Added to which is a recital of the
special act of the Legislature, that all persons who do not at once
disperse upon reading of the riot act are to receive thirty-nine
lashes and one year's imprisonment, with thirty-nine more lashes at
the end of each three months of that period.
There was little enough Thanksgiving look on the people's faces by the
time the parson had made an end, and it is to be feared that in many a
heart the echo of the closing formula, "God save the Commonwealth,"
was something like "May the devil take it."
"Pardon fer wot I sh'd like ter know," blurted out Abner on the
meeting-house steps. "I dunno nothin baout the res' on ye, but I
hain't done nothin I'm shamed on."
And Israel Goodrich, too, said: "Ef he's gonter go ter pardinin us for
lettin them poor dyin critters outer jail tew Barrington t'other day,
he's jess got the shoe onter the wrong foot. It's them as put em in
needs the pardinin cordin tew my noshin."
"An I guess we don' want no pardon fer stoppin courts nuther. Ef the
Lord pardons us fer not hangin the jedges an lawyers, it'll be more'n
I look fer," observed Peleg Bidwell.
"Here comes the Duke," said another. "Wat dew yew say ter this ere
proclamashin, Cap'n?"
Perez laughed.
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