Woman,
woman, you are enough to defeat the skill of Hippocrates!"
"Pooh!" said Betty, with infinite composure, "what a botheration ye make
about a little whisky; there was but a gallon betwixt a good dozen of
them, and I gave it to the boys to make them sleep asy; sure, jist as
slumbering drops."
Lawton and his companion now entered the building, and the first
objects which met their eyes explained the hidden meaning of Betty's
comfortable declaration. A long table, made of boards torn from the side
of an outbuilding, was stretched through the middle of the largest
apartment, or the barroom, and on it was a very scanty display of
crockery ware. The steams of cookery arose from an adjoining kitchen,
but the principal attraction was in a demijohn of fair proportions,
which had been ostentatiously placed on high by Betty as the object most
worthy of notice. Lawton soon learned that it was teeming with the real
amber-colored juice of the grape, and had been sent from the Locusts, as
an offering to Major Dunwoodie, from his friend Captain Wharton of the
royal army.
"And a royal gift it is," said the grinning subaltern, who made the
explanation. "The major gives us an entertainment in honor of our
victory, and you see the principal expense is borne as it should be, by
the enemy.
Pages:
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306