Part 7 (1/2)

He moved with a jerk, and upon a nearer approach it appeared that the lower part of one of his legs wasaccusto, it seemed to occasion him but little inconvenience When sufficiently near, Felix, touching his cap with great politeness, bade hi, by the title of General But who our new acquaintance is, we ro, then approaching, was one of those, the nuh sed in the war of the Revolution, was still considerable enough not to be entirely overlooked His name was Primus Ransome, and at an early period he had enlisted into the ar, when he found hieneral good conduct, minus the member left at Yorktown, and a candidate for any such bounty as the exhausted rant He contrived somehow to return to the town of Hillsdale, where, in a checkered life, he had happened to pass two or three of his happiest years, and there prepared to enjoy that liberty he had helped to achieve His good character, cheerful teeneral favorite Yet, notwithstanding, he found it at first hard to get along Hiscontinued industry, and an invitation to a social glass or an opportunity to tell one of his ca stories, was at any time temptation sufficient to wile hientleman's kitchen where Primus was not treated with kindness, and where he did not receive all he asked but he had so to abuse the offered hospitality Thus, working a little at digging in gardens and cutting wood and such other odd jobs as he could obtain, andstories about Mone of Yorktoith theand Christ, after a fashi+on, until Congress found itself in a condition to give him a pension It came late to be sure, and was sularly paid and certain, and joined to the advantages he already possessed, constituted an aot his pension, poor Pri, and think to himself he had paid a pretty dear price for independence; and at such times, it must be confessed, his patriotism ran to a low ebb He knew no Latin, and therefore could not say, ”_sic vos non vobis_,” &c, yet he thought it But after he obtained his little annuity, the love of country of the Horatii or Curiatii was frigid to his He was never weary of boasting of its freedoton It was observed that as he grew older his stories becaer and more incredible, and his patriotism hotter His own personal exploits too, occupied a wider space in his narratives To believe hile arile could have been brought to a successful issue without his assistance

”Goodhis cap

”Good warning, Missa Qui I hope I see you well dis pleasant

How Miss Rosa?” inquired Pri a military salute with the back of his hand

”Miss Rosa is well, thank you, sir As for this genl his hand on his breast

”Fine day for walking, sir Sorry you going de oder way, Missa Qui

Suppose you hab business”

”I walk out for the exercise I have not take exercise enough lately for the health”

At this ht of a white piece of paper sticking out of a corner of Felix's pocket, and he suspected the errand on which the latter was sent, so he added:

”You celu in de usual style at your house dis year, I presume”

”Some witch tell you, General Ha!”

”De ole chimbly smoke extrorninary at dis season De chickens and de turkies know dat chimbly well”

”Guess they do,” said Felix ”General Ransome, can you keep a secret?”

”I is close as Missa Pint pocket, dat button all round,” said the old negro

”Then I have no objections to tell you, General, that I give out soenl Day”

”Hab you one forout two or three billets fro theton and all the great , sure”

Primus took the billets into his hands, and ran his eye over the superscriptions, with an air of thehis head, returned the:

”Dere is none here for me”

”Perhaps there is one for you in this pocket,” continued Felix, fu another billet Prioodness,”

said Felix, who began to be considerably mystified by the serious air of the other, and half-disposed to believe that he e of the mystic characters, ”to tell me who this little note is intend for”

Pri between the fas and Bernards, and that the former often took their Christs reciprocated the civility by inviting the Bernards, ere Episcopalians, to the feast of Thanksgiving Moreover, he hadin a direction towards the house of Mr Bernard, which was close by Putting these circuht venture a guess, which, if it succeeded, would redound greatly to the credit of his learning, and, which, if it failed, could entail on hi, therefore, a knowing look, he said:

”Dat is berry easy to read Anyat all, can see de billet is intend for Missa Judge Bernard” He saw by the distended eyes of Mr Qui that his guess had struck therequested to decipher the other superscriptions, hastily added:

”But what for I stop here, wastingyou , Missa Qui” So saying, Primus turned round and stumped off half a dozen steps, before the bewildered Felix recovered his faculties

”Stop, General,” at last exclai after hi hold of his arm, ”allow ,” cried Priet free; ”Missa Poant my sarvices; de doctor is anxious to insult wid'portant to coiving ser ”But, General, I have really an invite for you I forgot to write the note before I leave home, and so you must, 'scuse the want of style I have the honor to ask you, General, to take your dinner, on that glorious day, with Miss Rosa and I”