Wy them fellers akchilly said ye took this ere
clock a knowin that it wuz David's on'y one, wen ye hed a plenty o'
yer own tew. Jess think o' that Squire. What a hoggish old hunks they
took ye fer, didn't they, naow?" Edwards glared at his tormentor with
a countenance red and white with speechless rage, but Abner appeared
as unconscious of anything peculiar in his manner as he did of the
snickers of the men behind him. Having concluded his remarks he
blandly bade the gentlemen good morning and left the store, followed
by his gang, the suppressed risibilities of the party finding
expression in long continued and uproarious laughter, as soon as they
reached the outer air. After leaving the store they called on all the
gentlemen who had bidden in anything at yesterday's sale, one after
another, and reclaimed every article and returned it to David.
If any of the court party had flattered themselves that this mob, like
that of the week before, would, after making an uproar for a day or
two, disappear and leave the community in quiet, they were destined to
disappointment. The popular exasperation and apprehension which the
Squire's ill-starred attempt to regain authority had produced, gave to
the elements of anarchy in the village a new cohesive force and
impulse, while, thanks to the news of the spread and success of the
rebellion elsewhere, the lawless were encouraged by entire confidence
of impunity.
Pages:
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248