There have been
swords that have done bloody work, but I have never been so defiled.
The Boston Cadets, you know, are the Governor's body guard, and such
is the anxiety of people sometimes to see a real live governor when
he has on his governor's dress and character, that the women and
children crowd around him so that he can hardly find room to move
and breathe. At one of these times of great pressure, my master took
me out and flourished me round bravely. O, how they all scampered!
just like a flock of frightened geese, merely at the sight of me.
Such is the effect of my mere appearance. To be sure, the Major
laughed whenever he told this story. I know not why, for it is
perfectly true.
Once, when all the men in the family were gone away,--it was since
we have lived in the country,--the children were in the upper
chamber, and the doors were open below, and they saw a frightful-
looking beggar coming up the avenue; he was lame and had a patch
over his eye. He looked terrible; but one of the girls ran for me,
and took me out of the scabbard, and shook me at him out of the
window, and screamed out to him to go off; whereupon he turned about
and hobbled off as fast as he could.
One of the little girls said she did not believe there was any harm
in the poor beggar, and that she would go down and let him in, and
give him something to eat, but the biggest boy shook me at her for
only saying so, so as to dazzle her eyes and frighten her, and she
became silent and remained where she was.
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