diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 77716-0.txt | 514 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 77716-h/77716-h.htm | 655 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 77716-h/images/image001.jpg | bin | 0 -> 143163 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
6 files changed, 1185 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/77716-0.txt b/77716-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9e7f365 --- /dev/null +++ b/77716-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,514 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77716 *** + +Transcriber's notes: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed. + +New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the +public domain. + + + THE COHANSEY TEA-FIGHT + + + BY + + _Lucy Ellen Guernsey_ + + + + THE + ATLANTIC MONTHLY + + VOLUME XXXIII.—NUMBER 198 + + APRIL, 1874 + + + + _CONTENTS_ + + + + THE COHANSEY TEA-FIGHT. _Lucy Ellen Guernsey_ + + + + BOSTON + H. O. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY + 219 WASHINGTON STREET + NEW YORK: HURD AND HOUGHTON + 13 ASTOR PLACE + The Riverside Press, Cambridge + + TERMS—SINGLE NUMBERS, 35 CENTS YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION, $4.00 + + + + THE COHANSEY TEA-FIGHT. + + +"IT is pouring cats and dogs!" said Violet, looking out of the window +at the storm. "There is n't a bit of use in thinking of it, is there, +aunt?" + +"I should say not!" answered Aunt Elisabeth. "To be sure it may clear +up before five o'clock, but unless the weather improves, I think you +had better give it up." + +"Give up what?" asked Grandmother Howell. + +"Going to Annabella Floyd's tea-fight, grandmother," I answered. + +"My dear!" said Aunt Elisabeth. She had a horror of slang, and she had +never heard this particular phrase, which had just begun to come into +use twenty years ago. + +"A tea-fight! And what is a tea-fight?" asked grandmother. + +"Oh, a little sociable tea-party all of girls, you know," I explained. +"Annabella Floyd, across the creek, has one this afternoon, but I am +afraid we can't go." + +"Umph!" said grandmother. "I remember a tea-fight on Cohansey Creek +worth going to,—but it was a man's tea-fight, not a girl's, though a +girl helped get it up, after all." + +"Oh, please do tell us about it, grandma!" said Violet and I together; +and Aunt Elisabeth added: "Yes, do, grandmother; it will help to make +the time pass pleasantly." + +Violet and myself were making our annual visitation to Aunt Elisabeth +in Greenwich, New Jersey. We had been there so often that it was +like another home to us, and we knew every house and store and tree +in the broad, quiet street, and every face in the meeting-home, for +Aunt Elisabeth was a Friend, and we always went to meeting with her. +These visits were among the happiest times of my life. I loved Aunt +Elisabeth dearly, and all but adored my great-grandmother Howell. I +liked the place and the people and the quiet friendly ways,—yes, and +the meetings, too, even when there was no preaching and we had a silent +season. Violet sometimes found it rather dull, but I never did. + +Aunt Elisabeth lived near the landing in a wide, comfortable stone +house, shaded by such enormous and aged willows as I think grow nowhere +else. From my window I could see the green at the end of the street, +with one gigantic buttonwood growing in the centre, the river, or creek +as we always called it, and the schooners and steamers on their way up +to Bridgeton, the metropolis of West Jersey; and a wonderful, quaint, +pretty, hospitable little metropolis it is. I have not seen that +prospect for many a long year, but I have only to shut my eyes to call +it all up before me as plain as day. + +This particular day we were engaged at a small tea-party at Annabella +Floyd's, over across the river. We were very much bent upon going, +but during the morning such a storm of wind and rain had set in that +even Violet confessed the expedition must be abandoned. Under these +disastrous circumstances, it may be believed that we hailed with +delight the prospect of a story from grandma. + +Grandma Howell was past ninety. She was somewhat infirm, but her mind +was as bright and her feelings as keen as they had ever been. She had +not the absolute patience and self-restraint of Aunt Elisabeth, her +granddaughter, and would sometimes wax warm in a debate, while her +sarcasm was not a weapon to be lightly encountered: but nevertheless, +everybody loved and respected Grandma Howell. + +"Well, get your work and sit down, and I'll tell you the story!" said +grandma, who never could bear to see any one idle. "It all happened in +the year 1774. Think of that, children! Those willows over there were +quite small trees, I remember. Ah well, it seems a long time to wait. + +"It was in the beginning of that same year that Aunt Betsy broke up +housekeeping and went to live with her nephew, Abiram Haskins, taking +me with her. Aunt Betsy was a widow, and Abiram's mother had died not +long before; and as he was a bachelor and had a large farm, he needed +some woman about the house. So he asked Aunt Betsy to come and take +charge, and she consented. His house stood near the end of the street, +a little back, and not very far from the creek. The house was burned +down afterward, but if you look sharp you may see traces of the cellar +in Richard Shepherd's field to this day. It was a good house, with +roomy cellars and chambers, and large rooms down-stairs; and when +Aunt Betsy's furniture was put in, it looked very well, only there +was always a stiff, scrimped look and a musty, woolly smell about it. +Abiram was a Friend, as his father had been before him, but he was n't +very zealous in religious matters, and had the name of sitting very +close to the world and its goods. However, his character was good at +that time, though I don't think anybody liked him but Aunt Betsy. + +"I had lived with Aunt Betsy ever since my father died, and when she +moved I went with her. I did n't like the change at all, and said all I +could against it, though I knew all the time that I might as well talk +to the winds. Aunt Betsy was very quiet tempered, but she was more set +in her way than any person I ever saw. + +"'Thee is wasting thy breath, Sybilla!' said she at last. 'I have made +up my mind and I shall act upon it. If thee does n't like the change, +thee must find a home somewhere else.' + +"This threat, as I considered it, shut my mouth and roused my temper +at the same time. I said no more, but I made up my mind that I 'would' +seek a home somewhere else pretty speedily. You see, I did n't like +Abiram. I thought him hard-hearted and miserly, and besides, though +he had never said so in words, I knew that he wanted to marry me, and +that Aunt Betsy's heart was set on the match. Now, if you don't like +a man, the fact that he wants to marry you makes you dislike him all +the more. Moreover I did like somebody else, and I knew that he liked +me. That somebody was Lewis Howell. We had been neighbors always till +father died, and I think our love grew up with us, for I don't remember +when it began. Ah well, children, Lewis has been dead sixty-five years. +The little oak sapling that sprouted out of his grave over in Fairtown +burying-ground is a big tree now. It can't be long before they lay me +beside him. + +"Aunt Betsy did not like Lewis. She said he was worldly and +unsteady—that his father had been a soldier in the old French War, and +that Lewis was just like him. Then Lewis was n't a Friend, but went to +the Episcopal church, for there was one here then. Aunt Betsy would +never let me see him if she could help it, and never would allow that +we were engaged. It was just a boy and girl fancy, she said, and would +soon pass away. She had an inward persuasion that she should see me +married to some steady Friend, who was able to take care of me, and not +to a wild, worldly young man, who cared more for fishing and shooting +than for anything else. Now when Aunt Betsy had an inward persuasion +of anything she was mighty apt to bring it to pass, and that was one +reason why I disliked the idea of going to live at Abiram's. I was +determined to marry no one but Lewis. I knew that he was neither wild +nor worldly, and that he was laying up money to make a home for me, +though he could n't lay it up very fast because he had to help his +father, who was lame and a good deal past his work. My father had +always loved Lewis, and I well remember hearing him say that he would +n't want me to do better than marry him. And then I did so despise +Abiram! + +"Well, I thought it all over and tried to get the best light I could, +and at last I seemed to see may way clear. I would go with Aunt Betsy +and help her get settled, and perhaps stay through the heft of the +summer's work, and then, if I did n't find myself comfortable, I would +hire out to do either spinning or housework. I was n't a bit afraid of +making a good living. I could spin my day's work—a run and a half of +warp or two runs of filling—and get through by three o'clock, and I was +n't afraid to show my thread, either linen or woolen, beside anybody's +in Greenwich." + +"You did n't do crochet work in those days!" remarked Violet, who was +making a dainty little blanket for some baby or other. + +"No. It was n't the fashion, though we did make mittens and gloves +with a hook, too. But we had plenty of nice pretty work, netting and +knotting,—making tatting you call it,—and sprigging on muslin and +crewel work, and piecing bedquilts. Well, as I said, I made up my mind +that I would go with Aunt Betsy, but I would n't stay unless I found it +comfortable. + +"It was n't comfortable at all. Aunt Betsy was close enough, but Abiram +was far worse. It was save, save, scrimp, scrimp, from morning till +night. I was fond of new milk fresh from the cow, and I used to take a +drink almost every night, but if Abiram saw me, you would think I had +stolen five pounds by the fuss he made. He said there was skim-milk +enough if I must have it, and every drop of new milk robbed the churn +of so much butter. I suspect Aunt Betsy gave him a hint about that, +for he came along one night when I was milking, and told me he hoped +I would n't mind what he said, but would help myself to all I wanted. +After that I never touched it again, and I took a real dislike to it. + +"But the scrimping was n't the worst of it by a great deal. I began +to feel like a fly caught in a spider's web. I could hardly ever get +a chance to speak to Lewis—never alone—and Abiram was always in my +way, hanging round and giving me presents and trying to make himself +agreeable. Aunt Betsy watched me as a cat watches a mouse, and by and +by it began to be said about the village that I was engaged to Abiram. +I told Emma Parvin, who was my most intimate friend, to contradict it +everywhere, and so she did; but a great many believed it. Even Lewis +almost began to doubt, because he never could see me alone. About this +time he went across the creek, and took on with James Whitecar, who had +a deal of stock and horses. James did well by him, for Lewis was very +knowing in such matters, and he began to lay up money. Well, of course +we saw less of each other than ever, but his going was an advantage in +one way. Old Uncle Jacob, an old negro, used to paddle across and up +and down the river, fishing. He was a good friend to both of us, and +used to carry our letters back and forth. Then every morning at just +such an hour Lewis used to wave his handkerchief out of his window and +I used to wave one out of mine. So we knew that all was well." + +Aunt Elisabeth had looked uneasy for a few minutes, and as grandma +paused to take up a stitch she said mildly,— + +"Some people would say, grandmother, that it was not very wise to be +putting love-stories into the heads of these young girls." + +Grandma looked up, and her still bright eyes twinkled a little. + +"Elisabeth," said she; "does thee know that the white kitten had her +nose in the cream this morning?" + +"Yes," answered Aunt Elisabeth; "I saw her." + +"Did thee show her the way to the milk, Elisabeth?" + +"No!" said Aunt Elisabeth, surprised. + +"Oh!" said grandma. "I did n't know but some one had put it in her +head." + +Aunt Elisabeth smiled and went on with her hemstitching. + +"But there was another thing which annoyed me almost as much as +the love-making," continued grandma. "It was, as I said, in the +year 1774—the year before the war. The whole country was stirred +up against the British, and their unjust and illegal taxations and +other oppressions—though I do think the bad manners and arrogance of +the British officers and governors had almost as much to do with the +business. The tax on tea had caused specially hard feeling, and you +know how they served the cargo which was brought to Boston. When we got +the news of the Boston tea-party, as it got to be called, there was a +good deal of division of opinion. Most of the young men were on the +patriot side, and so were many of the old ones, but still those were +not wanting who called the business a shameful outrage, and stood up +for the British through thick and thin. Abiram was one of these and +Aunt Betsy another, and they used to abuse the patriots and uphold the +British till they made my blood fairly boil. + +"Well, one day, along in the last of October, Abiram said he was going +to Philadelphia for a few days, and he had the impudence to ask me if +we had n't better be married right away, so I could go with him. And +while I was fairly struck dumb with rage and surprise, Aunt Betsy put +in her word and said it would be a very good plan, as I could buy my +wedding clothes myself, and she would give me money for a nice satin +gown and a gray crape shawl. + +"Then, I can tell you, girls, I flared up. I told Abiram just what I +thought of him, and Aunt Betsy what I thought of 'her'; and I said I +would n't marry Abiram then or ever, if he should pave my way with +gold. I told Aunt Betsy she knew that I was engaged to Lewis Howell, +and that I should never marry any one else. Abiram was so angry he +turned all kinds of colors, but Aunt Betsy was as placid as you please, +and when I had fairly broken down, and was crying as if my heart would +break, she said calmly,— + +"'Thee need n't be so violent, Sybilla. Abiram has no occasion to go +begging for a wife. If thee chooses to disgrace thyself by breaking thy +word to him and marrying a vagabond—' + +"'I never gave Abiram any word, and he knows it!' said I. + +"'Actions speak louder than words,' said my aunt. 'We won't say any +more about it now. Abiram, I have an inward persuasion that Sybilla +will come to a better mind. Thee must excuse her violence. She was +n't brought up with Friends, and has n't learned to rule her spirit. +Sybilla, thee had better stop crying and eat thy dinner.' + +"But I would n't eat any dinner, and I never sat down to the table nor +spoke a word to Abiram till he went away. Aunt Betsy was as calm as +ever, but she kept me so close, I could n't even get a chance to send +a word to Lewis. However, old Jacob did smuggle one to me, in which +Lewis told me how Abiram had told James Whitecar that we were to be +married when we came home. Lewis said he knew I never would be false to +him of my own free will, but he did n't know what I might be tormented +into doing, and he begged me to leave my aunt, and come over to Deborah +Whitecar, who knew all the story, and would be the same as a mother to +me. Deborah herself added a few words to the same effect. Deborah was a +good, kind woman, besides being a preacher and very much thought of. I +knew she meant every word she said, and that I could be useful to her; +and beside that it was a great encouragement to have such a woman take +my part. Still I did n't like the notion of going right into the family +where Lewis was, and I thought I would wait a little. Beside that, Aunt +Betsy was lame and ailing, and I did n't feel quite free to leave her. +So I staid on, and certainly I did have a pretty hard time. Even the +neighbors began to notice how I was mewed up, and never went outside +the gate. + +"The second day of November, Abiram came home in the best of spirits. +He had made his journey profitable, it seemed, and he was more of a +Tory than ever. He had actually brought me a satin gown that would +stand on end for richness, and a gray crape shawl. I told him he +might keep his gifts to himself, and went up-stairs to my room, where +presently Aunt Betsy came bringing the shawl and the satin. + +"'Thee had better put these things away!' said she, laying them on the +bed. + +"I took them just as they were, and opening the window, I dropped them +out and saw them fall plump into the tub of rain-water underneath,—for +then, instead of cisterns, we had great troughs standing under the +eaves. It was a silly thing to do, but I was so worked up I did n't +care one pin. For once I saw Aunt Betsy in a rage. She scolded me +roundly, and ended by declaring that I should marry Abiram within a +week or she would never see nor speak to me again. I should have gone +away that very night, only Aunt Betsy was taken so sick I did n't like +to leave her. What Abiram thought when he found his presents all wet +and spoiled, I can't say. He never said a word to me nor I to him. I +did my work, and waited on Aunt Betsy, but I could n't get any word to +Lewis, much as I wished it, for old Jacob was sick, and I had n't any +other messenger. + +"Well, for two or three days Abiram was wonderful busy clearing out the +cellar. Now and then he would take his boat and run down the creek, and +he grew so queer and excited that I began to wonder what was going to +happen. I hardly ever got a chance to step outside the door, Aunt Betsy +kept me so close, and what with the work and waiting on her, I was +pretty well used up. + +"One night,—it was the 20th of November and a fine moonlight, though +rather foggy,—I went to the backdoor for a breath of air, and I saw a +fine large brig coming up with the tide. She seemed to find her way +without any trouble, and presently came to anchor over there where you +see that pine stump—it was a fine tree then—not far from our house. +I stood watching, and presently I saw Abiram and two other men come +ashore from the brig. They came up the path toward the house, but I +did n't stay to meet them. I went back to Aunt Betsy, and when Abiram +called me to see to supper, he told me the strange men would stay, and +asked me if I would n't sit down and make tea. For you see I had n't +sat down to a single meal with him since he came home. + +"'Tea!' said I. 'Where did you get any tea?' I knew ours had been out +some time, and you could n't buy an ounce for love nor money. + +"'Never mind,' said Abiram, looking as pleased as could be. 'I've got +it, and plenty more of nice things. Now be a good girl and see to the +supper, and I promise not to say a word thee won't like to hear.' + +"Well, I did n't want to make a fuss before the strangers, so I said I +would; and I made some nice hot cakes and fried a chicken, and turned +out the tea, but I would n't touch a drop, more than if it were poison. +The two men were English, as I made out by their talk, and one of them +was captain of the brig. He had been drinking a little, and he kept +throwing out hints which made me open my ears, and caused the other man +to swear at him for a fool. + +"Well, I did up the work, and was just going up-stairs to bed, when +Abiram stopped me. + +"'What is it?' I asked sharply enough. + +"'I only wanted to say that thee need n't be scared if thee hears a +noise in the night,' said he meekly. 'I have got some goods aboard the +brig, and I am going to have them unloaded, because the captain wants +to get away.' + +"Somehow it flashed across me all in a minute what the goods were. So +instead of going to bed, I blew out the candle and sat down behind the +curtain to watch. Presently I saw the men from the brig bringing up the +goods all covered with tarpaulins and stow them in the cellar. They had +nearly finished when one of the men let fall a square box, and I knew +by the sound that something had broken. The captain cursed him for a +clumsy fool. Abiram brought out a broom, and I could see them sweeping +and brushing something. Finally the business was finished, the men went +away, and Abiram came up-stairs and went to bed. He was generally the +first one up in the morning, but this time I stole a march on him, and +was down before six o'clock. I took the lantern and began searching +where I had seen them sweeping the night before, and sure enough, in a +little hollow by the side of the path I found about half a handful of +nice green tea! + +"I gathered up the tea in my hands and wrapped it in a paper I had in +my pocket, and then I stole down to the creek, to the place where I +knew Abiram's little skiff was tied up. It was no sudden move. I had +been thinking all night, and I made up my mind that I must see Lewis +and tell him the whole story. For, absurd as it may seem, I was really +afraid Aunt Betsy would contrive some way to marry me to Abiram even +against my will. + +"The tide was running out and helped me, and I was soon at James +Whitecar's landing, for I knew how to handle a boat. I found Lewis at +the barn, told him the whole story, and showed him the tea. You ought +to have seen how his eyes flashed. + +"'So that is what he has been up to!' said he. 'We have been watching +him for a week, and suspected as much.' Then he called Stephen +Whitecar, James' brother, a great friend of his, and showed him the tea. + +"'We'll take care of him!' said Stephen. 'Only thee keep quiet, +Sybilla, and don't let on that thee knows anything.'" + +"Was Stephen a Friend?" I asked. + +"Well, yes, he belonged to Meeting, and his mother was a preacher, as I +told you. So we talked it over, and Stephen was for calling his mother, +and having me stay, but I said I thought I had better go right back. + +"'Don't tell me anything!' said I. 'And then I can answer no questions.' + +"Lewis said I was right and he would row me back himself. On the way it +was settled between us that he should come for me the next day but two, +and then we would go and get married. The reason we waited was that I +should be of age in two days, and then nobody would have anything to +say. I hated to leave Aunt Betsy and go against her wishes, but there +seemed no other way. + +"I was busy getting breakfast when Abiram came down. I thought it +best to be civil to him, and easily put him into a good humor. That +day everybody noticed that there was a good deal of riding round, and +going in and out of Doctor Elmer's and Mr. Philip Fithian's. He was a +minister, and a great patriot. I was on thorns, expecting I did n't +know what, and ready to start at every noise, but I kept about my work, +and waited on Aunt Betsy, and was so pleasant to Abiram that he really +thought I was coming round. + +"The next evening about ten o'clock there came a great knocking at our +door. I was up in a minute, and looking out, I saw by the moonlight +about thirty Indians in war-paint and feathers standing round the +house. My heart was in my mouth for a minute, and then it came over me +what they had come for. + +"'What do you want?' called Abiram from his window. + +"'We have come for a cup of tea!' said a voice which I knew right well. +'Get up and give it to us like a good fellow, or we shall have to take +it where we can find it.' + +"Abiram blustered and talked big, but it was no use. They told him if +he did n't open the doors, they would break them down, and at last, +rather than have his house attacked, he gave up the keys. They touched +nothing else in the house, but they carried all the tea out into the +meadow yonder, piled it up, and, set it on fire. It burned splendidly, +and perfumed the air for half a mile round. There were at least two +hundred people looking on, but nobody said a word, or offered to +interfere. It was all as solemn as a yearly meeting, and it had a right +to be, when two at least of the Indians were ministers. When the tea +was all burned, everybody went quietly home. + +"Abiram was like a madman for a time, and then he broke down and cried +like a baby. He never held his head up after that, and presently he +moved away to Philadelphia. They tried to bring a suit against the men +who burned the tea, but it was of no use. The grand jury were too good +Whigs to bring in a bill, and finally the war came on and the matter +was dropped. + +"I had engaged Eunice Hunt to come and take care of the house, and +wait on Aunt Betsy, and on the day appointed I went in and told her +what I was going to do. She scolded at first, and then she cried and +begged me to wait till spring, but I was firm. I thought I had waited +and suffered about enough. She declared she never would see me again, +but I told her I had an inward persuasion that she would change her +mind. Then I left her, and Lewis and I went up to Mr. Philip Fithian's +and were married. Afterward we moved over to James Whitecar's, and +I lived there a long time, all the same as one of the family, doing +the spinning and helping in the work. Some Friends blamed Deborah for +taking my part, but she said she had acted according to the best light +she had, and she was pretty well able to hold her own. + +"The next year the war broke out, and Lewis, with his brother Richard +and Stephen Whitecar, went into the army. It was a great trouble to +Deborah to have Stephen turn soldier, but he did, and made a very +good one. My Lewis rose to be captain, and was much respected; but he +was wounded up at Wyoming, and died, leaving me with one little girl, +mother of your father and Elisabeth here. Stephen Whitecar wanted to +marry me when the war was over, and I knew Deborah would have liked it, +but I couldn't bring my mind to it, and after a while he married Emma +Parvin. Folks said he thought it was the next thing to marrying me. + +"Aunt Betsy was very angry for a long time, but she came round, and was +as kind as ever, even getting me the satin gown and crape shawl she had +promised me if I married Abiram. He got very rich in Philadelphia at +one time, but he lost everything speculating in Continental money after +the war, and finally died poor and friendless. + +"And now, as the wind has changed and it is clearing up, you had better +go and get ready for your tea-fight." + + _Lucy Ellen Guernsey._ + + —————————————————— + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77716 *** diff --git a/77716-h/77716-h.htm b/77716-h/77716-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3f6974d --- /dev/null +++ b/77716-h/77716-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,655 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + The Cohansey Tea-Fight │ Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/image001.jpg" type="image/cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + font-size:12.0pt; + font-family:"Verdana"; +} + +p {text-indent: 2em;} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +h2 {font-size: 1.17em;} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} + +.w100 { + width: auto + } + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +p.t1 {text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 125%; + text-align: center + } + +p.t2 { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 150%; + text-align: center + } + +p.t3 { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 100%; + text-align: center + } + +p.t3b { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 100%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center + } + +p.t4 { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 80%; + text-align: center + } + +p.t5 { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 100%; + text-align: right + } + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77716 ***</div> + +<p>Transcriber's notes: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed.</p> + +<p>New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the +public domain.</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image001" style="max-width: 33.8125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image001.jpg" alt="image001"> +</figure> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h1>THE COHANSEY TEA-FIGHT</h1> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +BY<br> +</p> + +<p class="t1"> +<em>Lucy Ellen Guernsey</em><br> +<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +THE<br> +</p> + +<p class="t1"> +ATLANTIC MONTHLY<br> +</p> + +<p class="t4"> +VOLUME XXXIII.—NUMBER 198<br> +<br> +APRIL, 1874<br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3b"> +<em>CONTENTS</em><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p><a href="#The_Cohansey">THE COHANSEY TEA-FIGHT. <em>Lucy Ellen Guernsey</em></a></p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t4"> +BOSTON<br> +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +H. O. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY<br> +</p> + +<p class="t4"> +219 WASHINGTON STREET<br> +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +NEW YORK: HURD AND HOUGHTON<br> +</p> + +<p class="t4"> +13 ASTOR PLACE<br> +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +The Riverside Press, Cambridge<br> +</p> + +<p class="t4"> +TERMS—SINGLE NUMBERS, 35 CENTS        YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION, $4.00<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p class="t2"> +<b><a id="The_Cohansey">THE COHANSEY TEA-FIGHT.</a></b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>"IT is pouring cats and dogs!" said Violet, looking out of the window +at the storm. "There is n't a bit of use in thinking of it, is there, +aunt?"</p> + +<p>"I should say not!" answered Aunt Elisabeth. "To be sure it may clear +up before five o'clock, but unless the weather improves, I think you +had better give it up."</p> + +<p>"Give up what?" asked Grandmother Howell.</p> + +<p>"Going to Annabella Floyd's tea-fight, grandmother," I answered.</p> + +<p>"My dear!" said Aunt Elisabeth. She had a horror of slang, and she had +never heard this particular phrase, which had just begun to come into +use twenty years ago.</p> + +<p>"A tea-fight! And what is a tea-fight?" asked grandmother.</p> + +<p>"Oh, a little sociable tea-party all of girls, you know," I explained. +"Annabella Floyd, across the creek, has one this afternoon, but I am +afraid we can't go."</p> + +<p>"Umph!" said grandmother. "I remember a tea-fight on Cohansey Creek +worth going to,—but it was a man's tea-fight, not a girl's, though a +girl helped get it up, after all."</p> + +<p>"Oh, please do tell us about it, grandma!" said Violet and I together; +and Aunt Elisabeth added: "Yes, do, grandmother; it will help to make +the time pass pleasantly."</p> + +<p>Violet and myself were making our annual visitation to Aunt Elisabeth +in Greenwich, New Jersey. We had been there so often that it was +like another home to us, and we knew every house and store and tree +in the broad, quiet street, and every face in the meeting-home, for +Aunt Elisabeth was a Friend, and we always went to meeting with her. +These visits were among the happiest times of my life. I loved Aunt +Elisabeth dearly, and all but adored my great-grandmother Howell. I +liked the place and the people and the quiet friendly ways,—yes, and +the meetings, too, even when there was no preaching and we had a silent +season. Violet sometimes found it rather dull, but I never did.</p> + +<p>Aunt Elisabeth lived near the landing in a wide, comfortable stone +house, shaded by such enormous and aged willows as I think grow nowhere +else. From my window I could see the green at the end of the street, +with one gigantic buttonwood growing in the centre, the river, or creek +as we always called it, and the schooners and steamers on their way up +to Bridgeton, the metropolis of West Jersey; and a wonderful, quaint, +pretty, hospitable little metropolis it is. I have not seen that +prospect for many a long year, but I have only to shut my eyes to call +it all up before me as plain as day.</p> + +<p>This particular day we were engaged at a small tea-party at Annabella +Floyd's, over across the river. We were very much bent upon going, +but during the morning such a storm of wind and rain had set in that +even Violet confessed the expedition must be abandoned. Under these +disastrous circumstances, it may be believed that we hailed with +delight the prospect of a story from grandma.</p> + +<p>Grandma Howell was past ninety. She was somewhat infirm, but her mind +was as bright and her feelings as keen as they had ever been. She had +not the absolute patience and self-restraint of Aunt Elisabeth, her +granddaughter, and would sometimes wax warm in a debate, while her +sarcasm was not a weapon to be lightly encountered: but nevertheless, +everybody loved and respected Grandma Howell.</p> + +<p>"Well, get your work and sit down, and I'll tell you the story!" said +grandma, who never could bear to see any one idle. "It all happened in +the year 1774. Think of that, children! Those willows over there were +quite small trees, I remember. Ah well, it seems a long time to wait.</p> + +<p>"It was in the beginning of that same year that Aunt Betsy broke up +housekeeping and went to live with her nephew, Abiram Haskins, taking +me with her. Aunt Betsy was a widow, and Abiram's mother had died not +long before; and as he was a bachelor and had a large farm, he needed +some woman about the house. So he asked Aunt Betsy to come and take +charge, and she consented. His house stood near the end of the street, +a little back, and not very far from the creek. The house was burned +down afterward, but if you look sharp you may see traces of the cellar +in Richard Shepherd's field to this day. It was a good house, with +roomy cellars and chambers, and large rooms down-stairs; and when +Aunt Betsy's furniture was put in, it looked very well, only there +was always a stiff, scrimped look and a musty, woolly smell about it. +Abiram was a Friend, as his father had been before him, but he was n't +very zealous in religious matters, and had the name of sitting very +close to the world and its goods. However, his character was good at +that time, though I don't think anybody liked him but Aunt Betsy.</p> + +<p>"I had lived with Aunt Betsy ever since my father died, and when she +moved I went with her. I did n't like the change at all, and said all I +could against it, though I knew all the time that I might as well talk +to the winds. Aunt Betsy was very quiet tempered, but she was more set +in her way than any person I ever saw.</p> + +<p>"'Thee is wasting thy breath, Sybilla!' said she at last. 'I have made +up my mind and I shall act upon it. If thee does n't like the change, +thee must find a home somewhere else.'</p> + +<p>"This threat, as I considered it, shut my mouth and roused my temper +at the same time. I said no more, but I made up my mind that I 'would' +seek a home somewhere else pretty speedily. You see, I did n't like +Abiram. I thought him hard-hearted and miserly, and besides, though +he had never said so in words, I knew that he wanted to marry me, and +that Aunt Betsy's heart was set on the match. Now, if you don't like +a man, the fact that he wants to marry you makes you dislike him all +the more. Moreover I did like somebody else, and I knew that he liked +me. That somebody was Lewis Howell. We had been neighbors always till +father died, and I think our love grew up with us, for I don't remember +when it began. Ah well, children, Lewis has been dead sixty-five years. +The little oak sapling that sprouted out of his grave over in Fairtown +burying-ground is a big tree now. It can't be long before they lay me +beside him.</p> + +<p>"Aunt Betsy did not like Lewis. She said he was worldly and +unsteady—that his father had been a soldier in the old French War, and +that Lewis was just like him. Then Lewis was n't a Friend, but went to +the Episcopal church, for there was one here then. Aunt Betsy would +never let me see him if she could help it, and never would allow that +we were engaged. It was just a boy and girl fancy, she said, and would +soon pass away. She had an inward persuasion that she should see me +married to some steady Friend, who was able to take care of me, and not +to a wild, worldly young man, who cared more for fishing and shooting +than for anything else. Now when Aunt Betsy had an inward persuasion +of anything she was mighty apt to bring it to pass, and that was one +reason why I disliked the idea of going to live at Abiram's. I was +determined to marry no one but Lewis. I knew that he was neither wild +nor worldly, and that he was laying up money to make a home for me, +though he could n't lay it up very fast because he had to help his +father, who was lame and a good deal past his work. My father had +always loved Lewis, and I well remember hearing him say that he would +n't want me to do better than marry him. And then I did so despise +Abiram!</p> + +<p>"Well, I thought it all over and tried to get the best light I could, +and at last I seemed to see may way clear. I would go with Aunt Betsy +and help her get settled, and perhaps stay through the heft of the +summer's work, and then, if I did n't find myself comfortable, I would +hire out to do either spinning or housework. I was n't a bit afraid of +making a good living. I could spin my day's work—a run and a half of +warp or two runs of filling—and get through by three o'clock, and I was +n't afraid to show my thread, either linen or woolen, beside anybody's +in Greenwich."</p> + +<p>"You did n't do crochet work in those days!" remarked Violet, who was +making a dainty little blanket for some baby or other.</p> + +<p>"No. It was n't the fashion, though we did make mittens and gloves +with a hook, too. But we had plenty of nice pretty work, netting and +knotting,—making tatting you call it,—and sprigging on muslin and +crewel work, and piecing bedquilts. Well, as I said, I made up my mind +that I would go with Aunt Betsy, but I would n't stay unless I found it +comfortable.</p> + +<p>"It was n't comfortable at all. Aunt Betsy was close enough, but Abiram +was far worse. It was save, save, scrimp, scrimp, from morning till +night. I was fond of new milk fresh from the cow, and I used to take a +drink almost every night, but if Abiram saw me, you would think I had +stolen five pounds by the fuss he made. He said there was skim-milk +enough if I must have it, and every drop of new milk robbed the churn +of so much butter. I suspect Aunt Betsy gave him a hint about that, +for he came along one night when I was milking, and told me he hoped +I would n't mind what he said, but would help myself to all I wanted. +After that I never touched it again, and I took a real dislike to it.</p> + +<p>"But the scrimping was n't the worst of it by a great deal. I began +to feel like a fly caught in a spider's web. I could hardly ever get +a chance to speak to Lewis—never alone—and Abiram was always in my +way, hanging round and giving me presents and trying to make himself +agreeable. Aunt Betsy watched me as a cat watches a mouse, and by and +by it began to be said about the village that I was engaged to Abiram. +I told Emma Parvin, who was my most intimate friend, to contradict it +everywhere, and so she did; but a great many believed it. Even Lewis +almost began to doubt, because he never could see me alone. About this +time he went across the creek, and took on with James Whitecar, who had +a deal of stock and horses. James did well by him, for Lewis was very +knowing in such matters, and he began to lay up money. Well, of course +we saw less of each other than ever, but his going was an advantage in +one way. Old Uncle Jacob, an old negro, used to paddle across and up +and down the river, fishing. He was a good friend to both of us, and +used to carry our letters back and forth. Then every morning at just +such an hour Lewis used to wave his handkerchief out of his window and +I used to wave one out of mine. So we knew that all was well."</p> + +<p>Aunt Elisabeth had looked uneasy for a few minutes, and as grandma +paused to take up a stitch she said mildly,—</p> + +<p>"Some people would say, grandmother, that it was not very wise to be +putting love-stories into the heads of these young girls."</p> + +<p>Grandma looked up, and her still bright eyes twinkled a little.</p> + +<p>"Elisabeth," said she; "does thee know that the white kitten had her +nose in the cream this morning?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Aunt Elisabeth; "I saw her."</p> + +<p>"Did thee show her the way to the milk, Elisabeth?"</p> + +<p>"No!" said Aunt Elisabeth, surprised.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said grandma. "I did n't know but some one had put it in her +head."</p> + +<p>Aunt Elisabeth smiled and went on with her hemstitching.</p> + +<p>"But there was another thing which annoyed me almost as much as +the love-making," continued grandma. "It was, as I said, in the +year 1774—the year before the war. The whole country was stirred +up against the British, and their unjust and illegal taxations and +other oppressions—though I do think the bad manners and arrogance of +the British officers and governors had almost as much to do with the +business. The tax on tea had caused specially hard feeling, and you +know how they served the cargo which was brought to Boston. When we got +the news of the Boston tea-party, as it got to be called, there was a +good deal of division of opinion. Most of the young men were on the +patriot side, and so were many of the old ones, but still those were +not wanting who called the business a shameful outrage, and stood up +for the British through thick and thin. Abiram was one of these and +Aunt Betsy another, and they used to abuse the patriots and uphold the +British till they made my blood fairly boil.</p> + +<p>"Well, one day, along in the last of October, Abiram said he was going +to Philadelphia for a few days, and he had the impudence to ask me if +we had n't better be married right away, so I could go with him. And +while I was fairly struck dumb with rage and surprise, Aunt Betsy put +in her word and said it would be a very good plan, as I could buy my +wedding clothes myself, and she would give me money for a nice satin +gown and a gray crape shawl.</p> + +<p>"Then, I can tell you, girls, I flared up. I told Abiram just what I +thought of him, and Aunt Betsy what I thought of 'her'; and I said I +would n't marry Abiram then or ever, if he should pave my way with +gold. I told Aunt Betsy she knew that I was engaged to Lewis Howell, +and that I should never marry any one else. Abiram was so angry he +turned all kinds of colors, but Aunt Betsy was as placid as you please, +and when I had fairly broken down, and was crying as if my heart would +break, she said calmly,—</p> + +<p>"'Thee need n't be so violent, Sybilla. Abiram has no occasion to go +begging for a wife. If thee chooses to disgrace thyself by breaking thy +word to him and marrying a vagabond—'</p> + +<p>"'I never gave Abiram any word, and he knows it!' said I.</p> + +<p>"'Actions speak louder than words,' said my aunt. 'We won't say any +more about it now. Abiram, I have an inward persuasion that Sybilla +will come to a better mind. Thee must excuse her violence. She was +n't brought up with Friends, and has n't learned to rule her spirit. +Sybilla, thee had better stop crying and eat thy dinner.'</p> + +<p>"But I would n't eat any dinner, and I never sat down to the table nor +spoke a word to Abiram till he went away. Aunt Betsy was as calm as +ever, but she kept me so close, I could n't even get a chance to send +a word to Lewis. However, old Jacob did smuggle one to me, in which +Lewis told me how Abiram had told James Whitecar that we were to be +married when we came home. Lewis said he knew I never would be false to +him of my own free will, but he did n't know what I might be tormented +into doing, and he begged me to leave my aunt, and come over to Deborah +Whitecar, who knew all the story, and would be the same as a mother to +me. Deborah herself added a few words to the same effect. Deborah was a +good, kind woman, besides being a preacher and very much thought of. I +knew she meant every word she said, and that I could be useful to her; +and beside that it was a great encouragement to have such a woman take +my part. Still I did n't like the notion of going right into the family +where Lewis was, and I thought I would wait a little. Beside that, Aunt +Betsy was lame and ailing, and I did n't feel quite free to leave her. +So I staid on, and certainly I did have a pretty hard time. Even the +neighbors began to notice how I was mewed up, and never went outside +the gate.</p> + +<p>"The second day of November, Abiram came home in the best of spirits. +He had made his journey profitable, it seemed, and he was more of a +Tory than ever. He had actually brought me a satin gown that would +stand on end for richness, and a gray crape shawl. I told him he +might keep his gifts to himself, and went up-stairs to my room, where +presently Aunt Betsy came bringing the shawl and the satin.</p> + +<p>"'Thee had better put these things away!' said she, laying them on the +bed.</p> + +<p>"I took them just as they were, and opening the window, I dropped them +out and saw them fall plump into the tub of rain-water underneath,—for +then, instead of cisterns, we had great troughs standing under the +eaves. It was a silly thing to do, but I was so worked up I did n't +care one pin. For once I saw Aunt Betsy in a rage. She scolded me +roundly, and ended by declaring that I should marry Abiram within a +week or she would never see nor speak to me again. I should have gone +away that very night, only Aunt Betsy was taken so sick I did n't like +to leave her. What Abiram thought when he found his presents all wet +and spoiled, I can't say. He never said a word to me nor I to him. I +did my work, and waited on Aunt Betsy, but I could n't get any word to +Lewis, much as I wished it, for old Jacob was sick, and I had n't any +other messenger.</p> + +<p>"Well, for two or three days Abiram was wonderful busy clearing out the +cellar. Now and then he would take his boat and run down the creek, and +he grew so queer and excited that I began to wonder what was going to +happen. I hardly ever got a chance to step outside the door, Aunt Betsy +kept me so close, and what with the work and waiting on her, I was +pretty well used up.</p> + +<p>"One night,—it was the 20th of November and a fine moonlight, though +rather foggy,—I went to the backdoor for a breath of air, and I saw a +fine large brig coming up with the tide. She seemed to find her way +without any trouble, and presently came to anchor over there where you +see that pine stump—it was a fine tree then—not far from our house. +I stood watching, and presently I saw Abiram and two other men come +ashore from the brig. They came up the path toward the house, but I +did n't stay to meet them. I went back to Aunt Betsy, and when Abiram +called me to see to supper, he told me the strange men would stay, and +asked me if I would n't sit down and make tea. For you see I had n't +sat down to a single meal with him since he came home.</p> + +<p>"'Tea!' said I. 'Where did you get any tea?' I knew ours had been out +some time, and you could n't buy an ounce for love nor money.</p> + +<p>"'Never mind,' said Abiram, looking as pleased as could be. 'I've got +it, and plenty more of nice things. Now be a good girl and see to the +supper, and I promise not to say a word thee won't like to hear.'</p> + +<p>"Well, I did n't want to make a fuss before the strangers, so I said I +would; and I made some nice hot cakes and fried a chicken, and turned +out the tea, but I would n't touch a drop, more than if it were poison. +The two men were English, as I made out by their talk, and one of them +was captain of the brig. He had been drinking a little, and he kept +throwing out hints which made me open my ears, and caused the other man +to swear at him for a fool.</p> + +<p>"Well, I did up the work, and was just going up-stairs to bed, when +Abiram stopped me.</p> + +<p>"'What is it?' I asked sharply enough.</p> + +<p>"'I only wanted to say that thee need n't be scared if thee hears a +noise in the night,' said he meekly. 'I have got some goods aboard the +brig, and I am going to have them unloaded, because the captain wants +to get away.'</p> + +<p>"Somehow it flashed across me all in a minute what the goods were. So +instead of going to bed, I blew out the candle and sat down behind the +curtain to watch. Presently I saw the men from the brig bringing up the +goods all covered with tarpaulins and stow them in the cellar. They had +nearly finished when one of the men let fall a square box, and I knew +by the sound that something had broken. The captain cursed him for a +clumsy fool. Abiram brought out a broom, and I could see them sweeping +and brushing something. Finally the business was finished, the men went +away, and Abiram came up-stairs and went to bed. He was generally the +first one up in the morning, but this time I stole a march on him, and +was down before six o'clock. I took the lantern and began searching +where I had seen them sweeping the night before, and sure enough, in a +little hollow by the side of the path I found about half a handful of +nice green tea!</p> + +<p>"I gathered up the tea in my hands and wrapped it in a paper I had in +my pocket, and then I stole down to the creek, to the place where I +knew Abiram's little skiff was tied up. It was no sudden move. I had +been thinking all night, and I made up my mind that I must see Lewis +and tell him the whole story. For, absurd as it may seem, I was really +afraid Aunt Betsy would contrive some way to marry me to Abiram even +against my will.</p> + +<p>"The tide was running out and helped me, and I was soon at James +Whitecar's landing, for I knew how to handle a boat. I found Lewis at +the barn, told him the whole story, and showed him the tea. You ought +to have seen how his eyes flashed.</p> + +<p>"'So that is what he has been up to!' said he. 'We have been watching +him for a week, and suspected as much.' Then he called Stephen +Whitecar, James' brother, a great friend of his, and showed him the tea.</p> + +<p>"'We'll take care of him!' said Stephen. 'Only thee keep quiet, +Sybilla, and don't let on that thee knows anything.'"</p> + +<p>"Was Stephen a Friend?" I asked.</p> + +<p>"Well, yes, he belonged to Meeting, and his mother was a preacher, as I +told you. So we talked it over, and Stephen was for calling his mother, +and having me stay, but I said I thought I had better go right back.</p> + +<p>"'Don't tell me anything!' said I. 'And then I can answer no questions.'</p> + +<p>"Lewis said I was right and he would row me back himself. On the way it +was settled between us that he should come for me the next day but two, +and then we would go and get married. The reason we waited was that I +should be of age in two days, and then nobody would have anything to +say. I hated to leave Aunt Betsy and go against her wishes, but there +seemed no other way.</p> + +<p>"I was busy getting breakfast when Abiram came down. I thought it +best to be civil to him, and easily put him into a good humor. That +day everybody noticed that there was a good deal of riding round, and +going in and out of Doctor Elmer's and Mr. Philip Fithian's. He was a +minister, and a great patriot. I was on thorns, expecting I did n't +know what, and ready to start at every noise, but I kept about my work, +and waited on Aunt Betsy, and was so pleasant to Abiram that he really +thought I was coming round.</p> + +<p>"The next evening about ten o'clock there came a great knocking at our +door. I was up in a minute, and looking out, I saw by the moonlight +about thirty Indians in war-paint and feathers standing round the +house. My heart was in my mouth for a minute, and then it came over me +what they had come for.</p> + +<p>"'What do you want?' called Abiram from his window.</p> + +<p>"'We have come for a cup of tea!' said a voice which I knew right well. +'Get up and give it to us like a good fellow, or we shall have to take +it where we can find it.'</p> + +<p>"Abiram blustered and talked big, but it was no use. They told him if +he did n't open the doors, they would break them down, and at last, +rather than have his house attacked, he gave up the keys. They touched +nothing else in the house, but they carried all the tea out into the +meadow yonder, piled it up, and, set it on fire. It burned splendidly, +and perfumed the air for half a mile round. There were at least two +hundred people looking on, but nobody said a word, or offered to +interfere. It was all as solemn as a yearly meeting, and it had a right +to be, when two at least of the Indians were ministers. When the tea +was all burned, everybody went quietly home.</p> + +<p>"Abiram was like a madman for a time, and then he broke down and cried +like a baby. He never held his head up after that, and presently he +moved away to Philadelphia. They tried to bring a suit against the men +who burned the tea, but it was of no use. The grand jury were too good +Whigs to bring in a bill, and finally the war came on and the matter +was dropped.</p> + +<p>"I had engaged Eunice Hunt to come and take care of the house, and +wait on Aunt Betsy, and on the day appointed I went in and told her +what I was going to do. She scolded at first, and then she cried and +begged me to wait till spring, but I was firm. I thought I had waited +and suffered about enough. She declared she never would see me again, +but I told her I had an inward persuasion that she would change her +mind. Then I left her, and Lewis and I went up to Mr. Philip Fithian's +and were married. Afterward we moved over to James Whitecar's, and +I lived there a long time, all the same as one of the family, doing +the spinning and helping in the work. Some Friends blamed Deborah for +taking my part, but she said she had acted according to the best light +she had, and she was pretty well able to hold her own.</p> + +<p>"The next year the war broke out, and Lewis, with his brother Richard +and Stephen Whitecar, went into the army. It was a great trouble to +Deborah to have Stephen turn soldier, but he did, and made a very +good one. My Lewis rose to be captain, and was much respected; but he +was wounded up at Wyoming, and died, leaving me with one little girl, +mother of your father and Elisabeth here. Stephen Whitecar wanted to +marry me when the war was over, and I knew Deborah would have liked it, +but I couldn't bring my mind to it, and after a while he married Emma +Parvin. Folks said he thought it was the next thing to marrying me.</p> + +<p>"Aunt Betsy was very angry for a long time, but she came round, and was +as kind as ever, even getting me the satin gown and crape shawl she had +promised me if I married Abiram. He got very rich in Philadelphia at +one time, but he lost everything speculating in Continental money after +the war, and finally died poor and friendless.</p> + +<p>"And now, as the wind has changed and it is clearing up, you had better +go and get ready for your tea-fight."</p> + +<p class="t5"> +<em>Lucy Ellen Guernsey.</em> <br> +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +——————————————————<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77716 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/77716-h/images/image001.jpg b/77716-h/images/image001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6acb912 --- /dev/null +++ b/77716-h/images/image001.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c72794 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This book, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e9f7eda --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for eBook #77716 +(https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/77716) |
