Watch Yourself Go By | Page 9

on that eventful day will testify. A rain
of stones fell on the raft; one boy, more venturesome than the others,
started up the hill but "Al-f-u-r-d's" fire repulsed him.
Lin, hidden behind the house, had changed her manner and was now
pleading with "Al-f-u-r-d" to desist.
"Ye might crack some of their skulls and then they'd git out a warrant
and Rease Lynch (referring to the town constable), would be after ye."
"Al-f-u-r-d" left the line of battle only when exhausted. That first
swimming lesson and the fusillade of rocks that followed engendered
animosities that involved "Al-f-u-r-d" in many rough and tumble
encounters afterwards.
Lin, catching up the clothes the boy had dropped upon the ground, soon
discovered why he had not put them on. The sleeves of the waist were
dripping wet and tied in knots as tight as two big, strong boys could
pull them. The pantalets were first unraveled, reversed, pulled over the
sand-covered limbs of the boy, the waist wrapped about his shoulders,
(the knots in the sleeves could not be untied), his hat pushed down on
his head owing to the arrangement of his hair until it rested on his ears.
The procession started homeward, up alleys, through back yards to
prevent being seen by the neighbors, until Lin hoisted the boy over the
fence at the lower end of the garden. The whole family had congregated
in the back yard, all greatly disturbed over "Al-f-u-r-d's" absence. As he
dropped into the garden from the top of the fence he began crying, as
was his wont, to create sympathy.
[Illustration: Lin and "Al-f-u-r-d"]
As he wended his way up the garden walk, the mother shouted:
"Lin, where on earth has he been?"
"In the river over his head. It's a wonder he wern't drowned to death."

The mother breathed a silent prayer that he had been preserved to them.
Father deftly slid his hand into his left side trouser's pocket and, pulling
forth a keen-bladed knife, cut a slender, but tough, sprout from the
black-heart cherry tree. Tenderly taking the boy by the arm, he slowly
led him to the cellar and introduced another innovation into the fast
unfolding life of the First Born.
The pilgrimages of father and son to the recesses of that dark, damp
cellar became frequent. The innovations of town life were so many,
"Al-f-u-r-d's" unknowing feet fell into so many pitfalls, the father,
affectionate, even indulgent, felt he was in duty bound to use the rod.
In fact, the old cellar, the rod, the boy and the father, were a cause of
comment among those familiar with the family. Uncle Jake said:
"John never asked what 'Al-f-u-r-d' had done when he returned home,
but simply asked, 'Where is he?' escorting him to the cellar and
chastizing him on general principles."
Lin said: "Habits will grow on peepul, and even when 'Al-f-u-r-d' does
nothin', he jes' goes to the cellar and waits to be whipped."
CHAPTER FOUR
From the sweet-smelling Maryland meadows it crawled, Through the
forest primeval, o'er hills granite-walled; On and up, up and on, till it
conquered the crest Of the mountains--and wound away into the West.
'Twas the Highway of Hope! And the pilgrims who trod It were Lords
of the Woodland and Sons of the Sod; And the hope of their hearts was
to win an abode At the end--the far end of the National Road.
Brownsville.
Do you not know where it is located? Do not ask any human being who
ever lived in Brownsville as to its location on the map--that is, if you
value his friendship. Your ignorance of geography will be exposed and
you will be plainly informed: "We do not want anything to do with a
person who does not know where Brownsville is located."

[Illustration: Market Street, Brownsville]
Strange as it may seem, though many excellent histories have been
written, there is none extant that has given any full and adequate
description of Brownsville's early days and people--quaint, curious,
serious, humorous, wise and otherwise--good people all.
Brownsville was the most important town on that "Modern Appian
Way," the National Road, or pike, extending from Baltimore, Maryland,
to the Ohio River, and lengthened beyond, in after years, to Cincinnati
and Richmond, Indiana.
Brownsville was founded soon after this country gained its
independence, although it had been an established frontier post long
before known as Red Stone Old Fort. It was the center of the Whiskey
Insurrection, during which George Washington gained his first military
experience in the West, experience that would have saved Braddock's
defeat and death, had he taken Washington's advice, and might have
changed the entire history of this nation. But that England should
control the American colonies is but repeating history.
England is the only country in the world