University of Virginia Library

LETTER XXXVII.
Mr Downing receives a Captain's Commission in the United
States Army with orders to go and protect the inhabitants
of Madawaska.

Dear Uncle Josh,— I've got it at last as true as you're
alive, and now I dont keer a snap for the fattest of 'em.
I'll teach them are young chaps down to Portland that
used to poke fun at me so because I did n't get in to be
Governor, that they must carry a better tongue in their
heads, or they 'll find out who they are talking to. I
guess they'll find out by and by it wont be healthy for
'em to poke fun at an officer of my rank. And as for
Jemime Parsons that married the school master winter
before last, when she had promised as fair as could be
that she would have me, she may go to grass for what I
keer; I would n't have her now no more than I'd have
a Virginny nigger. And I guess when she comes to see
me with my regimentals on she'll feel sorry enough, and
wish her cake was dough again. Now she's tied down
to that clodpole of a school master, that was 'nt fit for a
school master neither, for he has had to go to hoeing potatoes
for a living, and much as ever he can get potatoes
enough to keep 'em from starving, when if she had only
done as she had promised, she might now be the wife of
Capt. Jack Downing of the United States Army. But
let her go; as I said afore, I dont care a snap for her or
all old White's cattle. I'll tell you what 'tis uncle, I feel
about right now. It seems to me I could foot it home
in two days, for my feet never felt half so light before.

There's nothing like trying, in this world, uncle; any
body that tries can be something or other, if he dont get
discouraged too soon. When I came on here, you
know, I expected to get one of the great Secretaries'
offices; but the good old President told me they had got
him into such a hobble about them are offices that he
could n't give me one of 'em if he was to die. But he
treated me like a gentleman, and I shall always vote for
him as long as I live, and I told him so. And when he
found out that I was a true genuine republican, says he,
Mr Downing, you must be patient, and I'll bear you in
mind, and do something for you the very first chance.
And you may depend upon it Mr Downing, he added
with a good deal of earnestness, I never desert my
friends, let that lying Stephen Simpson of Philadelphy
say what he will about it, a good for nothing ungrateful
dog. And he fetched a stomp with his foot and his eyes
kind of flashed so fiery, that I could n't help starting
back, for I did n't know but he was going to knock me
over. But he look'd pleasant again in a minute, and
took me by the hand, and now, says he, Mr Downing, I
give you my honor that I'll do something for you as soon
as I possibly can. I told him I hoped he would be as
spry as he could about it, for I had but jest ninepence
left, and I did n't know how I should get along very well,
in a strange place too. But he told me never to mind
that at all; I might come and eat my meals at his house
whenever I'd a mind to, or he would be bondsman for
my board where I put up. So I've worked along from
that time to this, nearly four months, as well as I could,
sometimes getting a little job of garden-work, and sometimes
getting a little wood to saw, and so on, nearly
enough to pay my expenses. I used to call and see the
President once in a while, and he always told me I must
be patient and keep up a good heart, the world was n't
made in one day, and something would turn up for me
by and by. But fact, after digging, and sawing, and
waiting four months, my patience got most wore out,
and I was jest upon the point of giving up the chase,
and starting off for Downingville with the intention of
retiring to private life; when last night, about seven
o'clock, as I sot eating a bowl of bread and milk for my
supper, a boy knocked at the door and wanted to see
Mr Downing. So they brought him into the room where
I was, and says he, Mr Downing, the President wants to
see you for something very particular, right away this
evening. My heart almost jump'd right up in my mouth.
My spoon dropt out of my hand, and to eat another
mouthful I could n't if I was to starve. I flew round,
and washed my face and hands, and combed my head,
and brushed up as well as I could, and should have looked
tolerable spruce if it had n't been for an unlucky hole
in the knee of my trouses. What to do I did not know.
It made me feel bad enough I can tell you. The woman
where I boarded said she would mend them for me if I
would take them off, but it would take her till about nine
o'clock, and the President was waiting for me, and there
'twas. Such a hobble I never was in before. But this
woman is a kind good creature as ever was; she boards
me for four and sixpence a week, considering that I
split wood for her, and bring water, and do all sich kind
of chores. And she always had some contrivance to get
out of every difficulty; and so she handed me a neat
little pocket handkerchief and told me to tie that round
my knee. Being thus rigged out at last, I started off as
fast as I could go for the President's.

When I went into his room, the old gentleman was
setting by a table with his spectacles on, and two great
lamps burning before him, and a bundle of letters and
papers in his hand. He started up and took me by the
hand, and says he, good evening Mr Downing, I 'm very
glad to see you; you are the very man I want now,
above all others in the world. But how is this, said he?
looking at my knee. Not lame, I hope? That would

be a most unfortunate thing in this critical moment. It
would knock my plan in the head at once. I felt kind
of blue, and I guess I blushed a little; but I turned it
off as well as I could; I told him I was n't lame at all,
it was nothing but a slight scratch, and by to-morrow
morning I should be as well as ever I was in my life.
Well then says he, Mr Downing, set down here and see
what I 've got to tell you. The old gentleman set himself
back in his chair and pushed his spectacles up on
his forehead and held up the letter in his hand, and says
he, Mr Downing, here is a letter from Governor Smith
of Maine, and now Sir, I 've got something for you to do.
You see now that I was sincere when I told you if you
would be patient and stick to the republican text, I would
look out for you one of these days. I 'm always true to
my friends; that lying Stephen Simpson might have had
an office before now if he had behaved himself.

Well, dear sir, said I, for I felt in such a pucker to
know what I was going to get that I could n't stand it
any longer, so says I, what sort of business is it you 've
got for me to do? Says he, Mr Downing, I take it you
are a man of courage; I have always thought so ever
since you faced Mr. Eaton so boldly on Mr. Ingham's
door steps. Tho' I was sorry your courage was not displayed
in a better cause, for that Ingham is a rascal after
all. I told him as for courage I believed I had some of
the stuff about me when there was any occasion for it,
and that I never would stand by and see any body
abused. Well, says, he, we must come to the point, for
the business requires haste.

Governor Smith writes me that there are four of your
fellow citizens of Maine in a British jail at Fredericton,
who have been taken from their farms by British constables
and sheriffs and other officers and carried off by
force to prison. By this time my very hair begun to
curl, I felt so mad, and I could n't help jumping up and
smiting my fists together, and saying pretty hard things

about the British. Well, says the President, I like your
spunk Mr Downing; you 're jest the man I want in this
business. I 'm going to give you a captain's commission
in the United States' army, and you must go down there
and set that business right at Madawaska.

You must go to Maine and raise a company of volunteers,
as quick as possible, tell 'em I 'll see 'em paid,
and you must march down to Fredericton and demand
the prisoners, and if they are not given up you must
force the jail, and if the British make any resistance
you must fire upon them and bring the prisoners off at
some rate or other. Then write me and let me know
how affairs stand, and I 'll give you further orders. At
any rate you must see that the rights of Maine are well
protected, for that state has come round so in my favor
since last year I 'm determined to do every thing I can
for them; I tell you Mr Downing, I never desert my
friends. So after he gave me the rest of my orders, and
my commission, and a pocket full of money, and told
me to be brave and if I wanted any thing to let him
know, he bid me good night, and I went home. But I
could n't sleep a wink all night. I was up before day
light this morning, and I 've got two women to work for
me to day fixing up my clothes, and I shall be ready to
start to morrow morning. I want you to keep this matter
pretty still till I get there, except that you my let
cousin Ephraim know it and get him to volunteer some
of the Downingville boys for my company. I want to
get them pretty much all there if I can, for I know what
sort of stuff the Downingville boys are made of, and
shall know what I 've got to depend upon.