Besides, at rare intervals, a real city
lady would actually alight at the rustic station of Hilltop, followed
by an avalanche of trunks, "larger than hen-houses," the girls would
afterwards affirm to their astonished mothers, when it was discovered
that the city-lady, in her languishing necessity for country-air, had
really condescended to come in search of a remote country-cousin.
Besides the fine lady, sometimes small companies of dashing young
gentlemen, with fishing-rods and retinues of long-eared dogs, or a
long-haired artist with a portfolio under his arm, all lured by the
mountains and woods and streams, to seek pleasure in far different ways,
would alight at the station, and ask of some staring rustic where they
could find the hotel.
[Footnote 74: An active writer, chiefly known as a newspaper
correspondent from Washington; a native of Vermont, has published a
novel of much descriptive vigor.]
CHAPTER IV
POETS.
=_Francis Hopkinson,[75] 1737-1791._=
From "The Battle of the Kegs.[76]"
=_316._=
Gallants, attend, and hear a friend
Trill forth harmonious ditty;
Strange things I'll tell, which late befell
In Philadelphia city.
'Twas early day, as poets say,
Just when the sun was rising,
A soldier stood on a log of wood,
And saw a thing surprising.
Pages:
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599