Page:Poems of Nature and Life.djvu/176

 1 68 INTRODUCTION

might at the worst find a refuge. But the cold of Decem- ber cut me short, and all materials are now so dear that I know not when I shall recommence. The mason work, however, is done, and the house is handsomely stuccoed. The vines inclosed last summer a complete solitude within the piazza, but I have now laid them all down. I hope we may yet have pleasant times again there. But a funny conversation now occurs to me which will remind you of Mr. Ray, but he, poor man, died last fall. . . ,

G. — Well, Mr. R., we hear there's pretty stirring times in Boston about the Draft. Massachusetts ought to send at least 2,000,000 of men to the war.

R. — She would do so, Mr. G., if her population were not limited to 1,200,000.

G. — I think not. There's more than 100,000 could be raised in the towns round Stow, and never be missed.

R. — We must not send so many that our own troops will bring back a dictator to govern us.

G. — Oh, the people will take care of that. They could raise a pretty big mob here to settle that business.

R. — But it is out of mob law, Mr. G., that the anarchy comes which makes such things necessary.

G. — Well, now, Mr. R., I've hearn 'em talk down town a good deal about this anichy, as they call it, but I don't see how any such thing can ever come about here. If them fellers was to choose a dictator, there's more than 50 would go from Stow with loaded rifles and shoot him down.

R. — Then they would elect another,

G. — Well, they'd shoot him, too.

R. — And another.

G. — Well, they'd keep a-shooting on 'em as fast as they was set up.

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