Page:History of Gardner, Massachusetts (1860) - Glazier.djvu/80

76 themselves in their blankets, rested on their arms, on the floor of the Court room.

As the evening closed in, one of the most furious snow storms of a severe winter commenced. One division of the insurgents occupied the Court House: another sought shelter at the Hancock Arms. The sentinels, chilled by the tempest, and imagining themselves secured by its violence from attack, joined their comrades around the fire of the guard room. The young men of the town, in the spirit of sportive mischief, contrived to carry away their muskets, incautiously stacked in the entry-way, and having secreted them at a distance, raised the alarm that the Light Horse was upon them. The party sallied out in confusion, and panic struck at the silent disappearance of their arms, fled through the fast falling snow to the Court House, where their associates had paraded. The guns were discovered at length, and the whole force remained ready for action several hours, frequently disturbed by the fresh outcries of their vexatious persecutors.

The increasing fury of the storm, and the almost impassable condition of the roads, did not prevent the arrival of many from Holden and the vicinity, on Tuesday, swelling the numerical force of malcontents to five hundred. The Court was opened at the Sun Tavern, and in conformity with the instructions of the Governor, adjourned to the 23d of January, without attempting to transact business. Petitions from committees from Sutton and Douglas, that the next session might be postponed to March, were disregarded.

Worcester assumed the appearance of a garrisoned town. The citizens answered to the frequent challenges of military guards: the traveler was admonished to stay his steps by