Chapter XII. The Twenty-Second of February

exertions,noddedtohisfriends,asking,withengagingfrankness,“Wasn'titnice?” Thenextwasamarinepiece,foraboatwasseen,surroundedbytumultuouswavesofbluecambric,androwedbyapartyofstalwartmeninregimentals,whowithdifficultykepttheirseats,fortheboatwasonlyapaintedboard,andtheysatonboxesorstoolsbehindit.Butfewmarkedtherowers,forintheirmidst,tall,straight,andsteadfastasamast,stoodonefigureinacloak,withfoldedarms,highboots,and,undertheturned-uphat,anoblecountenance,sternwithindomitablecourage.Aswordglitteredathisside,andabannerwavedoverhim,buthiseyewasfixedonthedistantshore,andhewasevidentlyunconsciousoftheroaringbillows,theblocksofice,thediscouragementofhismen,orthedangeranddeaththatmightawaithim.NapoleoncrossingtheAlpswasnothalfsosublime,andwithonevoicetheaudiencecried,“WashingtoncrossingtheDelaware!”whilethebandburstforthwith,“See,theconqueringherocomes!”alloutoftune,butboundtoplayitordieintheattempt. Itwouldhavebeenverysuccessfulif,allofasudden,oneoftherowershadnot“caughtacrab”withdisastrousconsequences.Theoarswerenotmoving,butaveteran,wholookedverymuchlikeJoe,droppedtheoneheheld,andintryingtoturnandpummeltheblack-eyedwarriorbehindhim,hetumbledoffhisseat,upsettingtwoothermen,andpullingthepaintedboatuponthemastheylaykickinginthecambricdeep.Shoutsoflaughtergreetedthismishap,butGeorgeWashingtonneverstirred.Graspingthebanner,hestoodfirmwhenallelsewentdowninthegeneralwreck,andtheicywavesengulfedhisgallantcrew,leavinghimerectamidachaosofwildlytossingboots,entangledoars,andred-facedvictims.Suchgod-likedignitycouldnotfailtoimpressthefrivolouscrowdoflaughers,andthecurtainfellamidaroundofapplauseforhimalone. “Quiteexciting,wasn'tit?Didn'tknowGushadsomuchpresenceofmind,”saidMr.Burton,wellpleasedwithhisboy. “IfwedidnotknowthatWashingtondiedinhisbed,December14,1799,Ishouldfearthatwe'dseenthelastofhiminthatshipwreck,”laughedanoldgentleman,proudofhismemoryfordates. MuchconfusionreignedbehindthescenesRalphwasheardscolding,andJoeseteveryoneoffagainbyexplaining,audibly,thatGriftickledhim,andhecouldn'tstandit.Apretty,old-fashionedpictureofthe“DaughtersofLiberty”followed,forthegirlsweredeterminedtodohonortothebraveandpatientwomenwhosonoblyboretheirpartinthestruggle,yetareusuallyforgottenwhenthosedaysarecelebrated.Thedamselswerecharminginthebigcaps,floweredgowns,andhigh-heeledshoesoftheirgreat-grandmothers,astheysataboutaspider-leggedtabletalkingoverthetax,andpledgingthemselvestodrinknomoreteatillitwastakenoff.Mollywasonherfeetproposing,“Libertyforever,anddownwithalltyrants,”tojudgefromherflashingeyesassheheldheregg-shellcupaloft,whiletheothersliftedtheirstodrinkthetoast,andMerry,ashostess,satwithherhandonanantiqueteapot,labelled“Sage,”readytofillagainwhenthepatrioticladieswerereadyforasecond“dish.” Thiswasmuchapplauded,andthecurtainwentupagain,fortheproudparentsenjoyedseeingtheirprettygirlsinthefadedfineryofahundredyearsago.Thebandplayed“AuldLangSyne,”asagentlehintthatourfore-mothersshouldberememberedaswellasthefore-fathers. Itwasevidentthatsomethingverymartialwastofollow,foragreattramping,clashing,andflyingabouttookplacebehindthesceneswhilethetea-partywasgoingon.Aftersomedelay,“TheSurrenderofCornwallis”waspresentedinthemostsuperbmanner,asyoucanbelievewhenItellyouthatthestagewasactuallylinedwithaglitteringarrayofWashingtonandhisgenerals,Lafayette,Kosciusko,Rochambeauandtherest,allinastonishinguniforms,withswordswhichwereevidentlytheprideoftheirlives.Fifeanddrumstruckupamarch,andincameCornwallis,muchcastdownbutfullofmanlyresignation,ashesurrenderedhissword,andstoodasidewithavertedeyeswhilehisarmymarchedpast,pilingtheirarmsatthehero'sfeet. Thisscenewasthedelightoftheboys,fortheriflesofCompanyFhadbeensecured,andatleastadozensoldierskeptfilinginandoutinBritishuniformtillWashington'saugustlegswerehiddenbytheheapsofarmsrattleddownbeforehim.Themartialmusic,thesteadytramp,andthepatrioticmemoriesawakened,causedthisscenetobeenthusiasticallyencored,andtheboyswouldhavegoneonmarchingtillmidnightifRalphhadnotperemptorilyordereddownthecurtainandclearedthestageforthenexttableau. Thishadbeenartfullyslippedinbetweentwobrilliantones,toshowthattheFat