, I told him I could plaster fifty 
 yards in a day, he told me that he was very 
 much pleased with my work, and I should go 
 on to finish his house for him, that he would 
 double my wages, so when he offered me the 
 four dollars per day as wages I went on to 
 finish the house, and added that he could get 
 me into better business than Mr. Thorb could 
 if I would finish his house as I had commenc- 
 ed it, I told him that the balance of the work 
 to be done in his house should be equally as 
 well done as the part I had then finished, I 
 assured him and did the firm of T. and E. 
 Graham equal justice with myself, in re- 
 gard to my work^ I done the work well, and 
 in a workmanlike manner, and speedily too; 
 when his house was entirely finished, as a mark 
 of satisfaction entertained by them as to the 
 discharge of my duty,he told me that he would 
 get me a good job, that would last me the 
 whole summer, he recommended me as a su- 
 perior plasterer, to a Mr. John H. Pyatt, who 
 
263 
 
 is a gentleman so well known to every body- 
 in or about Cincinnati that to attempt to de- 
 scribe him would be spending time and words 
 uselessly, though I am not now writing for a 
 community that exactly is in the latitude of 
 Cincinnati, and shall content myself to tell my 
 readers who are residents of the Lord knows 
 where, that Mr. John H. Pyatt was in them 
 days the only enterprising man in the city of 
 Cincinnati, who built first rate houses, and 
 who is the man who had the City Hotel built, 
 he kept about one hundred hands employed of 
 various professions, in putting up the most 
 splendid buildings that were erected in the 
 city, he was very rich indeed, he had a bank- 
 ing establishment of his own, to him I got a 
 letter of recommendation from the firm of T. 
 and E. Graham. Mr. Pyatt engaged me to do 
 some buildings for him right straight away, 
 upon the strength of Messrs. T. and E. Gra- 
 ham's recommendation at two hundred dollars 
 per house, and the only condition was that I 
 was to do them as well I had done Mr. Gra- 
 ham's. So then, gentle reader, you may sup- 
 pose 1 had my hands full, and to work I went 
 right merrily at Mr. Pyatt's houses, and work- 
 
264 
 ed away till I had finished five houses, 1 drew 
 as much money from him nearly every week or 
 two as paid olFall my hands and kept my teeth 
 clear; while I was engaged at the sixth house, 
 which I had about half finished^ a report was 
 circulated that his bank had stopped payment, 
 and it was only too true for joke; the hands in 
 his employ all went up to his banking house 
 to see, and it was confirmed what had been 
 reported; at the time the bank was broke, I ow- 
 ed my hands about ten dollars, and I had fifty 
 dollars of Mr. John H. Pyatt's bank paper in 
 my trunk, I paid off my hands with it, and then 
 I came off as independant as a wood sawyer. 
 In a day or two after the breaking of the bank, 
 when the bustle was over, and the excitement 
 was a little cooled down, I went to Mr. 
 Pyatt to see if I could squeeze some of the 
 necessary out of him to carry me home; I inti- 
 mated to him my intention of returning home, 
 and having sold my horse, when I came into 
 the city wished to purchase another to carry 
 me home, and such like things, which were 
 indispensibly necessary on a journey, he heard 
 me, and w^hen I had done with what I had to 
 say he asked me where my place of residence 
 
265 
 
 was, 1 told him that I lived about five hundred 
 miles eastward of Cincinnati, near the city of 
 Baltimore, he told me that if he gave one, that 
 he would be bound to give to all ihe hands 
 upon equitable principles; I told him my case 
 was an exception, that the rest were inhabi- 
 tants of the city, and I was a stranger — he told 
 me if I would go to the State of Kentucky to 
 keep his conduct towards me a secret he would 
 give me one hundred dollars to buy a horse 
 for me; he lent me one of his carriage horses, 
 and off I started for Kentucky and purchased 
 a horse for myself, the money I had was not 
 counterfeit as he had only stopped payment, I 
 did not know its solvency, nor did Mr. Pyatt 
 know that fact, it turned out upon inquiry into 
 the solvency of his banking establishment that 
 it was bursted all to flinders. 
 
 I brought my horse over to Ohio, he looked 
 at the horse and allowed that I had made a 
 very judicious purchase, I then put at him a- 
 gain for another additional lot of money to car- 
 ry me home, he rather was for baffling me;his 
 wife asked me if I had a family, I answered 
 her I had a wife and five children, and that I 
 had no way of supporting them only by my 
 22 
 
266 
 daily exertions and earnings, she then address- 
 ed herself to her husband and said under those 
 circumstances that he might give me some as- 
 sistance, he asked me if 1 was indebted much 
 in the city, I answed his question that I ow- 
 ed about fifty dollars, he told me as I was 
 going away and would keep it a secret he 
 would pay me a hundred dollars in Eastern 
 money, and the farther sum of fifty dollars of 
 the Miami Exporting Company, if I would 
 give him a receipt in full. I made the best of 
 a bad bargain I could, took him up at his offer, 
 took the cash, executed the receipt by him re- 
 quired of me. From there I went to my board- 
 ing house and bei^an to make arrangements in 
 settling up my little affairs to take my final a- 
 dieu, the day before I started for my home I 
 called to see my worthy friends T.and E. Gra- 
 ham, to give them my good bye, he sympathiz- 
 ed with me and regretted very much that I 
 had such bad luck with Mr. Pyatt, by whom 
 I lost the sum of nearly four hundred dollars. 
 In our conversation an elderly gentleman step- 
 ped into the'store-room of E. and T. Graham, 
 a merchant, by the name of Taylor, from Bal- 
 timore, he inquired if he knew of any gentle- 
 
267 
 man that was going Eastward, Mr. Graham 
 observed to him that 1 was going Eastward, 
 Mr. Taylor asked me when I was going to 
 start, I told him I was ready to go the next 
 day, he said he would be glad if I could delay 
 another day that he would like to have com- 
 pany, 1 told him that I should start in the af- 
 ternoon of the next day, and I then would tra- 
 vel slowly, so then I bade Mr. Graham a cor- 
 dial farewell, and on the following afternoon I 
 put out for the East and overtook a young 
 man from St. Louis, travelling towards the city 
 of Philadelphia, we lodged together for that 
 night, and discovered to one another our pur- 
 suits; I observed to him that a gentleman was 
 coming on from Cincinnati for Baltimore, that 
 he was a half day's ride behind us; he observ- 
 ed that we would jog on our own gait, if he 
 overtook us well and good, and if he did not 
 overtake us was no matter. We were travel- 
 ling in the month of August, the weather was 
 very hot and sultry, we took advantage of ear- 
 ^ ly starting in the mornings; one morning we 
 made a start earlier than usual, we had before 
 us a very steep hill, a very narrow road, and 
 a long uphill, w4ien we came to the summit of 
 
268 
 
 the hill, it was a complete thicket of Laurel, 
 we were a talking, I espied ahead a large bun- 
 dle lying in the road, to which I invited my 
 travelling companion's attention thereto, he 
 asked me what I thought was the meaning of 
 it, my apprehensions were awakened, and in- 
 deed roused to a considerable pitch, and sur- 
 mises began to present themselves to me of an 
 unfavorable character, which multiplied them- 
 selves with the rapidity of thought, I observed 
 that I was apprehensive that robbers were a- 
 bout, and had lain a bait for travellers, or that 
 a murder had been committed; after the re- 
 mark had been made by me I found that my 
 companion changed colour, from a rosey red 
 to pale, if I did not look as I have described 
 his looks they betrayed my feelings; as we ap- 
 proached the bundle a good looking young 
 man emerged from the laurels with a large 
 club in his hands, he bade us a good morning, 
 he picked up the bundle, and at the distance 
 of eight or ten yards out came another young 
 man and he too armed with a club in his hands, 
 we had not gone five yards further until the 
 third one arrived, as the two former ones were. 
 
269 
 
 made his appearance, and tliey kept company 
 with us, they inquired of us how far we were 
 going along this road, we told them we were 
 going on to Pittsburgh, one of ihem asked us, 
 if we were mechanics, I told him yes, he asked 
 how far we intended to go for breakfast, we 
 told him we intended to go about eight miles, 
 he asked me how far we had been out west, I 
 told him we had been as far as Cincinnati, he 
 asked us if we had been to work, I said we 
 had not, that we could get no work there, ihey 
 then began a confab amongst themselves, and I 
 began to urge my horse ahead, one of them ob- 
 served that we should not be in a hurry, I told 
 him I wanted to get on to my breakfast, we 
 rode on pretty smartly for a few miles, until 
 we were sure we were freed from their com- 
 pany, which we by no means desired; when 
 we thought that we had cleared the skirts of 
 harm's way we then jogged on as usual, many 
 strange sensations pervaded my breast, and 
 many schemes of defence presented themselves 
 to me. 
 
 While we were annoyed with their company 
 we rode ten miles before we could get break- 
 fast, which we succeeded in getting at a ta- 
 22* 
 
270 
 vern, we dismounted and got our horses some 
 hay while our breakfast was getting ready, 
 and after we had attended to our horses we 
 then went into the house, and called for some- 
 thing to drink, we were at ease resting for a- 
 bout three quarters of an hour until our break- 
 fast should be ready, during this time we made 
 our landlord acquainted with our adventure 
 with the three sturdy fellows who we had met; 
 as 1 have already described; the landlord he 
 then told us that he had often heard that there 
 was a band of robbers about Cadiz; we asked 
 how far it was to Cadiz, he said it was thirty 
 miles, 1 told him that perhaps they were going 
 over there, and I said that I was very glad that 
 we had got clear of them; he said that we had 
 reason to be glad, for there was no knowing 
 what folks of such depraved manners would do 
 as they were as ready as willing to do any 
 thing; in this time we were called into a room 
 to take our breakfast, and before 1 sat down I 
 took off my brace of pistols and laid them on 
 the mantlepiece, and while we were eating 
 our breakfast, our unwelcome companions 
 came into the tavern, they called for some bit- 
 ters, the landlord waited on them, and while 
 
271 
 they were drinking one of them asked the rest 
 if they would stop and take breakfast, the rest 
 said no that they would go on, one of them he 
 espied my brace of pistols laying on the chim- 
 ney piece, he drew one of them out of thebol- 
 stersjhe observed to his comrades here is a nice 
 pair of pistols, his comrade he came up and 
 took a look at the pistol, and the initials of my 
 name was engraved on the barrel W. O., for 
 William Otter; said he to the one that first in- 
 vited his attention to the pistol, W. O. what 
 does that stand for, the other said it stood for 
 wo, and by this time me and my comrade came 
 out of the room we were eating breakfast, in 
 the bar-room, they were a set of tremendous 
 impudent fellows, one of them said to us that 
 they had caught up with us again, I answered 
 him yes, they picked up the bundle and took up 
 a line of march ahead of us again; as soon as 
 I seen the manouvre I observed to my comrade 
 that we were just in as bad a box as we had 
 been in early in the morning with the lads; the 
 landlord's impressions of the fellows was un- 
 favorable, he allowed that they were after no 
 good from what he could deduct from their 
 conduct; he cautioned me to examine my pis- 
 
272 
 tols and keep my shooting irons in anriple or- 
 der, that I should reload them, and if they 
 manifested any of the slig-htest disposition to 
 attack us just to crack away and pop them 
 down; I thought the landlord's council very 
 good, I drew the loads, reloaded my pistols 
 and put them into serviceable order, I asked 
 the landlord how far it was to the next tavern, 
 he said fifteen miles. We at last got on our 
 horses and started, and travelled about four 
 or five miles; when w^e were at the foot of ano- 
 ther hill, we espied the lads sitting on a rock 
 at a small branch close to the road side, we 
 came up to them, one held a bottle in his hand, 
 he asked us if we would not stop to drink; I 
 thanked him and said I believed not, he in his 
 vulgar way of expression said that we had as 
 well, as wish we had not, by this time my 
 companion he put spur to his horse and put 
 out and I after him, and they hollowed after us 
 as far as we could hear them; we rode on to 
 Mr. Moore's tavern. About the middle of the 
 afternoon I told my comrade that we would 
 stop here and feed our horses, the day was ex- 
 ceedingly warm, I ordered the hostler to take 
 my horse to the fountain pump and wash himj 
 
273 
 
 we went in and called for a gin-sling a piece, 
 and Mr. Moore invited us into the parlor; I 
 laid myself" down on the settee and took a nap 
 to myself, my comrade he wakened me and 
 said to me that we had better be travelling on. 
 I got up, expressed my willingness to go ahead, 
 I then told him to order out our horses and I 
 would pay the bill, I asked Mr. Moore what 
 our bill was, he said 37 1-2 cents, I paid him, 
 and asked him how far it was to the next good 
 house, he answered me the question, and said 
 it was about five miles, we then got on our 
 horses, bade him good bye and started. We 
 rode on until we came to the five mile house, 
 we there inquired if we could be accommoda- 
 ted with lodgings for that night, the landlord 
 he told us we could, we had our horses put 
 away, called for supper, we ate supper, after 
 that office had been performed we signified our 
 wish to the landlord to retire to rest, a good 
 many travellers had stopped there for quarters 
 for the night, the landlord he put us into a small 
 room right over the passage, the room had but 
 one window and one door, there had been at 
 one time a lock to the door, but at this time 
 nothing was there but a latch, I told my com- 
 
274 
 rade that I would stick my knife over the latch, 
 for fear our three unwelcome guests might 
 come there that night, I stuck my knife over 
 the latch, laid my pistols under my pillow, my 
 comrade he laid his dirk under his pillow, he- 
 ing weary and fatigued we fell asleep, we 
 slept about two hours or thereabouts, I awoke 
 and heard a tapping at a room door, and I seen 
 a candle through the key hole of our door, I 
 wakened my comrade slyly, I told him that I 
 believed that them fellows was in the house; we 
 both sat up in bed, I grasped my pistols and he 
 laid hold on his dirk, we presently heard a tap- 
 ping at another room door, and still seen the 
 candle, said I to him you may depend they are 
 here, said he I believe they are. 
 
 I felt my comrade trembling in bed, a 
 mark of confessed fear. We both got up 
 out of bed, hauled on our pantaloons, and 
 we watched the key hole very sharp; we 
 then seen two men come out of the room, 
 the one had a candle in his hand, and the 
 other had a club in his hand. I then told 
 my comrade, that there was two of them; 
 they retired for a sh.ort time into a distant 
 apartment, at least I judged so from the 
 
273 
 
 disappearance of the light of the candle. 
 I whispered to my partner, if they made 
 the attempt to beset our room with a view 
 of forcing their way in it, that then I felt 
 convinced that evil was their intentioH? 
 that he should take a pistol, he should shoot 
 the oncj and I would take the other and 
 shoot one also, that we would make sure 
 work of our game. We sat down on our 
 bed listening, and coolly waiting for the 
 attack which we apprehended; at length 
 sure enough they came to our door; they 
 wrapped at our door twice; when he wrap- 
 ped a second time, I arked him, who is 
 there; he answered, the landlord and ano- 
 ther g-entleman who wished to see us, that 
 we should not be alarmed. I told them, 
 that I thought that nobody had any busi- 
 ness in our room this time of the night; by 
 this he tried to raise the latch of the door; 
 and I cautioned them, if they would force 
 their way into our room, the first man that 
 would dare set his foot into it I would blow 
 his brains out; and my comrade he cauffht 
 the word, and said that he would blow out 
 any man's brains that would dare set his 
 foot into our room. The landlord, he said 
 
276 
 
 to us, that that was all right enough, and 
 said he wanted to reason the case with us. 
 We said that we wanted an explanation 
 from him. He began to tell us, that Mr. 
 Moore, his neighbor was along with him, 
 that a gentleman had put up at his house 
 who had been robbed, and he wished to 
 know if any of the robbers had taken re- 
 fuge in his house; — at this piece of intelli- 
 gence we opened the door, and let them 
 in; as soon as Mr. Moore entered our room,, 
 he said he knew those two gentlemen, that 
 we had stopped at his house that after- 
 noon; we all sat down on the bed, and he 
 related the circumstance of a certain Mr. 
 Taylor from Cincinnati to Baltimore, who 
 had been attacked about one and a half 
 miles from his house by three robbers, who 
 took him off the road about one hundred 
 yards, blind-folded him, and cut off his 
 bridle-reins, and tied his arms behind him 
 on his back and robbed him of sixteen hun- 
 dred dollars; when they attacked him, it 
 was about two o'clock, P. M., and they let 
 his hor^e run in the thickets, and kept Mr. 
 Taylor tied and blind-folded until sun down;, 
 
277 
 two of them had resolved to kill him, the 
 third one however was not agreed to de- 
 stroy Mr. Taylor's iife, as he was an old 
 man. After the resokition had carried that 
 they would spare him his life, he began to 
 get a littie heart to speak to the robbers, 
 and expostulated with them to let him have 
 as much money as would carry him home; 
 one of them then asked of Mr. Taylor 
 where he lived; he told them that he re- 
 sided in the city of Baltimore, that he hop- 
 ed that they would give him as much mo- 
 ney as would take him home. They said 
 yes, that they would act honorable with 
 him — so then they gave him back eleven 
 dollars ol his money. After the} had given 
 back the money, they then gave him com- 
 pany until the sun was down, they then 
 loosened his arms, and enjoined it on Mi\ 
 Taylor on pain of being shot, that he should 
 not untie the handkerchief which they had 
 tied over his eyes, until they were out of 
 sight. 
 
 The old gentleman he kept it on until he 
 heard no more of them, he then then took 
 it off. The next thing Mr. Taylor done, 
 23 
 
278 
 
 was to go in quest of his horse, which he 
 at last found in the laurel bushes — he made 
 his way out of the thicket to the big road 
 to Mr. Moore's tavern, the best way he 
 could, and then gave the alarm. 
 
 Mr. Mcore had several mechanics at 
 work, he gave them horses and sent them 
 out in every direction in pursuit of the rob' 
 bers, as well as himself; he made every ex- 
 ertion in his power which brought him to 
 our lodgings, and from whom we got the 
 first piece of intelligence of Mr. Taylor be- 
 iui:^ robbed. 
 
 1 then told him what we had seen in the 
 morning, gave him a fair description of the 
 men, and of their performance, and added 
 that I believed that they were the robbers. 
 When we ate our breakfast, I deducted a 
 fact from an expression made use of by the 
 landlord, whieh made me believe that those 
 fellows were from Cadiz, as he said there 
 was a band of robbers in that neighbor- 
 hood. Mr. Moore he came to the conclu- 
 sion, tliat he would get one of his neigh- 
 bors to accompany him, and that he would 
 push for Cadiz instantly. Mr. Moore thank- 
 
279 
 ed me for the information I had imparted 
 to him, bade us good night, and started for 
 Cadiz. The next news I then heard was, 
 that Mr. Moore had overtaken the very 
 three fellows who had anno^^ed us so much, 
 just as they were going into the town of 
 Cadiz. On the second day after they had 
 committed the robbery, Mr. Moore reco- 
 vered Mr. Taylor's money from them all, 
 except sixteen dollars which they had 
 spent. After the apprehension and the 
 confession of the robbery, the replacing of 
 the stolen property, it followed as a matter 
 of course, that they smoked for their impu- 
 dence in the penitentiary. 
 
 On my road home, I undertook a job of 
 work to plaster in the town of Waynesburg, 
 of some considerable extent, the Catholic 
 Church in that town. After I had made 
 the bargain, I then left Waynesburg and 
 moved off for Hanover, my place of resi- 
 dence. I rested myself a kw days on my 
 return; after the fatigue of the journey had 
 worn off a Uttle, I went back to Waynes, 
 burg to finish what I had engaged to com- 
 plete. When I came there, I began work 
 and finished the job, and when I was done 
 
280 
 there I did not get the money for doing it. 
 The fall of the year was at hand, and I had 
 no money. I had beef and pork to pro- 
 vide for myself and family, and no money 
 to pay for it. To raise the wind, I went to 
 the city of Baltimore and sold my horse 
 to a Mr. Sullivan, a master tailor, for a new 
 suit of clothes and eighty dollars in ready 
 rhino. I then came home and laid in tny 
 provisions for my family, and laid on my 
 oars for that winter. Some time during 
 that winter, niy brother Edward wrote a 
 letter to me, to come on tl e Eastern Shore 
 of Maryland, assuring me the sum of tVv^o 
 dollars per day during the summer. I laid 
 the mutter before my wife, and we came 
 to the conclusion that we move to the 
 neighborhood of my brother on the East- 
 ern Shore; having in my possession a house 
 and lot in the town of Hanover, which I 
 had purchased, and on which I owed the 
 sum of six hundred dollars, and v^dshed to 
 get rid of it at any rate, as times was dcU 
 in Hanover; I thought that by those means 
 I would be able to effect a sale of my house. 
 I went to the man whom I owed the money 
 
281 
 
 to, and told him my intention, and offered 
 him my house in the liquidation of the debt. 
 He as much as called my proposition a 
 fudge; I assured him that I was in real 
 earnest about it; and to convince him in a 
 few days after I got ready, went on to the 
 city of Baltimore to get a vessel that would 
 carry me and my family to the place where 
 my brother resided in Somerset county, 
 Maryland; and I waited in the city of Bal- 
 timore until my wife came on to join me 
 with the family — in three days I was joined 
 by my wife and the rest of the family. The 
 old fellow who had thought all was a joke, 
 until I had left Hanover for good, he seen 
 that I was in earnest — he accompanied my 
 wife to the city, and there bought the 
 house; in that time 1 had rented the house 
 for one year, at sixty dollars rent. We 
 agreed that I was to give him an order to 
 draw the rent when it should have expired. 
 I gave him at the advice of the Squire in 
 the city, instead of an order, a note for the 
 rent; if Mr. Hays paid the rent, the note 
 should be null and void; and if Hays did 
 not pay the rent, in that event Mr. Peter 
 23* 
 
282 
 
 Winebreniier would have my note, which 
 he held m his possession for ten years, and 
 at the end of that time he sent the note to 
 an attorney in Fredericktown, who brought 
 suit thereon, and he obtahied a judgment 
 m Frederick County Court against me for 
 the whole sum, principal and interest; it 
 amounted to one hundred and twenty-five 
 dollars, inchidiLig the costs, fo now I re- 
 turned to Ballimcre, as I had to make a 
 short digression from the even tenor of my 
 Eastern Shore trip, as I then thought I 
 went clip and clear, but in ten years I 
 learned better than ail that, I paid for the 
 roast, particularly if Mr. Hays paid the 
 rent lo Mr. Winebrenner; so here we go 
 to the Eastern Shore, the whole crew of 
 us, and in three days we got safe to the end 
 of my journey, and arrived in safety at my 
 brother's. He appeared very glad to see 
 me: he took a walk with me the next day 
 to shew me the place; — every man, wo- 
 man and child were touched with chills 
 and fevers — as far as they came under my 
 observation; at the sight of these poor fel- 
 lows I began to get the horrors. I frankly 
 
283 
 
 told my brother that I never would stay: 
 in that countiy. He asked me my rea- 
 sons why, I told him I had too good a wife 
 to bring there to die, as all the folks I had 
 seen were candidates for the bone-yard. 
 He asked me, if I would not do General 
 Wilson's house while I did stay there. I 
 told him I would not strike a single stroke 
 for any body, that if I did once begin work 
 that perhaps I could not quit when I want- 
 ed, and while I was clear I would stay so. I 
 stayed with my brother four v/eeks, and 
 then a chance presented itself to me to go 
 up to the city. 
 
 I took my v/ife and family along, and we 
 set sail lor the City of Washington; 1 ar- 
 rived in the City after a voyage of three 
 weeks and t'lrce days. The first man I met 
 in the city who I knew, and who was a gen- 
 tleman of character, was Mr. Jas. M'Sher- 
 ry, a member of Congress of the United 
 States, which was then in session. He 
 gave me a recommendation to a boss as a 
 first rate hand at my business. The boss 
 who had undertaken to do the Capitol, 
 told me that I was too early, that if! would 
 
284 
 stay till May, that he would give me work. 
 I had my family with me, my expenses 
 were heary, and my money began to run 
 short, I could not stay until May. I made 
 a stay of three weeks in the city — in these 
 three weeks I seen Mr. M^Sherry again; 
 he asked me how I had succeeded. I told 
 him that I was too early to get any employ 
 at the Capitol. He asked me to be patient, 
 that he knew that Mr. John Nelson, also a 
 member of Congress was then about build- 
 ing a house in Frederick City, perhaps he 
 could get me into business there. He then 
 spoke to Mr. Nelson about it in my pre- 
 sence. Mr. Nelson made his reply to me, 
 that his house was partly engaged, yet, 
 when he came home he would get me to 
 assist in the finishing of it. I told Mr. John 
 Nelson that I resided in Baltimore: when 
 the building was ready, he sent his boss 
 plasterer down to see me. I went to 
 Frederick-town and helped to finish his 
 house — when that job was done, I got the 
 house of Mr. John Schly,Esq.to do on my own 
 contract, and when 1 had finished his house 
 which amounted to threehundred and eighteen 
 
285 
 
 dollars I went back to Baltimore again; by 
 this time it was in the autumn of the year, 
 I opened an oyster shop for tliat season, when 
 I also attended to the selling of horses, among 
 the rest of my purchases of horses I bought 
 one that was stone blind, which he got by a 
 water founder. I rode the blind horse and led 
 two others down to the horse market, a gen- 
 tleman by the name of Ellicott he asked me if 
 the horse I rode was for sale, I told him he was, 
 he asked me what I would take for him, I told 
 him that I would take one hnndred and ten 
 dollars for him, he asked me to move him, I 
 did so, I found he had a notion for him, I gave 
 the two liorses I led to a boy to take care of 
 them until Mr. Ellicott examined him, and after 
 he had examined him all over excepting his 
 eyes, wliich 1 held up so high that he could 
 not see them, he asked me if tlie horse work- 
 ed, I told him I would insure him to work any 
 place, he would hitch him, he then said, I will 
 give thee eighty dollars for him, I thought if 
 I had the money, he might have the horse, but 
 to keep trade agoing I observed that I was of- 
 fered more money for him at home, I did not 
 like to make such a big fall, I offered him the 
 
286 
 
 horse at ninety -five dollars, he told me if 
 he would work as I said, he would give me 
 eighty-five dollars for him, I insured him 
 to work as well as any other horse in Balti- 
 more, I told him he should have him for $90, 
 he said no, that he would give me $85, and not 
 a bit more, I told him to take the horse, he 
 took the horse and paid me the eighty-five dol- 
 lars, I took the saddle off him and the bridle, 
 put the saddle on one of my other horses, and 
 as soon as convenient I put out from the horse 
 market, to Mr. King's tavern, Howard street; 
 I had been there scarcely half an hour until 
 Mr. Ellicot came there in quest of me, the first 
 words he said was, ''Thee is here is thee," I 
 said yes as we were all personally present, 
 he said that horse of thine is blind, and thee 
 knowest it, I told him if the horse was blind, 
 that I hoped he was not; he requested Mr. 
 King to keep me in his custody until he should 
 be ready to procure a constable to apprehend 
 me. Mr. King told him that I paid my way 
 and he had no control over me; he started off 
 inquest of an officer, and while he was search- 
 ing for a constable I submitted the case to Mr* 
 King for his opinion about the business, when 
 
287 
 
 Mr. King learned that I had insured no farther 
 than that the horse would work; he allowed 
 that I should stand the rubs, that Mr. Ellicott 
 had no proof, and no great matter would arise 
 out of it, so I staid to buffet the storm; present- 
 ly he met on the street an officer, of the name 
 of William Rosensteel, a man whom I knew 
 very well at Hanover, they came in, and Mr. 
 Ellicott pointed me out to Mr. Rosensteel as 
 his man, when Mr. Rosensteel seen me, he ad- 
 dressed me in the familiar phraseology, well 
 namesake how are you, I said to him in turn 
 well William how are you, Mr. Ellicot he said 
 to Mr. Rosensteel to take me to the Squire — 
 Mr. Rosensteel refused him that office, upon 
 the grounds that he had no authority to arrest 
 me; he then called Mr. Rosensteel out, and I or- 
 dered my horses out, in a i^ew minutes he sent 
 Mr. Rosensteel into the tavern with authority 
 to make an overture to me to take back my ; 
 horse, he would give me ten dollars, I seen in 
 his overture a ketch, and got Mr. Rosensteel. 
 to tell the story before Mr. King, he told it 
 again, and I told Mr. Rosensteel to tell Mr. 
 Ellicott if he would add a' bottle of wine to his 
 proposition that I would take back the horse, 
 
288 
 
 he then came in and asked Mr. King if he would 
 be so good, and let his black boy go down to 
 the horse market for the horse, Mr. King an- 
 swered yes, I offered him one of my horses to 
 ride down, that lie could do it in less time — 
 while he was gone (the boy) Mr. E. observed 
 that he would sooner lose ten dollars than go 
 to law about il; Mr. Roscnsteel said it was best 
 when men could settle things among themselves. 
 So we drank wine and talked until the black 
 boy came back from the horse market with 
 the horse; I went out and told the boy to put 
 him up in the stable, and returned to the house, 
 went into the parlor to my company and set 
 lown, Mr. E. observed to my friend I should 
 like to go if thee art ready, I told him that I 
 was ready and wished also to go, thee has to 
 give me back seventy-five dollars, said he to 
 me, oh no, said I, you are to give me ten dol- 
 lars, or 1 would not have taken the horse back 
 again; oh no, said he, that is not at all our con- 
 tract, I appealed to Mr. King and Rosensteel; 
 that what I had said was our contract, so then 
 we were completely at issue as to the con- 
 struction of our bargain; Mr. King and Mr. 
 Rosensteel were called upon to define our con- 
 
289 
 tract, and what they understood, and how they 
 understood the contract, when they definitely 
 decided that I was to take back the horse, and 
 Mr. E. was to pay me ten dollars. He got up 
 from his seat and addressed himself to me in 
 these words, does thee think that I am a fool, 
 which question I popped directly at him, and 
 said to him does thee think that I am a fool, 
 he got into a passion, paid for the wine and 
 put out, I got on my horse and went to the 
 horse market to sell the rest of my horses, so 
 ended this quaker horse business. 
 
 The next spree was a comical performance, 
 it arose on an order that was given to me for 
 five dollars, which said order I gave to J. M. 
 of Emmitsburgh for goods, the drawer of the 
 order refused to pay it when it was presented 
 to him for payment, and Mr. J. M. came to the 
 city to lay in a stock of spring goods, he met 
 me on the street, and after the usual saluta- 
 tations were over, he told me that the order 
 which he had taken for the goods he had sold 
 me was unredeemed, and claimed the amount 
 from me; I told him that the drawer was bound 
 to pay him, that I certainly owed him nothing; 
 he in plain terms told ine that he would coer$c 
 24 
 
290 
 
 payment, and asked me where I lived, I tolo 
 him I lived near Irishtovvn, so he got a war- 
 rant to carry his promise into execution, gave 
 it into the hands of a constable, and 1 was a 
 newcomer, the officer did not know me, but 
 having from description an idea of me and 
 my place of residence, just as I wus eating 
 dinner, the constable, he wrapped at the 
 door, I asked him to walk in, when he had 
 come in, he inquired does Mr. Otter live herCj 
 I said no sir, he moved away from here yes- 
 terday, over to Old Town; at this piece of in- 
 telligence the constable shabbed off, and as he 
 was in the act of stepping out I inquired of him 
 if he had any business with him, he told me 
 that a gentlemen from the country had placed 
 a warrant into his hands for him; I told the 
 constable that it was not worth his while to go 
 after Mr. Otter, that he was worth nothing, at 
 any rate, he told me he did not intend to both- 
 er his head about it, that he had been paid the 
 cost. Afier I had palavered the constable in 
 the manner I have already related, he put out, 
 and I finished my dinner,and wentto my work; 
 in about a week after I made myself acquaint- 
 ed with this selfsame officer, I inquired of him 
 if he had seen Mr. Otter yet, he told me he had 
 
291 
 not, I asked him if he would know him if he 
 did see him, he said he would not, but from 
 the description he had from the gentleman from 
 Emnnitsburgh, that he must be a man of my 
 size; I thought the performance of the prank 
 so well played off on my part, too good for any 
 man to consume by himself; I imparted to the 
 constable the secret, that I was the man, he 
 appeared Well pleased, he asked me into a ta- 
 vern, and called for something to drink to top 
 it off. While I was doing the plastering at the 
 house of Mr. John Grabill, near Emmitsburgh, 
 we had a charming spree with a certain John 
 Brown, whom Mr. GrablU had ennployed to 
 dig a well for him, inasmuch as he had good 
 livin and malin as the Scotchman would term 
 it; at Mr. GrabilPs he made shift some how or 
 other to maice a long job of it; he was often- 
 times taken sick from no apparent causes, led 
 Mr. Gabrill to suspect him, for not being as 
 temperate, as Mr. Brown endeavored to make 
 himself appear in the estimation of Mr. Gra- 
 bill. Mr. Grabill one day suggested to me 
 the idea, with a view to detect Mr. Brown, to 
 take a bottle of whiskey over to Brown's to 
 see if he would take the bait; Brown he lived 
 in one of Mr. GrabilPs houses, 1 took a bottle 
 
292 
 
 of whiskey one evening, which IMr. GrabiU 
 gave me to try Brown on, as he had been 
 sick for a few days as per report, and went to 
 Brown's; when I had talked a wliile I asked 
 them if they had any thing to'drink in the house, 
 Mrs. Brown observed that they had not at that 
 time, I said to her, I supposed it was no harm 
 to drink, if a body had any thing to drink;I then 
 drew my bottle on them and said that I had got 
 a bottle full out of the still-house, which we 
 would drink if they would keep it a secret and 
 not inform on me, they made solemn protesta- 
 tions of eternal secrecy, produced two bowls, 
 Mr.Brown and myself drank whiskey punch to 
 ruin Bessy, as John Brown used to call his 
 wife, produced sugar, and drank in turn her 
 bowl like a man; she, dear sowl, made the 
 time fly fast, with fne charms of her melodious 
 voice; she sung songs for us like a nightingale; 
 the higher we raised the steam the nicer the 
 thing went. When I came home from my first 
 whiskey mission,to Mr. Grabill's,they were all 
 in bed; the next morning Mr. GrabiU came into 
 the building where I was at work, he asked me 
 bow Mr. B. was, I told him he was a great deal 
 better, he asked me how the whiskey business 
 took, why said I, they took it all; said he, does 
 she drink too, yes said I, she drank her share. 
 
293 
 well said he, William you must lake another 
 bottle full of whiskey over to them to night a- 
 gain, and then I'll talk to them. When even- 
 ing came, he filled the bottle, gave it to me, 
 and away I started for Brown's, with the se- 
 cond jorum; when I came to the house I said 
 that I had another bottle full of stingo, and as 
 soon as I had that out Bessy paraded the sugar 
 bowl, and we made whiskey punch just in the 
 same way we had done the evening before; we 
 went through all the wheelings and facings, and 
 w^hen the fountain was dried up, I took my 
 bottle and started off for Mr. Grabill's, went to 
 bed; the next morning Mr. Grabill came to 
 get the morning report, which was the same 
 as the day before, none missing at the bottle, 
 Mr. Brown still on the sick list, and would 
 certainly remain sick or convalescing for a 
 month if I had appeared every evening with a 
 whiskey bottle. Mr. Grabill he said that now 
 he would go and talk to them himself, I said 
 yes that he now could learn himself what ailed 
 them. Mr. Grabill he went in a day or two 
 after to Mr. Brown's, and when he came back 
 he told me that he met Bessy near the house, 
 he inquired of her how Mr. Brown was, she 
 said to Mr. Grabill that he was getting some- 
 24* 
 
294 
 
 thing better, he said that if he was able to work 
 that he did not like to be disappointed, he 
 would like that he would come and work; he 
 then popped the question at her if he ever 
 drank any whiskey, she said no indeed; he said 
 he wanted to ask her one question, and prefa- 
 ced it with a hope that she would tell him the 
 truth, she said well what is it, he asked her 
 did my plasterer ever bring any whiskey here 
 Bessy denied it most manfully, saying in reply 
 to Mr. GrabilPs inquiry, no indeed, he never 
 did, God knows; he then let her into the secret 
 as she thought; he, Mr. Grabill, gave her to 
 understand that he had heard that 1 had car- 
 ried away some of his whiskey, she still denied 
 that I had ever been there with whiskey; he 
 then asked for Mr. Brown, she told him he 
 was in the house, he rode up to the house, dis- 
 mounted, and walked in the house, and asked 
 Brown how he came on, he told him that he 
 was getting better, that he would soon be able 
 to go to work; he asked Brown if Otter, his 
 plasterer, ever came over to see him. Brown 
 told Mr. Grabill that I did sometimes, he then 
 put the same question to Brown he had put to 
 Brown's wife, and prefared it with, that it was 
 
295 
 
 not for the sake of the whiskey, only the sat- 
 isfaction of knowing the truth about it, and said 
 that he hoped he would tell him the truth about it 
 as such he had been informed was my conduct 
 in smuggling away his whiskey unbeknownsto 
 him; Brown allowed that the question which 
 was popped at him was a pretty hard one,Gra- 
 bill told him that it did not hurt him, and all the 
 satisfaction he wanted was that I should own it 
 to him, he only wanted to know if I was guilty 
 of it or not; Brown, he was so closely pressed 
 and such strong convictions pervaded his breast 
 and Mr. Grabill seen the workings of the fel- 
 low's inward monitor, and a hard look of Mr. 
 Grabill at Brown, he was conscious that Gra- 
 bill seen in his countenance the guilt, he then 
 told Mr. Grabill that I had carried to his house 
 one bottle full , and alleged that one bottle full was 
 allheknew of. Now all I want is that the plas- 
 terer will acknowledge the truth said Grabill to 
 Brown, and if he denies it I'll put him out of 
 harm's way for one while. At this juncture 
 Mr. Grabill came home, he told me that he 
 got Brown to own to it, that 1 had carried 
 whiskey to his house. He gave me to under- 
 
29G 
 
 stand that when Brown came over that I should 
 humor the joke, I told Mr. Grabillthatl would; 
 Brown had no rest, he came over the next day, 
 he came to the building to inform me that Gra- 
 bill had been at him to inform whether I had 
 carried whiskey to his house, and he pressed 
 him so hard that he had imparted to him the 
 fact, and he labored under an apparant fear 
 for me that a serious afiair might grow out of 
 it between Grabill and myself; when I seen tlie 
 consternation Brown was in, I told him that he 
 had betrayed me, that he should have told Gra- 
 bill by no means; I added, to excite the fellow 
 the more when we had him on the fence, that 
 I would not for one hundred dollars that Gra- 
 bill should know it, he said that Grabill had 
 said to him that if I would own to it that was 
 all he would ask; I told him that as he had told 
 it that I would be forced to own to it now, and 
 said that I sooner than own to it, I would go 
 one hundred miles, and took my hawk and 
 trowel and threw them on the mortar board 
 violently, as a mark of sovereign contempt for 
 his infidelity in betraying me, and continued, 
 that was the first whiskey I ever took to any 
 place, and it should be the last; Brown began 
 
297 
 
 to make apology by saying that Grabill had 
 pressed him so hard that he was forced in a 
 manner to tell; and by way of an offset to 
 smooth the ah'air he had said that I had brought 
 one bottle. I told him he might as well have 
 told him that I had carried the two as the one 
 that 1 would have to own to it any how. The 
 next morning Brown came to work, and the 
 dinner table was 'the theatre to finish our sport 
 with Brown, Grabill he began on me in this 
 manner, I have a question to ask you and hope 
 you will tell me the truth; said he, did you ever 
 carry any of my whiskey over to Mr= Brown's 
 house, I told him yes that I had, he asked me 
 where I got it, I told him where every body 
 else got it, at the still house, he asked me how 
 much I had carried over to Brown^s; Brown 
 answered for me and said one bottle, to make 
 valid the lie he had told about it; why said I 
 Brown you certainly must know that I brought 
 to your house two bottles full, you and I and 
 Bessy, we drank it; well, he said, there miglit 
 have been two, I told him why to be sure there 
 was two, I said it was not worth while to say 
 a word of a lie about it, for I cared nothing at 
 
298 
 all about the whiskey. Grabill to humor the 
 joke asked me in rather a sarcastic tone and 
 manner if I had paid for the whiskey, I told 
 him no, but could pay for it, he said that was 
 against his rule to carry away whiskey with- 
 out his order, or paying for it, I told him I did 
 not know his rules, I thought that I might take 
 that liberty, allowing myself the privilege to 
 pay for it at any time, as I was working there. 
 Brown, when we came out from dinner, allow- 
 ed that I had come off devilish well. Grabill 
 then unveiled the joke and told Brown that he 
 had acted a very bad part in the play; he gave 
 him a lecture about his intemperance, and ad- 
 ded that he must do better hereafter, or else he 
 would give him the sack, that he had acted 
 the worst of the two in the whiskey business. 
 Brown he took care in future of No. one, and 
 when he came home his dear wife, Bessy, abu- 
 sed him outrageously for his treachery. In the 
 affair between the two he formed a resolution 
 of becoming a sober man, which he pretty 
 strictly adlieard to for the space of one year. 
 Brown he had a large dog who accompanied 
 his master faithful. Mr. Benjamin Yingling, the 
 boss painter, and myself, we came to a 
 
299 
 
 conclusion that by some means or oth- 
 er we would work the dog's death for a 
 piece of sport; one day after dinner, Mr. 
 Brown descended his ladder and was at the 
 bottom of the well, the dog laid on his clothes 
 near the well, Ben and myself we seized on 
 the opportunity, we got some spirits of tur- 
 pentine, caught Brown's dog and gave him 
 a touch of the stuff, and then went up stairs 
 in the new building to see the performance 
 which was shortly to take place; the spirits 
 of turpentine had its desired effect, the dog 
 began to manifest symptoms of uneasiness, 
 and at length he began to run round the 
 house hke all nature, and occasionally 
 would take a sleigh ride to himself, which 
 happened at or near the same spot, every 
 rounds he ran round the house we called 
 to Brown, and imparted to him our ideas 
 that we believed that his dog was mad,that 
 he was dancing waltz's and cutting all sorts 
 of fandango's. Brown he hastened up lad- 
 der with all rea?»onable speed, as he had a 
 deep interest at stake v/ith his faithful dog; 
 we cautioned Brown to take care of him- 
 self, as we seen hisdesire to catch the dogi 
 
300 
 not to caich him, that he assuredly would 
 bite him. Brown said he knew better, that 
 his door would not bite him if he labored 
 under hydrophobia; he after two or three at- 
 tempts caught him, and the turpentine tickled 
 the alfactory organs in Mr. Brown's nose, he 
 smelled the rat; he took the dog down to the 
 creek and held him into it to cool the parts that 
 had been annointed with the turpentine. The 
 distiller seen Brown at such an unusual occu- 
 pation as that of holding his dog in the manner 
 aforesaid, he asked him the cause, Brown said 
 somebody liad turpentined his dog; the distiller 
 told him to oil it, that oil would kill the effects 
 of the turpentine. After he had poured oil out 
 on the poor dog he came back, we asked him 
 if his dog had got well he said yes; we asked 
 what was the matter with him, he said some- 
 body had turpentined him, we disowned and 
 disclaimed any knowledge about it, as we 
 thought the dog was mad, we kept out of his 
 way for fear he would bite us. This trick 
 which had afforded us a good deal of amuse- 
 ment led me on to anotlier, w^hich led to the 
 destruction of the animal's life, as we were 
 bent on it never to give him up until his exist- 
 
301 
 
 ence had a period put to, which happened in 
 the following manner: Yingling and myself 
 w^ent to our respective homes on Faturday 
 noon, we returned on the following Monday 
 by dinner. When we quit work at night, sup- 
 per oil the table and all hands around the table 
 I asked Ben Yingling if he had seen any hand- 
 bills in the country where he came from, Ben 
 said he had; this ambiguous question excited 
 Brown's curiosity about the handbills, what 
 handbills said he, I told him of a gentleman 
 who resided in Baltimore, advertised for a dog 
 that could dive in the water to the depth of six 
 feet, and bring up twenty-five pounds weight; 
 that for a dog that could render such a per- 
 formance, he would give fifty dollars for, Ben 
 he allowed that there was a dog in their town 
 that could do it; Brown said that his dog could 
 do it "like a shot." We told him if his dog 
 could do it that we would insure him the fifty 
 dollars for him; we came to an understanding 
 and agreement the next day at dinner to try 
 him. The next day after dinner we took the 
 dog to Mr. Grabill's mill dam, tied a stone a- 
 bout 8 or 9 lb. around his neck and threw him 
 in the water, at the edge of the dam, he pad- 
 25 
 
302 
 died to shore with the stone round his neck 
 pretty well, we all admired his performance. 
 We then took a stone a few pounds heavier, 
 tied that round his neck and got into the flat j 
 Brown, Ben, and myself. 
 
 Mr. Grabill he staid on shore; we threw 
 the dog overboard, and to our surprise he 
 paddled to the shore the second time; we 
 admired that performance also, which 
 tickled Brown's fancy to the "nines." We 
 rowed our boat to shore, and I picked out 
 a nice stone about twenty pounds, weight, 
 allowincr that if he would briii2!' that to the 
 shore, that we wo aid insure him the fifty 
 dollars, (knowing that that was the last time 
 his dog was to see day light,) he insured it, 
 so we tied the stone round his neck, row- 
 ed the boat into the middle of the dam; I 
 took a look to see that all was well secur- 
 ed, and we hoisted the lad overboard in 
 the middle of the dam. I told Ben, that I 
 thought that he would come out up stream. 
 Brown he allowed, that he would come out 
 down stream. Ben allowed, that he would 
 come out at the side of the dam. We all 
 had our peculiar notions as to his coming 
 
303 
 
 out — I, of course, looked up stream; Brown 
 he looked down the stream, and Ben he 
 looked across the dam; and we looked for 
 the movings of the waters to see him come 
 out — the (log in the mean time was safely 
 moored at the bottom of the mill dam, with 
 a stone round his neck, dead enough; 
 when a sufficient time had expired to con- 
 vince all hands on board that the dog must 
 be assuredly drowned. Brown began to 
 cry, and whether he cried at the fate the 
 dog met, or for the fifty dollars, we never 
 could learn, and under either circumstance 
 we made him up the sum of two dollars 
 as a recompense for the loss of his dog. 
 The donations were given by the following 
 persons, and the respective sums, Mr. Gra- 
 bill gave one dollar; Benj'n Yingling and 
 myself spliced, and gave the other dollar, 
 and so ended that performance. 
 
 Another small fi*acas happened at the 
 same place, the boss he happened to take 
 sick, he gave me his negro man Frank to 
 carry the hod, who had a knack of his own 
 to finish every bottle of whiskey that came 
 into his way; one day, Ben Yingling and 
 
304 
 
 myself, we took about a gill of turpentine 
 and poured it into the whiskey bottle, and 
 as we went to our breakfast, Frank he at- 
 tended to the bottle as usual, and downed 
 the whole mess, whiskey and turpentine; 
 presently it began to operate on him; he 
 came into the kitchen crying, and asked 
 his mistress how his master was. She said 
 that he was very low, Frank expressed a 
 great desire to see his master, that he al- 
 lowed himself to die before his master, that 
 he had such dreadful burning in his belly^ 
 and still a crying to such an extent as to 
 alarm Mrs. Grabill, who was afraid to tell 
 Mr. Grabill; she told us of it; we told her 
 to let him alone, we knew what was the 
 matter with the lad, and when breakfast 
 was over, we went to Frank, who was in 
 the kitchen; we asked him what was the 
 matter; he said he was burning up alive. 
 We took Frank and gave him a bottle of 
 oil, which in a short time allayed the fever 
 in his intestines, the oil in the course of 
 some time produced a rumbling in his 
 guts, but in fine, relieved him. Frank let 
 bottles alone, he never minded them after 
 that. In the course of all my sprees, I 
 
305 
 
 have one to tell, that I shall call the story, 
 ''Dance to me, Miss Betsey." This Dance 
 to me Miss Betsey, happened near Berlin, 
 and in the following manner: 1 was plas- 
 tering a house for a gentleman in that 
 neighborhood, who had two negro boys, 
 who were in the habit of stealing the old 
 man's bacon. We watched the boys after 
 they had stolen a parcel of bacon, they 
 cprried it to a widow woman's house, a 
 tenant of his, who had a daughter whose 
 name was Elizabeth; the two negro boys 
 and Betsey ihey took a three-handed reel, 
 and of course Betsey was the Jack for both 
 sides; she was in the middle dancing to 
 one, and then presently the o;her one 
 would say, dance to me Miss Betsey, and 
 she would turn herself around to her sooty 
 companion and dance to him awhile; and 
 as they danced, the other would call and 
 say, dance to me Miss Betsey, and so they 
 kept up the sport in this way. The old 
 widow was sitting in the chimney corner 
 singing away for life, to whose music the 
 negroes and Miss Betsey kept time. Me and 
 my employer where all the while looking 
 25* 
 
306 
 
 on through the cracks of the house. In the 
 morning after breakfast; they were farmers, 
 the principal part of their work was in the 
 barn; the old fellow he armed himself with 
 a "cow hide," and called one of the boys 
 down from the barn-floor to the stable, 
 and then he told him, he intended to flog 
 him for stealing his bacon, and he began 
 to lay on, and every cut or two he would 
 say to him, "dance to me Miss Betsey;" 
 and when he was done with him he sent 
 him aloft, and told him to send the other 
 boy down. He came and was lambasted 
 in the same way the other one was, and 
 every once and awhile the old fellow would 
 say to him, "dance to me Miss Betsey." 
 They knew bravely what was intended, by 
 dance to me Miss Betse}^ as they had tak- 
 en the dance only the evening before, and 
 I think they would rather have repeated it 
 than the dance they had in the stable with 
 their master, and him to say to them, 
 dance to me Miss Betsey. 
 
 While in the neighborhood of Dillstown, 
 I w^as plastering a house for Mr. Mullen, 
 and while there, the evening of a singing 
 
307 
 school came round, we all agreed we would 
 go to the singing school, to hear and see 
 Mr. Thomas Essom, who was the teacher, 
 whose name and fame is spread far and 
 wide as a musical performer. I was de- 
 lighted with his performance, he sang 
 beautiful, his manly voice with deep swel- 
 ling tones, full and round, sounded solemnly 
 sublime in my ears. I think, as far as I 
 am able to judge? that he is really a master 
 of his profession; he is a master at music 
 in every sense of the word, and my opinion 
 is supported by men whom I have since 
 heard talk of him, say that he is the only 
 man, whom they know that is a master of 
 music in every sense of the word. Well, 
 then we had three or four other capers 
 which we played off, going to and from 
 the singing school, they will be related in 
 the order they happened — the first one 
 was, we stopped at the house of Mr. Kin- 
 dig, got our horses fed and we took sup- 
 per; we then drew about one dozen of su- 
 phcena's, and I served every one of them as 
 we went along on the folks, to attend an 
 arbitration on Saturday, in Dillstown. — 
 
308 
 
 Well, then we must leave this arbitration 
 business as it did not end till Saturday, 
 which will be related as it occurred. The 
 next was a spree we had with an old horse 
 farrier; we agreed to rouse huu up, so I 
 rode up to the door and hallooed — the old 
 fellow he answered. I told him to get up, 
 that there was a gentleman at Mr. Kindig's 
 tavern, had a horse that was taken very 
 sick with the cholic, he should get up and 
 go there; that the man said that if he would 
 cure him, he would give him five dollars; 
 Very well, said he, I'll be there directly, 
 and up he got, lit his lanthorn, went to his 
 stable, got out his horse; and we were in 
 the road watching him to see him start; so 
 on he got and rode to Mr. Kindig's tavern; 
 when he was started, we then jogged on: 
 when he came to Mr. Kindig's, every body 
 was in bed, and our old horse farrier had 
 to ride about two miles back again to his 
 home, and he never found out that I had 
 tricked him; he knew that he was tricked, 
 but not by whom. We laughed at his er- 
 rand, and no doubt he gave ue a planta 
 tions blessing about it; by the time he got t 
 
309 
 
 Kindig's tavern we were in Dillstown, 
 there we took a little parting drink, and 
 every man went to his respective home. 
 On Saturday then the arbitration business 
 came on in the afternoon, I went to Dills- 
 town to Mr. Howard's tavern, and there 
 was about one dozen of fellows in attend- 
 ance on the arbitration, and none of them 
 knew who was plaintiff or who was defen- 
 dant, and as I started for the town to see 
 the witness whom lEuphcened, Mr. Mullen; 
 he went along to give me an idea of them, 
 he knew them, being his neighbors, the 
 whole twelve were in attendance, and 
 were wondering what they were summon- 
 ed for — some of them inquired of Mr. MuU 
 len if he knew; he said he did not. I then 
 observed, that the parties who had them 
 summoned, might have compromised their 
 dispute. One of tl em asked me who was 
 to pay their expenses. I allowed that the 
 county would have to pay them.. They ob- 
 served, if they knew that^ they would not 
 have been caught there that day — some 
 got restive, and signified, that if the fellows 
 did not soon come, that they would go 
 home; and we kept them in talk, and at 
 
310 
 
 last they got into a kind of a caper and 
 staid till evening, and at last when it was 
 night we all put out and the arbitration 
 business ended all in smukc. 
 
 I plastered a house near Baughrnan's 
 mill, in Frederick count}^, and had with 
 me a man who made the mortar for me, 
 he was what is usually termed '*near 
 sighted;" when we had done our job, we 
 had about twelve miles to walk to get to 
 cur homes. I was ridinsr and the rest of 
 the hands were on foot; near the house of 
 General Sherman there was a parcel of 
 large white stones laying in the road, and 
 it was after day-light by the light of the 
 moon, and my man Friday had a dram 
 ahead, by this time we were in the middle 
 of this pile of stones. Said I to him, Bunty 
 take care of the goslings, and he could not for 
 his soul suppress his feelings at the caution 
 I gave him; he up with his foot and gave 
 one of the stones a tremendous kick, and 
 
 with an oath said, the goslings; he 
 
 bruised his foot at such a rate, that we 
 were obliged to tarry all night with Gene- 
 ral Sherman; we bathed his foot with vine- 
 
311 
 
 gar and camphor and put him to bed; we 
 made an early start the next morning", I 
 had to give him my hdrse and I had to foot 
 it; I took him home to his wife — his wife 
 she asked what was the matter; I told her 
 a gosling had bit him in the foot; she said 
 yes, and supposed he had whiskey too. I 
 said no, that he had not much, it was all 
 my fault, and I had to pay the bill at Sher- 
 man's, and Bunty paid the balance by being 
 disabled h^om work for about three weeks, 
 and so ended that business. 
 
 Near to the town of Hanover, the Car- 
 lisle and Hanover Turnpike Company 
 erected a gate to take toll within the pre- 
 cincts of the town, the turnpike company 
 had a very saucy Irishman as their gate- 
 keeper, through his impcrtinance he got 
 into the ill graces of every one of his neigh- 
 bors who resided in tow^n. I, as one, who 
 was determined to lead my Irishman such 
 a life as to make his berth a burden to him, 
 to tease him out of his life, and until he 
 should put out — it was in the dead of win- 
 ter, a snow fell, and in a day or two after 
 the snow had fallen, it blew bitter cold, I 
 
312 
 
 thought that would be the time to let a 
 prank or two fly at oar son of the Emerald 
 Isle, I made all the exertion I could to let 
 him have it, by getting all the hands I 
 could to join in the spree. We got about 
 eight or ten sleighs hitched up, and we had 
 one of the sleighs drove up to the gate 
 from town, and turned the sleigh towards 
 the town, and then roused up the gate- 
 keeper; when he got up, we started off and 
 drove into town; this performance was 
 played off on him by every sleigh — we had 
 at intervals sufficiently to make him rise 
 out of his bed, and time enough to let him 
 get to his bed and get warm in it. After 
 this manoeuvre we drove up all the sleighs 
 we had to the gate, and demanded of him 
 to rise and let us pass the gate. He refus- 
 ed to rise; we told him that if he did not 
 get up and let us through, that we would 
 hitch our horses to the gate and tear it 
 into splinters. At which menace of ours, 
 he got up and let ns through; lie seen what 
 kind of a gang we were, and the force we 
 could muster — he said he thought the devil 
 was in the people that night, he could hard- 
 
313 
 
 h tell how often he had been roused. We 
 told him by way of a taunt, that we would 
 make him rise just when we pleased, and 
 cracked whips over our horses and away 
 we went for M'Sherry's town at a merry 
 gait; when we came to M'Sherry's town, 
 we Slopped at old Oaster's and took a drink; 
 we then came to the conclusion to go to 
 Reinecker's tavern, and there we would 
 feed our horses and take our suppers. We 
 started off and drove up to Mr. Reinecker's 
 door, they were just in the act of going to 
 bed when we arrived — we went in and sig- 
 nified our wish to have supper and our 
 catde fed. He said it was too late; we in- 
 sisted on it, saying we were going to Get- 
 tysburg. His wife said she could get sup- 
 per. We unhitched all our cattle and got 
 them into stables and sheds; we had them 
 all well fed; after we had taken great care 
 of our horses, we went to the house and 
 asked for some brandy, not to forget our- 
 selves in the sleighing time. The old wo- 
 man she came in and asked what we want- 
 ed for supper. I told her we wanted sau- 
 sage and pudding, and nothing else — she 
 26 
 
314 
 
 then went to work to prepare our supper. 
 The old man he walked into the kitchen 
 and seen the preparations going on for our 
 supper — he, the old man, was a poor nar- 
 row-hearted, miserly, niggardly fellow; he 
 began on liis old woman, and threw out 
 insinuations that she had prepared too 
 much for us; whilst he was, as he thought, 
 learning his little wife to cook and to save, 
 I took it into my head to make him lose 
 on another point as much as he could save, 
 so I filled the stove chuck full of wood, and 
 it became outrageous hot. The landlord 
 had an old monkey chained to a box in the 
 house, which was kept for the pui po!=e of 
 keeping their stove wood in — ^^this box serv- 
 ed for a kind ot a place or kennel for the 
 monkey. I took the monkey and removed 
 him from his place of retirement, and 
 brought him to a more conspicuous part of 
 the bar room, I chained him as short as 
 the chain would allow, and around the 
 stove pipe, the stove was very hot, some 
 of the plates were red, and the monkey 
 within one foot of it; the heat of the stove 
 seemed very oppressive to the old fellow; 
 
315 
 
 he Eat on his haunches, rolled his eyes about 
 in his head at a frightful gait, lolled out his 
 tongue, and spread out his fore-paws as if 
 to screen him from the heat of the stove*» 
 and while the landlord and landlady were 
 frying puddings and sausages for us, I was 
 roasting the monkey — at last his situation 
 was intolerable, he screamed most horri- 
 bly; the old man he came running in to see 
 what was the matter, he seen the fix the 
 monkey was in; he ran to unchain him; he 
 had the bad luck to burn his fingers at the 
 monkey's chain. We then all agreed that 
 he must be cut loose, and at it we went 
 and cut the strap, and as soon as he found 
 himself at liberty he ran out of the room 
 into the kitchen, and jumped on the old 
 woman's back; the old woman knew no- 
 thing of the monkey being let loose until 
 he jumped on her back, and it frightened 
 her. The old man he could not catch him, 
 and for fear he would run over our pud- 
 dings and sausages we opened the kitchen 
 door that led to the back yard, and there 
 we almost froze him by the time we were 
 done with him, at last we caught him and 
 
316 
 
 tied him in his box, the place from whence 
 he came. After the monkey business was 
 over, our supper was ready, we all sat 
 down to supper, we ate all the puddings 
 and sausages that was prepared for us in 
 short order. We called for an additional 
 supply; she fried more and brought them 
 to us; we cleared the board the second 
 time and called for more; the old woman 
 she brought us a third supply, and we also 
 called for brandy, and no brandy was to be 
 had; we had drank his brandy bottle dry, 
 he would give us no more drinl:, and said, 
 that if we would quit eating and drinking, 
 that if we would only clear out, he did not 
 care if he would get pay for what we had 
 or not; we assured the old man that we 
 wanted to pay, and would pay all we al- 
 ready had, and would pay for all we would 
 call for; he should only get for us what we 
 called for, we would pay for all; and we 
 called for another mess of puddings and 
 sausages, she cooked what she had, and 
 we called for more — she said she had no 
 more to cook, that we had ate all she had 
 in the house. While we were paying our 
 bills, some of the company went and took 
 
317 
 
 old Reinecker's sign down, and hung it 
 up at a weaver's sliop, about three hun- 
 dred yards frooi the tavern, and wrote on 
 it, "Nothing at all lor sale here" — this was 
 done as a mark of humorist's, from the 
 facts that they were ate and drank dry by 
 us. We asked him, how much our bill was, 
 the old fellow was so wrothy at u??, which 
 confused his ideas so much that he could 
 not tell what it was in the gross. 
 
 We then took it per single man, and asked 
 him if 50 cents per man would satisfy him, he 
 said yes, so we paid him twelve dollars and 
 fifty cents, we drove home, one by one, at in- 
 tervals sufficiently long between to make our 
 Irish gate-keeper rise and go to bed again be- 
 tween our arrivals. That provoked him so 
 much that the next morning he went to the 
 board of directors and complainad that the de- 
 vil might keep the gate among the Dutch there, 
 they kept him up day and night, and he re- 
 signed to them the trust they had reposed in 
 him. He left the town and what became of 
 him no body knows, and no body cared what 
 became of him, all we cared for was to get 
 him away. 
 
 26* 
 
318 
 
 Once upon a time, I went to Westminster to 
 do a job of work; one day a gentleman and 
 his lady, who are by law acknowledged vaga- 
 bonds, came there to amuse the citizens of 
 Westminster with their performance, the lady 
 was to perform on the slack wire. She went 
 through the manual exercise and a great many 
 little capers; he performed on the violin while 
 she was performing, and he had the camera 
 obscura or the magic lamp, and other hocus 
 pocus, &c. 
 
 On the evening of their performance,me and 
 sundry other lads we went to this performance, 
 we took along with us a bucket full of water, 
 and a large horse syringe, accompanied by the 
 beau monde of the town. Well, when all was 
 in the room, the actress at length got on the 
 slack wire, and began by playing off some of 
 her exploits; at length she came to the military 
 part of the performance, when the word "fire" 
 was given, I had prepared m3^self with the 
 horse syringe full of water, I let her have it 
 right on the false seat of honour; being some- 
 what of a practioner at the art I made sure work, 
 and brought my game to the floor. She gave 
 
319 
 
 tongue by screaming and hollowing, her dear 
 half he dropped the violin, on which he was 
 scratching to fill up the interludes of her per- 
 formance, and took the lady behind the curtain 
 and came back and told the spectators that the 
 wire performance was over, and expressed a 
 sorrow that such an undecent liberty had been 
 taken with the performer, and hoped that the 
 like would not be done again. We spoke out 
 and said we hoped not, and said that such peo- 
 ple ought not to be in the room. He then pre- 
 pared his magic lamp, and the landlady sat op- 
 posite to us, and somewhat of a loquacious dis- 
 position; she could not get done talking about 
 the syringe business. I observed to my com- 
 rades as soon as the lights were extinguished 
 to give the magic lamp more splendor I would 
 let her have a blast. And when the lights 
 were put out for the purpose aforesaid I charg- 
 ed the syringe chuck full, and let drive at the 
 landlady, and took her hip into her face and 
 mouth, and it came with such a force that it 
 nearly took her breath from her. As soon as 
 she had fairly recovered from her squirting 
 match she sung out for the landlord, when he 
 come into the room he inquired of her what 
 
320 
 
 the matter was, she told him, and he asked 
 where it came from, some said it came from 
 one corner, and others alledofed it came from 
 another quarter. While the landlord was look- 
 ing about to find out where it really came 
 from, the candle was blown out, which was in 
 the neighborhood of the room where the 
 landlord was, and he being somewhat in a 
 quandary about the squirting business, and for 
 the sake of gratifying his curiosity about it,hovV 
 it felt, I let him have a squirt full butt on the 
 ear. When he had received his portion of it 
 he got in a passion, left the room abruptly, 
 went down stairs to get a club to set things to 
 rights. While the landlord was below trying 
 to procure a cudgel, the showman, luckless 
 wight, he came out from behind the curtain 
 and began to make his comments on the im- 
 propriety of such conduct at such a place; and 
 in the midst of his exordmm I made a charge 
 at him with my squirt, and squirted him right 
 well, and the candles were all extinguished 
 as though it were done by magic, and in this 
 juncture the landlord he was in the act of com 
 ing up stairs armed with a club, I let him have 
 a second dab on the stairs. We then all rush- 
 
321 
 
 ed down stairs, drove him before us, and I 
 made the showman play the violin for us till 
 nearly day, to satisfy us for our money which 
 he had fobbed for the show,which we express- 
 ed a full dissatisfaction at the performance 
 of his show, and to satisfy us by playing the 
 fiddle for us, and we danced stag dances till 
 nearly day light, so ended this spree. 
 
 Shortly after the above performance I had 
 a job to do in Hanover for a grass widow, of 
 the name of Koogler, she was building a house, 
 the plastering of which I done, and while I was 
 there I learned something of the traits in her 
 character. She was one of the most ill natured 
 creatures in the creation, crabbed, cross, ill 
 contrived and stingy as the deuce. The old 
 lady she had in her garden a very fine apricot 
 tree, which had a very fine parcel of apricots 
 on, it leaned about half over the fence into an 
 adjoining lot, the apricots were about ripening, 
 she observed to me that slie was afraid that the 
 boys would steal her apricots for her; she was, 
 as her fears run so high, that lest they might 
 be stolen she was watching them every night. 
 She took me into the garden one day to show 
 me the apricots, and gave me one to taste, I 
 
322 
 advised her to go to her next neighbor, a 
 Mr. Nace, and borrow from him one of his 
 large dogs, and chain the dog fast to the tree 
 to prevent the boys from stealing the apricots; 
 knowing that if she would get the dog which 
 I had advised her to get that I would be likely 
 to get a share of them myself. She succeeded 
 in getting the dog from Mr. Nace, she chained 
 him to the tree as I had directed her, and I 
 seen the whole fun; about midnight I went into 
 the adjoining lot wdth a stick, and would job 
 it at the dog, and he was vicious and cross, he 
 would fly at me with all the force in his body, 
 and down he would shake the apricots, and 
 the old woman she laid in a room next the gar- 
 den, she heard the whole performance, and 
 would hiss the dog and he would repeat his ef- 
 fort with all his might, and down a parcel of 
 apricots would come again; the more he forc- 
 ed the chain the more he would shake the tree^ 
 and the more apricots he made fall; I picked 
 up all the apricots and stowed them away for 
 my own special use and benefit. In the morn- 
 ing I went to work at her house, she told me 
 that some good for nothing fellow was at the 
 tree and made the dog shake off all the apricots, 
 
323 
 
 and took them away. I observed that it was 
 a pity that the dog did not catch him; she was 
 so full of it that I had to go with her into the 
 garden to see the destruction, and showed me 
 the apricots tlie dog shook off for her; I did 
 not treat the lady quite as courteous as she 
 treated me, for I did not show her the apricots 
 1 had. She lamented over her loss, and asked 
 me what she should do with them, I advised 
 her to share them among her neighbors, which 
 she did, she gave me a few^ and I am sure that 
 the neighbors never before nor since ever got 
 a single taste of her apricots. 
 
 After that 1 went to Emmitsburgh to plas- 
 ter a house for Dr. Annan, and while I 
 was at that job one day, 1 observed a man 
 of the name of Jacob Trenkle, he was in 
 the habit of getting tipsey; he just had a 
 skin full, and he went into a wheat patch of 
 Mr. George Wirtcr's, he rolled ahfout and 
 spoiled a good deal of wheat. I took a 
 large horse syringe that the doctor had, 
 and went into the lot and hunted up the lad; 
 at last I found him, and I had the syringe 
 charged in the dung yard; I gare him a 
 shot; he got up and was blinded that he 
 
324 
 
 could not see; he also labored under the 
 intoxicating" influence of the liquor he had 
 drank; he laid down again in the wheat 
 patch, and I went back, got another charge 
 and let him have it the second time; he 
 got up and got two stones, one in each 
 hand, and I run for it lor the dung yard; 
 and after I had charged again, I went to 
 meet him, and asked him what he intend- 
 ed to do with the stones he had in his hands; 
 he said, that he would knock my brains 
 out; and I said if he made any such at- 
 tempt, that I would shoot him; he threw 
 at me with one of the stones, and I up 
 syringe and took him into the mouth, and 
 the force of it whirled him about so much? 
 that the stone flew another direction. I 
 run again and went into the building; he 
 went home to get his gun for the par- 
 pose of shooting me; he came with his 
 gun, and inquired where I was. Robert 
 Annan, he persuaded him not to mind it 
 until evening — when evening came, he 
 came to the tavern up town, which was 
 then kept by Mr. Jacob Bohn, and I re- 
 paired to it and got into contact with him, 
 and made good friends with Mr. Trenkie — 
 
325 
 
 After we had healed up our old sore, we sat 
 down and began to play dominoes, and I beat 
 him out, and quit him with a view to play anoth- 
 er prank upon him. Another man took my 
 place, and I got behind the chair of ''come 
 across by Durney," as the folks used to call old 
 Trinkle, and shook a showerof cow itch down 
 the back of his neck. Ai'ter a while the cow 
 itch began to operate, and in the meantime I 
 undertook to show him how to play, and drop- 
 ped some cow itch on his hands, and such anoth- 
 er scratching match as old Trinkle had was 
 nobody's business but his own. Somebody told 
 the old fellow that it was cow itch, and it was 
 pinned to my sleeve, which was the cause of 
 another rumpus,5vvhich we putbver in a way hon- 
 orable on all sides. J once played sein in my life 
 time, in which I lost allimy'money ,and ten dollars 
 worth of honor, and then I quit, and never play- 
 ed since. The way it began was, Mr. B., of 
 Hanover, H. R., H. W., M. D.,and myself set 
 down at the tavern of John Amich, in Hano- 
 ver, and played, as I have already stated, for 
 money, until 1 was bursted. I then told them 
 that my money was all gone, and I now would 
 play upon honor; the company were all agreed 
 that my honor was quite good enough; so I 
 played away upon honor until I had lost nine 
 or ten dollars. Said I to them, gentlemen I 
 think my honoris gone far enough; I shall play 
 no more, and I am determined to pay no more. 
 27 
 
326 
 
 Mr. B. said to me that he would play no more 
 with me in the world. I told him I was very 
 glad, that I was sure I never would play with 
 him again, and so ended the sein playing for 
 money and on honor. 
 
 Sometime after I got a house to plaster for 
 Mr. B., who had, in the meantime, moved to 
 the town of Westminster. I iiad a journey- 
 man working with me, and a laborer from Balti- 
 more of the name of Donahoe. It was very 
 warm weatlier, and we slept in the brewhouse. 
 My journeyman thought he was a very smart 
 sort of a fellow; he played off some pranks on 
 the laborer by hanging a bucket full of water 
 over the brewhouse which would spill over him 
 as he opened the door. The next day the labor- 
 er told me of it. I comforted him not to mind it, 
 that I would match liim for it the next night; so 
 I went the next day to an apothecary shop and 
 bought 6^ worth of cow itch, and let my 
 lads go to bed a little while before I went. It 
 was on a very fine warm moon light night; one 
 could easily lay witliout cover. Our bed stood 
 along side of a window, my journeyman lay 
 fast and soundly asleep. 1 souzed my bundle 
 of cow itch over him right genteely. 1 laid down 
 easily beside him, pretending to be asleep, and 
 in the course of about five minutes he began to 
 roll and to scratch, and wakened me by his fuss 
 as he thouglit. I asked him what was the mat- 
 ter with him.'' He said somebody had put horse 
 hair into our bed; that it was killing him. This 
 
327 
 
 wakened the laborer, he asked what was the 
 matter? I told him I thought George was cra- 
 zy. He got up and began to scratch and tear, 
 and the brewer had a large bed of sand in the 
 room, for the purpose of keeping the ale cool, 
 which he kept in buith;s; he laid himself on the 
 bed of sand, and finally buried himself in it, 
 and rubbing himself with it. Some of the bot- 
 tles had bursted in the sand, and tlie pieces 
 were sharp. George cut himself with the glass 
 while he was rubbing himself with it, and he 
 kept on rubbing until day-light, and abused him- 
 self so much that he could not work for two 
 days. We examined the bed in the morning 
 for horse hair, and could find none. I went to 
 work, and in the course of the day I imparted 
 to the laborer the fact that I had put cow itch 
 on George. That piece of intelligence pleased 
 him very much. I told the laborer I would 
 give him a touch of something else in the course 
 of a few days. George came to work after 
 two days had elapsed from the cow itch spree. 
 In two or three days after he had begun work, 
 one night there came up a very heavy gust. I 
 was at Bohn's tavern, at least five hundred 
 yards from the brewery. I bulTetted the whole 
 storm; George and the laborer laid in bed 
 laughing at me for being caught in the rain. I 
 told them that they would not laugh if they had 
 seen what I had seen. George was curious to 
 know what I could have seen that was an 
 
328 
 
 equivalent for the shock I endured in fronting 
 the storm? 1 told him tliat I saw an Indian 
 dance, which has gratified me so much that I 
 thought I would come ujd to let t'tiem know it. 
 Said he, I never seen an Indian in my life. He 
 said he would hke to see it. 1 told him him if 
 he would hurry and go down to Bohn's tavern 
 that they were dancing yet. 
 
 I found his curiosity aroused, and he asked 
 me how many Indians were there. I told 
 him there were four in number, two men and 
 two squaws. 1 have, said he, a great notion 
 to get up and go to see them, and he asked the 
 laborer if he would go along. The laborer 
 said he had often seen them in Baltimore. 
 Well, said George, I will go any how. Up 
 he jumps, and put out for Bohn's tavern, and it 
 was as dark as pitch, and raining as hard as it 
 could pour, to see the Indian dance. Now 
 Philip, said I, lock the door on him, and Philip 
 Donohoo locked the door. By-and-bye George 
 came tearing through the rain, dripping wet, 
 and puffing and blowing, and we pretended, 
 when he wrapped at the door, to be fast 
 asleep, and let him stand in the rain about fif- 
 teen minutes, until he was completely soaked. 
 At last Philip got up and let him. I asked him 
 if he had seen the Indians. He said not, that 
 Bohn's were gone to bed. Then we had a good 
 laugh at him, and he was too drunk to see that 
 
329 
 
 he was sucked in. He was not satisfied. He 
 went the next morning to see the Indians. He 
 got up before sun-rise, went down to Bohn's 
 and asked him where those Indians were. 
 What Indians, said Mr. Bohn. Why, said 
 George to Bohn, Otter said that there were 
 Indians there at his house. There were no 
 Indians here you fool, said Bohn to him, and so 
 €nded the Indian business. 
 
 The next affair was a lottery which I had a 
 hand in. A certain old Dutchman, a cabinet 
 maker, made a first rate bureau, and put it off 
 by lottery. The bureau was put up at 40 dol- 
 lars, and the lottery was drawn after all the 
 chances had been disposed of by Pickle. Well 
 a day was appointed to draw the lottery, and 
 Mr. George Frankhauser was the holder of the 
 fortunate number that drew the bureau. Then 
 came the tug to deliver the bureau to the win- 
 ner. Mr, Pickle asked me to haul the bureau 
 down to the neighborhood of Westminster to 
 the winner. I hired a horse and sled, and off 
 Pickle and myselfstarted with the bureau. On 
 the road I began to feel old Pickle's pulse 
 about the propriety of sucking in the winner 
 for a few dollars. The old fellow was agreed 
 to any thing that would bring him a few dol- 
 lars into his pocket. So I told him that I 
 would make Frankhauser believe that Dr. By- 
 renheit had won the bureau. At length we 
 27* 
 
330 
 
 came to Frankhauser's house. We stopped in 
 the middle of the turnpike. Frankhauser came 
 ont and asked wliohad won the bureau, and we 
 told him Dr. Byrenheit. My God, said he, 
 I was sure of w-inning- it myself. He admired 
 it very much, and his wife came out to see it 
 also, she allowed it was very pretty. I told 
 Frankhauser that the road was so bad, tiiat I 
 did not like to go on to Westminster to Byren- 
 heit, that if he would give me my day's wages, 
 pay Pickle five dollars, and keep it a secret, 
 that we would unload it at his door. Agreed, 
 said he, and down he planked the money to us, 
 gave us a very good dinner, and some fine 
 bounce, and then we started ofl' for home. In 
 eighteen hundred and twenty four I removed 
 from the city of Baltimore to the country, and 
 fixed myself and family in the town of Eni- 
 metsburg, in Frederick county. At which 
 place I am still residing, and very probably 
 shall finish my days here. 
 
 The very first job I done in my line of bu- 
 siness was to plaster the Seminary of Learning 
 near the town, then under the Supcrintendance 
 of the Rev'd. John Dubois, the present Bish- 
 op of New York. While that work was go- 
 ing on, I had many good hands at work under 
 my charge, and one day one of my journey- 
 men happened to take a seat at the breakfast 
 table which did not exactly suit the views of 
 
331 
 
 an Irishman of the name of McHenry, who 
 thought that he was the rightful owner of the 
 place at the table, which my journeyman had 
 by mere accident taken possession of; McHen- 
 ry he began to jaw about his place, as he call- 
 ed it, and threatened that he would turn any 
 body out of the room that in future would tres- 
 pass upon his right in enjoying his place at the 
 table: this menace raised my blood and 1 be- 
 gan to let him have a squall, and as my jour- 
 neyman was a man who had not been by nature 
 an atlethic and robust made man, on the con- 
 trary he was delicate made and very modest, 
 I saw the necessity of taking his part; and I 
 walked up to McHenry and to quiet the matter, 
 just now to put me out instead of my journey- 
 man, and he without any further ceremony up 
 with a bowl full of hot coffee and throwed it 
 into my face; this I considered as a war of de- 
 fence on my part, and as soon as I could see, 
 I siezed a hold of McHenry and hoisted him 
 up and threw him lengthways upon the table, 
 after two or three ups and downs I landed him 
 among the fish, plates, and bowls, on the table, 
 just the right way, and the way they were 
 mashed and ground to pieces was a caution. 
 This all happened in the absence of the Rev. 
 Mr. Dubois. On his return home, a complaint 
 was lodged against us as disturbers of the peace 
 
332 
 
 and quiet of the institution; the Rev. Mr. Du- 
 bois he held an enquiry into the matter, found 
 McHenry guilty; gave mc an honorable dis- 
 charge, and enjoined it on McHenry on fine of 
 forfeiting his birth, if ever he said another 
 word to me or any of my hands while I was 
 there. 
 
 The next thing that happened, that had mu- 
 sic in it, to me was, I plastered a house for a 
 Mr. J. S. in Adams County; the way it hap- 
 pened was — one Sunday morning Mr. J. S. 
 started to go to church, I was laymg on the 
 porch reading, and amusing myself. Tlie ma- 
 dam had put over the fire (which was a very 
 fine one) theditmer-pot; when she had the din- 
 ner on she laid herself down on the bed to 
 take a nap: the chimney caught fire, at this 
 juncture; J. S. happened to look: behind him 
 and seen that the hoase was on fire, he wheel- 
 ed about and came running back as hard as 
 he could, he run past me into the house and 
 run into the bedroom to secure his valuable 
 papers; — the noise }\e made in the haste waken- 
 ed his better half, slie rose up and in her rais- 
 ing herself up she asked him in these words, 
 'Svhy Johnny are the bumblebees after you" 
 bumble bees, said he to her, the house is on 
 fire. She got out; and at the remark he made, 
 I jumped up and ran out to see how the matter 
 was. And I saw that it was confined to the 
 
333 
 
 chimney, I told her the chimney only was on 
 fire; she went to the kitchen and got the salt 
 box and landed the box and the salt into the 
 fire; and the steam put the fire out in the chim- 
 ney. Alter the danger was all over Mr. J. S. 
 told me that he never had experienced a sever- 
 er fright in his life. 
 
 I once was called upon by the Reverend 
 Louis De Barth, superior of Conewago, 
 to do a job of plastering for him in his room; 
 it was in the winter, and he considered it a 
 particular job: he told me he would give me 
 one dollar and fifty cents per day, and that I 
 must hang on until it was done. I began the 
 job and gave it the first coat, and when that 
 was done, I told him that it would take about 
 two days to dry, during that time I proposed 
 to him I would go home, and when it was 
 ready for second coating I would return and do 
 it — with a view to lighten his expenses; to 
 which proposition he objected, upon the ground 
 that I would not return, and said that he would 
 find me another job during the time allowed for 
 drying. So I asked him what it was; he told me 
 I should go along with him, and he led the way 
 into the cellar; the repository of his wine, 
 cider, apples and so forth: to stop rat holes in 
 the wall. He gave me privilege to use any 
 thing, in any manner I pleased; so I began to 
 stop rat holes, and while my laborer was bring- 
 ing me stuff, I sat myself down on a lot of 
 
334 
 
 sand, aiid began to dig in it with my trowel, 
 and at last I dug up along necked bottle, neatly 
 sealed up. I held it up to the light, when the 
 laborer came into tlie cellar, I asked him what 
 he thought it was, he said it was wine, we 
 agreed to decapitate the bottle and test its con- 
 tents, and when vve had drank it, sure enough it 
 was wine of a very fine quality; he then asked 
 me what was to be done with the bottle. I told 
 him we would break it up and stuti' the pieces 
 of it into the rat holes, and in the course of ar 
 hour another bottle shared the same fate as the 
 first, and after awhile we slaughtered a third 
 one; by the tiaie we had finished a third bottle, 
 old Bunty he got pretty boozy, we also tried a 
 few of father De Earth's apples; the cider we 
 never disturbed it while we were stopping ral 
 holes, we held the wine too high to have any 
 thing to do witli cider, and in the course of 
 that day we finished stopping rate holes. — 
 While we were in the cellar, father De Earth 
 was called away and was absent about a da} 
 and a half; in that time I closed up all the ra' 
 holes in the cellar, and had tore away a boot 
 case which he wished removed in his room. 
 While 1 was in tlie act of tearing away the 
 book case I found two [)arcels of money wrap- 
 ped up in paper, and they were both labelled 
 in a language foreign to my own. I opened 
 them and the one contained eighteen French 
 crowns, and the other had five pieces of gold, 
 
335 
 
 the value of which I also did not know; after 
 I had seen their contents I wrapped them up 
 again, and put them into my pocket until he 
 sliould return; upon his return, I handed the 
 money to him, he said that they were left by 
 some of the Priests who had been there before 
 him, and said that he knew nothing of it, he 
 gave me five dollars for my finding it; in the 
 morning after, he and I went into the cellar 
 to see how I had stopped up the rat holes, he 
 examined all as he went along, until we came 
 into the wine cellar, he jocularly observed to 
 me, that he hoped that I had not found out his 
 wine. Ilaughingly replied, ohyes, I had lound 
 it out; he asked me did 1 drink any, I told him 
 I had drank two or three bottles of it, he told 
 me that was right, as he had given me full 
 privilege to help myself to any thing that was 
 in it. 
 
 I then put on the second coat in the room, 
 and whitewashed it; after I had finished my job, 
 father De Barth he planked down the cash, and 
 I put out. 
 
 The next thing that came into the way that 
 afforded me fun, w^as while 1 was plastering the 
 big house for the Sisters of Charity; an Irish- 
 man who had just landed from the sod, who, 
 was in the employ of the Sisters of Charity as 
 a farm hand, came to me one day, to the house 
 from the field next to the house, where he was 
 engaged in harrowing, he had there came 
 
336 
 
 across a terapin, which was a novelty to him, 
 he took a stick and stuck it to the spot where 
 he found the terapin, to find it again, said he to 
 me. Bill I found a horse's foot down here and 
 it is alive yet. I went with him to the field and 
 when we came to the marked spot, the terapin 
 was gone. We hunted about, and at last I 
 found it. I invited his attention to him and he 
 acknowledged that was it, why said I to liim, 
 my dear fellow this is a terapin; said he I was 
 sure it was a horse's foot, and observed that he 
 liad never seen one before. 
 
 I once worked at a job of plastering for an 
 old gentleman near Waynesburg, who was ex- 
 cessively close and stingy. I let a war hawk 
 slip at him, and he never felt it, but the sum 
 and substance of the business is, that I got four 
 chickens to eat and he got the broth; it was 
 got up under the following circumstances: he 
 happened to have an attack of diorrhae, and he 
 complained to me about it. I sympathized 
 with him and told him that I had sutfered many 
 inconveniences arising from it, and began a 
 prescription for him; 1 advised that lie should go 
 to Waynesburg and get a box of Anderson's 
 pills, and take three of them for a dose, he ask- 
 ed me where he could get them, 1 told him at 
 Mr. Charles Smitl^'s store, and if they did not 
 operate in two or tliree hours, to repeat the 
 dose and take three more, so off he started, got 
 the pills, and took them as I had directed him, 
 
337 
 
 and they did not meet his wishes; I advised the 
 otherSdose, he took them and they produced the 
 effect desired. I then, to get a mess of chick- 
 en, advised him to take cliicken broth; he liad 
 a chicken killed, we got the chicken for break- 
 fast, and my patient took the broth. I sug- 
 gested to him to have two more chickens kill- 
 ed, and to continue to take the broth to work 
 off the medicine he had taken, and as he had 
 experienced a considerable relief from the first, 
 he had two more chickens killed, and he stuck 
 to the broth, and at dinner we ate the two 
 chickens. I liked the sport of eating the chick- 
 ens, and he was fully as well pleased as 1 was 
 with the broth, he expressed great satisfaction 
 at the effects produced. I thought to spin my 
 yarn as long as I could. I told him that if he 
 would have another chicken killed and take the 
 broth of that, that I would ensure him a sound 
 man. So we had the chicken for supper and 
 he held on to the broth, and it produced a very 
 happy result. He allowed that he never expe- 
 rienced such efficacy of medicine in his life. I 
 finished my old tunker's job, he paid me for 
 doing it, and I put out home. 
 
 About this time I opened a shop in Em- 
 metsburg, and, as my circumstances were of 
 an ordinary character, I had to buy my li- 
 quors by the gallon. 1 used to get them from 
 
 , he was very kind to me; others 
 
 that I also held in esteem, who are, in the 
 28 
 
338 
 
 main, pretenders only. At length my good 
 old friend told me had a ten gallon keg; that I 
 should take the whiskey hy the keg; that he 
 would lend me the keg; that it would come 
 cheaper to me tlian hy the gallon. I told him 
 1 was agreed, that il' he would let me have the 
 keg 1 would take good care of it. I then 
 bought of him by the keg for better than a 
 year. One dav he su2:ii:ested the idea to me 
 that I should buy the keg from him. 1 told 
 him it was hardly worth while, that 1 had it 
 cheap enough as it was. I took a notion to see 
 how much the keg actually would hold, it was 
 then just empty, 1 took a measure and measured 
 it, and it held nine gallons and a hall, scant 
 measure. 1 took my keg over to have it filled,, 
 and I asked him if that keg held ten gallons, 
 he said yes, he thought it did, that it was a ten 
 gallon keg. I told him 1 thought it looked 
 rather slim, that I did not think that it held ten 
 gallons. I bet you, said he me to me, the full 
 of it that it does. 1 told Jiim that I would not 
 hke to bet that much, that he knew its con- 
 tents and 1 did not. He said no, that he had 
 bought it for a ten gallon keg. Well, said he, 
 will you bet it, that's the business. 1 
 told him I did not much care, that I would bet 
 him that it did not hold ten gaUons. He began 
 lo measure it, and laughingly observed that 1 
 would lose it. While measuring the keg, he 
 began to be apprehensive that he might lose 
 
339 
 
 the bet. He used to leave some in the measure. 
 Said I to him I'll either win or lose all, will 
 you go the keg too? He said yes. Said I, 
 well tiien, we will go the whiskey, keg, brass 
 cock, and all. Agreed, said he, and I discov- 
 ered the big business, that he was not exactly 
 using lair play in measuring. Come said J, my 
 boy, measure fair. At the end of the whole 
 aii'air, t!ie keg only held nine gallons and a half, 
 and then I raised the laugh on him, sliouldered 
 the keg. Well, said I, ! won the whole of the 
 whiskey, keg, brass cock and all. Oh! Bill, 
 said he, you will leave the keg. No indeed, 
 not a hoop, said I to him, and walked home 
 with my prize like a man, that's the way I 
 fixed my friend. 
 
 While 1 was employed in the plastering the 
 house of Mr. Abraham Krise, in Adam's coun- 
 ty, there was in the neighborhood of Mr. 
 Rhodes's mill, a house whose inmates were 
 candidates in a matrimonial point of view. One 
 evening we all started off on a rabbit hunt, and 
 in our rambles we came to tliis house, and we 
 found, what is not every where, or at all times 
 to be met with, every girl in the house had a 
 beau. When we had learned how things were, 
 we began to look about to see if any su!)ject 
 for a litile fun and sport, could be met with. 
 At 'ast 1 espied a gobler who was perched on 
 an old stove chimney. Said I to the boys, if 
 they would hide behind a stack of hay that 
 
340 
 
 stood about fifteen yards from the house, I would 
 show them a piece of sport. All the lads fix- 
 ed themselves, and I approached the gobler to 
 seize him; he sung out quit, quit. Said I, I will 
 directly. 1 seized him and socked him down 
 the chimney. When he got in contact with the 
 fire on the hearth he raised a terrible fright 
 among the boys and girls; he lashed about the 
 fire with his wings at such a rate that it took 
 them some time to recover the panic they had 
 been thrown into. They ran out of the house, 
 and I got down while this general confusion 
 prevailed, and went and laid myself alongside 
 of the fence near the house. At last they seen 
 that it was the gobler; they came to the con- 
 clusion that it was the smoke that had brought 
 him down the chimney. They took him and 
 placed him on the roost again from whence he 
 came, when all was quiet. I slipped out from 
 the place of my concealment, and seized the 
 gobler a second time and souzed him down 
 the chimney a second time, left them to enjoy 
 the sport, and put out. 
 
 While 1 was engaged in plastering at the col- 
 lege, Mr. Dubois requested me to take his 
 horse and ride over the mountain to Mr. Reed 
 and Bonebreak to ensrasre for him two kilns 
 of lime. On my way there I overtook a white 
 man and a black man. The black man's arms 
 were tied behind his back with a silk handker- 
 chief. I asked the white man as I came up to 
 
341 
 
 them, if he had caught a runaway? He said 
 no, that the black nnan belonged to hinm. I ask- 
 ed fiini the reason why he had !iim tied? He said 
 that he had him tied for fear of Ids making his 
 escape from him on the mountains. I asked 
 him how far he was going on that road? He 
 told me he was going as lar as Mr. Fisbury's, 
 that he had some business there to settle. He 
 asked me if my name was Otter? I told him 
 yes, Otter was my name. I suppose, said he, 
 you don't know me? I said to him that I did 
 not. He asked me if 1 ever had worked at Mil- 
 'ierstown? I told him I had. He then asked if 
 'I ever knew one George McCullough that 
 worked there? The moment he mentioned his 
 name I recognized the man, and answeredhim 
 that I knew him. He then told me that he had 
 caught that negro coming down the mountain, 
 and tliat he believed him to be a runaway. He 
 asked me what I would give him for him hap- 
 hazard? I told him that I had no notion to buy 
 Jiim, not knowing if he was a runaway or that 
 there was any reward on him. Fie told me he 
 v^'ished me to ride alonsr to the tavern and try 
 to get out of the negro what he was and who 
 be was. I went with liim to the tavern, and 
 when 1 was tliere I called the negro out and 
 asked him who he belonged to? He told me 
 that he belonged to one Mr. Gelwicks, in Vir- 
 ginia. I asked him how many children Mr. 
 Gelwicks had? He said he did not know 
 28* 
 
342 
 
 Said 1 to him, you belong to no such man at all; 
 and asked him to tell the truth, to whom he be- 
 longed? He said, well I belong to Mr. Golds- 
 borougli. To find my lad out, said 1, does he 
 live in the town or country? He told me Mr. 
 G. lived in the town. I asked hiui how many 
 slaves has iNlr. G? He said he had a good 
 many. How many, said I, to elicit a positive 
 answer from him? He said he did not know 
 rightly how many he had. I observed that it 
 was not worth while to say another word to 
 him as he was determined not to speak the truth 
 about it. I took him into the bar room, and 
 told George McCuUough that I could get noth- 
 ing out of him. He swore he would take him 
 on to Baltimore and sell him. I told him that 
 he dare not do that,Tor the laws of the country 
 would punish him for such an act. He asked 
 me to tie him, for, said he, you know more 
 about it than I do. I told him if he would get 
 me a rope that I would tie him. He asked the 
 landlady for a piece of rope. She said she had 
 none, but allowed that she could let him have 
 a piece of home-made linen, if that would an- 
 swer. I told her it would She produced the 
 linen, a strip about as broad as my hand, and I 
 tied the negro's arms on his back. While I 
 was tying the negro's arms I told him to try to 
 make his escape from that man, for sure as guns 
 he would take him to Baltimore and sell him to 
 the Georgia traders, and if he effected his es- 
 
343 
 
 cape to take refuge in the mountains. He got 
 considerably alarmed at the piece of intelligence 
 which 1 had imparted to him. He promised 
 faithfully that he would try to make his escape 
 and flee to the mountains. I took him after he 
 was tied into the bar room. George McCul- 
 lough called for something to drink. I drank, 
 and in turn called for half a pint of whiskey, 
 which made my good old friend pretty well 
 •how come you so. I inquired at him where he 
 was going to. He said he was going across 
 the country, to a Mr. Fisher's. I wanted to go 
 to Mr. Bonebreak's to buy lime; we went to- 
 gether until we came to the lane that leads to 
 Mr. Fisher's. I bid him good bye. I pursued 
 my road, and he steered his course for Mr. 
 Fisher's. In about one hour's ride I came to 
 Mr. Bonebreak's the man from whom I wanted 
 to buy my lime. I went into the meadow where 
 they were making hay, and I asked if Mr. Bone- 
 break was there.^ They told me no that the 
 old man was not there, and that his two sons 
 were in pursuit of a runaway negro who had 
 bent his course towards the mountains. I ask- 
 ed them how the negro was dressed.'' They 
 said that he had no hat on, and that he had two 
 rags on his arms. I asked which way he went? 
 They showed me the course, and I hitched my 
 horse and started after the boys across the coun- 
 try. I went about half a mile, and I met the boys 
 on the back track. I asked them if they had 
 
344 
 
 caught the negro? They said that they had 
 not. I asked them the direction he went? They 
 showed me, and I put out after him with a dog 
 of the spaniel breed to assist me in the pursuit^ 
 and on whom I mainly depended as he was one 
 among tlie finest of that species of dogs. I 
 got on his track, and pursued him to a large 
 barn at the foot of the mountain, tlie barn was 
 of logs, and rather in a state of dilapidation. 
 The gable ends were both open, and as I got 
 up at the one gable end he got down at the 
 other, and he made for the woods, and I hissed 
 my dog Ponto on him, and as soon as the hiss 
 was out of my mouth, my dog tlew at him, and 
 seized him, and held on to him until I came up 
 to him. When 1 came up to him 1 said well 
 you are here. He said yes. I asked him how 
 he got away? He said that man whose captive 
 he was, called at a house and asked if Mr. Fish- 
 er was at home, and being informed that he was 
 not at home, he hitched the black man to the 
 post where horses were generally hitched, at 
 the piece of linen which I had tied his arms 
 with, and Mr. McCullough laid himself down 
 on the bench, and the weather was very w^arm; 
 he fell asleep, and I began chopping the linen 
 backwards and forwards until it broke in two, 
 and when I w^as free I started off and run through 
 the orchard as hard as I could run, and lost my 
 hat in the orchard, and did not take time to 
 pick it up. I asked him how he liked to go 
 
345 
 
 home? He said he did not care much about it. 
 i asked him if the dog had bit him? He said 
 no, that he held him by the trowsers. He ad- 
 mired the dog's performance, and allowed that 
 that dog was worth money. I said yes he was 
 so. I then asked him, if ever he had been at 
 Emmetsburg? He said he never was there, but 
 that he knew a man there. I asked him who 
 that man was? He said Mr. McBride, the con- 
 stable. I asked him where he learned to know 
 Mr. McBride? He said at his master's house, 
 that Mr. McBrde had often been there. He 
 still stuck to it that he belonged to Mr. Golds- 
 borougli. I found that the black rascal was 
 determined to lie. I marched him oif for Mr. 
 Bonebreak's. I engaged my lime, and then 
 started off and crossed the mountain that night 
 with my runaway lad. I cautioned him not to 
 try to run away from me that if he did that my 
 dog would tear him to pieces. He said he 
 would not make the attempt. I told him if he 
 did not that 1 would not tie him. So I march- 
 ed over the mountains free from any fetters. 
 When I came home it was past one o'clock at 
 night. I gave him something to eat, and put 
 him and the dog Ponto in a room and kept him 
 there until morning. In the morning I walked 
 down to Mr, McBride's to walk up to see the 
 black boy. When he came into the room 
 where he was I asked Mr. McBride if he knew 
 that negro? He said he did, that he belonged 
 
346 
 
 to Mr. H., in this county. I gave the negro 
 his breakfast and locked him and Ponto, his 
 companion, up in a room, mounted my horse, 
 rode to Mr. H's. house, and asked him if he 
 had lost a negro? He said lie had, and walked 
 out into another room. Wliile lie was gone 
 out I discovered a bundle of handbills laying on 
 the stove, and took one of them and put it into 
 my hat. By this time he came into the room, 
 and asked me where I lived.'' I told him that 
 1 lived in Emmetsburg, and asked him if it was 
 his negro what he would give.'' He told me 
 that he would pay me well for my trouble, and 
 ordered his horse and we started for Emmets- 
 burg. VVe came to my house, I opened the 
 room, brought the negro out, and asked him if 
 that was his negro. He said he was, and ask- 
 ed me where I got him.' I told him that I ap- 
 prehended him in Pennsylvania; that a man had 
 him in possession, that he was going to sell him, 
 that the negro runaway from him, and that I 
 had caught him. He asked me what my charges 
 were for the apprehension, and delivery of his 
 negro.-^ I told him I thought he knew what 
 was right, judging tiiat he would come up to 
 the notch of his advertisement in which he of- 
 fered a reward of twenty dollars, iie said if 
 he would give me ten dollars that that sum 
 would be enough for my tiouble I told him 
 that I felt no disposition to take up any man's 
 runaway negro for that sum. He then said 
 
347 
 
 that ten dollars was all the money he had with 
 him, and when he came to town again he would 
 give me some more. I seen Mr. H. in Em- 
 metsburg in about three weeks after that, ap- 
 proaehed him and hinted to him the balance 
 that he owed me; and asked him how his negro 
 man came on? He said lie came on very well, 
 but he would not be hinted at. Mr. H. came 
 again in the course of a few weeks, and I was 
 determined to bring our negro runaway busi- 
 ness to a close, and went to him and asked him 
 how his negro man come on? Very well, very 
 well indeed. Then how is it about that little 
 balance between you and 1? Oh, said he, I paid 
 you. Well, said I, you don't intend to pay 
 me any more, that's all I w^ant to know? He 
 said he had paid me. I walked up town to a 
 squire shop and took out a w^arrant against Mr. 
 H. for a balance of ten dollars. The w^it 
 was placed into the hands of a constable, w^ho, 
 in short order, had Mr. H. before the magis- 
 trate. The squire opened the case, and read 
 the charge preferred by me against Mr. H., a 
 balance of ten dollars for catching a runaw^ay 
 negro. He said he had paid Mr. Otter all he 
 owed him. The squire asked Mr. H. how 
 much he had paid me? He said he had paid me 
 ten dollars. The magistrate observed to him 
 that the charge was a balance; to which he re- 
 plied he had not made any contract for any 
 more, and plead payment in full. The squire 
 
348 
 
 asked me if I could prove a contract? I told 
 him I thought I could. He asked me where 
 my witness was? I told him I believed f had 
 him in my pocket. I put hand to pocket, pull- 
 ed out Mr. H's. advertisement, and placed it 
 before the magistrate as the evidence on which 
 I based my suit of action. The squire asked 
 him if that was his advertisement and the re- 
 ward therein offered? He said it was, but plead 
 that he never put them up; to which I observ- 
 ed that I never had put it up, but that it was 
 up now. The squire gave me a judgment for 
 ten dollars against Mr. H., and when I had judg- 
 ment against liim he paid me like a man, and 
 thus ended this spree. 
 
 I once got a parcel of conies, and they were, 
 as all are, very pretty animals; and they are 
 somewhat mischievous. I had to barricade the 
 warren for fear of their being torn by dogs*, 
 and while I was engaged as above stated in re- 
 pairing their warren, a certain Mr. M. M.came 
 along, and he fell in love with their appearance, 
 and asked me how many of them I had? 1 did 
 not tell him the exact number. Said he to me, 
 making the question as impressive as he could, 
 well Bill, what will you take for a him and a 
 her} I told him tliat I would take one dollar 
 for a him and a her, repeating his word. He 
 allowed that a dollar was too much for a him 
 and a her. I told him that I would not take 
 any thing less for them. 
 
349 
 
 Now for the celebrated Woodsborough 
 spree, which took me a full half a day to get 
 through, and a good part of the night into the 
 bargain. The way it commenced was as ac- 
 cidental to me as it was to the hands who were 
 involved in it. It happened the day after the 
 election in eighteen hundred and thirty four. 
 As I was going on to Mr. Bowers to plaster 
 his house for him, the town of Woodsborough 
 lay in my way, and when I came to the town, 
 I stopped at the tavern kept by the widow 
 Yantis. Little did I think when I stopped, of 
 cutting a single caper. As soon as I had put 
 foot into the tavern, the political inquisitive 
 fellows asked me the result of the election in 
 the Emmetsburg district, I told them that the 
 Jackson party had lost ground. That piece 
 of news pleased some, and others again it did 
 not please. There were in the bar room two 
 Clay men, who had not yet gone home from 
 the election, they were a little touched with 
 Jackson tea, and a Jackson man, who also had 
 a rip. He was a hanger on, for the whole 
 three were farmers. The two Clay-men ap- 
 peared to be very liberal in their manners, and 
 the Jackson-man was a very close, stingy, 
 miserly sort of a fellow. One of the Clay- 
 men asked the other who I was. He told him 
 I was Otter, from Emmetsburg, the plasterer. 
 He took a look at me, and allowed that I was 
 very big fellow. He felt his keeping as I 
 29 
 
350 
 
 have already said. He told his comrade, not- 
 withstanding my size, that he believed that he 
 could wliip me. All this conversation I over- 
 heard, but never let on I heard them. I tliousrht 
 to give him a hint. I told one ot my comrades 
 that the Clay-men, at least all tliose whom I 
 knew, were such rascals, that the Jackson- 
 men had no chance any more among them. 
 He took the bait intended for him. He got up 
 and said that was a lie, there were as good 
 Clay-men as Jackson-men. I told him if there 
 were any such, tliat I never knew them. His 
 comrade begged him not to mind it, that he 
 knew that 1 meant no harm in wl)at I said, and 
 that he Imew me very well, which interposi- 
 tion of his comrade in my behalf, only had a 
 tendency to raise his dander the higher. He 
 said that he could whip me, even if 1 was as 
 big as the house. I told him that I could not 
 fight, and never did intend to fight, but I can 
 beat any Clay-man belonging to the party in 
 the whole United States, at hutting. 
 
 This wide spread banter he could not brook. 
 He pronounced it a lie. Those who wanted 
 to see fun, urged him to take a butt wiih me. 
 He said he was no bull, and could not stand it. 
 Well, said I, 1 cannot stand fighting, so there 
 is no danger of our hurting one another. He 
 still kept harpmg on his favorite theme, that he 
 would like to have a crack at me. At length 
 some of the fellows worked upon him to give 
 
551 
 
 me a wiper. Well, said he, I don't care, I 
 will take a butt with you anyhow. Well, said 
 I, take oft' your hat. By this time 1 was fully 
 determined to give him a good one. 1 caught 
 hold on his two ears, and he caught hold on 
 mine, and I gave him a rouser that sent him 
 heels over head on the floor. This created a 
 good deal of laughter among the spectators of 
 the scene before them. 
 
 This performance raised his dander to the 
 highest pitch, and I complained of my head 
 very much. They urged him on to take ano- 
 ther crack, and wanted to persuade him to try 
 it again. I told them that I would rather not, 
 that as soon as I butted one man down, that 1 
 felt offish, and invited him up to the bar to 
 take a drink, and make good friends. No, 
 said he, I am not satisfied, you must give me 
 another chance. I still pretended to be rather 
 off", and told him that if he w^ould treat I would 
 give him another chance. He agreed to treat 
 with a view to get another butting. I begged 
 of him not to butt too hard. He said by swear- 
 ing an oath, that he would butt all he knew^ 
 We took our usual ear hold, and I butted all I 
 knew, and laid him flat on the floor a second 
 time. When he got up, he appeared a little 
 bewildered. His laboring under a kind of 
 stupor, which was occasioned Irom the blow I 
 gave him, gave his general phiz rather a com- 
 ical kind of appearance, which created a great 
 
352 
 
 deal of laughter, sport, and much amusement 
 to the company. I called on him to pay the 
 treat he promised, and he swore he would 
 whip me. He paid the treat, rolled up his 
 sleeves, and was lor making at me. I told him 
 that if he struck me, that I would have another 
 butt at him. His comrades persuaded him not 
 to mind it. I got him up to the bar, and got 
 the old Jackson-man, whom I have taken no- 
 tice of in the commencement of the story. 
 The company all were agreed that I should 
 make that old fellow treat in turn. That he 
 would drink until all was blue,\ when he could 
 drink for nothing. So I asked him to drink, 
 and sure enough he took his horn like a man. 
 As it seemed by consent of the whole compa- 
 ny, that I should get him to treat, I called in 
 vain, he refused to treat, and said he had drank 
 enough, thanked me, and did not wash to drink 
 any more. I told him in terms not to be mis- 
 understood, that if he did not treat in turn and 
 that the whole company, that I would be under 
 the necessity of giving him a butting. He 
 said I had better not. I told him that it was 
 the sense of the whole company, that he should 
 treat or take a butting. He said he had suffi- 
 cient. Well, said I, are you going to treat or 
 not. He answered me he would not treat. 
 Well, said I, then you must take a butting, and 
 I caught him by the ears, and gave him a tre- 
 mendous butt and knocked him as stiff as a po- 
 
351 
 
 ker. He fell against the wall, and as he was 
 in the act of falling, his eyes rolled in his head 
 and a good deal of the white in them ap- 
 peared. When he recovered a little, he went 
 in quest of a magistrate to have himself righted. 
 The squire refused to give him law for the 
 butt he got, and I am at a loss to determine 
 whether butting would at all be recogniz- 
 ed in law, or not. The law defines an as- 
 sault and battery very clearly, and am rather 
 inclined to think that in its definition it does not 
 reach butting, and I am sure that butting is no 
 species of felony of any kind whatever. What 
 the real cause was that he could get no law 
 to protect him I cannot tell. But the way I 
 sent him against the wall was a caution. 
 When I had stiffened my old Jackson-man, I 
 turned on my Clay friend again. They urged 
 him to give me another flyer at butting, tliat he 
 should not think himself conquered. He al- 
 lowed my head was too hard for his, and that 
 inasmuch as I had failed in making the old 
 Jackson-man treat, that I should pay a treat 
 myself Agreed, said I. Come all ye that 
 thirst, and I treated the whole company. I 
 told him that T was very glad that the old 
 Jackson-man was gone, that my head felt like 
 a poor man's garret, that it was full of lumber. 
 Yes, and God knows, says he, my head aches 
 too. The company agreed that we should take 
 another butt, and by mutual consent then should 
 29* 
 
354 
 
 give it up. I told them that I was agreed, 
 that my head could not ache worse after it 
 than it does at present. They got him worked 
 up to the sticking point, and we took another 
 whack, and I knocked him against the bar ta- 
 ble as stiff as a poker. 
 
 We allwent up to the bar, and I insisted that it 
 was his turn to treat the company, to be even 
 with me, that the company drank last at my 
 expense. We all came to the conclusion to 
 give Mr. Lind,also a tavern keeper in Woods- 
 borough, a call, and wind up our spree there. 
 Mr. Lind lived about a quarter of a mile from 
 Mrs. Yantis, and as soon as the idea was sug- 
 gested to go to Mr. Linds, all liands were im- 
 mediately agreed to the proposition. The two 
 Clay-men felt a disposition to take a gig and 
 ride down. I was full of frolic, and wished 
 to shew out some of the blossoms of the wild 
 oats, which I felt at this time disposed to sow, 
 being a Jackson-man myself, and the whole 
 mess of us on a Jerry. 1 proposed to the two 
 Clay-men that if they would pay me a bottle of 
 French brandy when we came to Mr. Lind's 
 tavern, that I would take the gig shafts and 
 haul them down through the town myself As 
 soon as I made this proposition to haul them 
 down myself, they agreed that they would pay 
 me the bottle of French brandy. The bargain 
 was struck, the gig was brought before the 
 door. As soon as the gig was ready, I got in- 
 
355 
 
 to the shafts in good earnest, to let them see 
 that nothing was wanting on my part. The 
 passengers took their seats. The one he fold- 
 ed up his arms and laid them across his breast, 
 his legs crossed, and leaning backwards, as if 
 determined to enjoy the ride in luxury. The 
 other was more of a romp, he made no particu- 
 lar parade about the contemplated ride. After 
 they were seated, I enquired of them in these 
 words: 
 
 "Gentlemen are you ready," they responded 
 in the affirmative. Said I stop a little till I 
 spit in my hands, and, as I made the motion, 
 aided by a small jerk at the shafts, and letting 
 them go at the same time, my passengers took 
 a sudden notion to go up, instead of down 
 town, and heels over head they both went out 
 of the hind part of the gig, and as the gig turn- 
 ed a summerset, one of them, the fellow who 
 sat careless, seized the springs of the top part of 
 the gig, landed himself by the aid of the springs 
 and his powerful exertion, on his feet. Said 
 he, that goes "pretty and nice." The other one 
 fell on the back part ofhis head, neck,and shoul- 
 ders and was terribly staved. He laid senseless 
 on the street for a short time. We carried the 
 old fellow into the tavern, sent for Dr. Sinners 
 to examine him, he came, had no idea of our 
 spree, allowed to wait a while, to see what the 
 probable result might be. He left us, and after 
 a short time came back, we then told him of 
 
556 
 
 our performance. He said, under such cir- 
 cumstances, the better plan was to let him re- 
 main as he was, labouring under some excite- 
 ment, kept up from the free use of brandy, and 
 allowed, if necessary, to take some blood from 
 him in the morning. Then came the time for 
 censure, some said I done it purposely, and I 
 alleged that I was not well broke to the shafts, 
 and, for myself, ascribed the whole to the want 
 of a belly band, so ended that spree, and it was 
 the last. In it I sowed all my wild oats. I 
 have arrived at an age when all men become 
 grave. I feel that time is making his inroads 
 on me as well as all other mortals, being now 
 in the forty-seventh year of my age. 
 
 In the course of my mechanical pursuits as 
 a plasterer, working as master of my trade, I 
 have kept a record of every house I plastered, 
 as well as all other buildings, such as churches, 
 colleges, academies, and so forth. I began for 
 myself in the year 1810, during which time 1 
 plastered two hundred and three houses, in- 
 cluding thirty-two churches, five colleges, two 
 academies, and one market house, and all the 
 money that they came to, was the neat sum of 
 fifteen thousand three hundred dollars, and am 
 still a poor man, without my earnings, having 
 a large family, which run away with the beans 
 to support them. 
 
 In the spring of eighteen hundred and thirty- 
 
357 
 
 five, the citizens of Emmettsburg conferred on 
 me their best gift, elected me burgess of the 
 town, by a very handsome majority over my 
 opponent, and have, as far as my ability allows, 
 discharged the duties entrusted to me, without 
 favor, affection, or partiality. 
 
 iODS'/ 4v08 
 

 
 
 
 So 
 
 

 ©no* -0 '^ ""^ V 
 
 
 
 
 1 aj' C* 
 
 
 1^ - t « o. 
 
 o M ' ^^0'' ''^ * • r *» 
 
 
 
 40^ 
 
 » N O 
 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 011 290 965 5