Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 6.djvu/96

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��THE GRANITE MONTHLY.

��be a splendid sight to see those logs blazing, and the firelight dancing on the old pictures, and the mirror and the weapons on the walls.

The most noticeable thing in the room is the paper on the walls. It was bought by the governor purposely for this room, and cost one hundred dollars in gold. It is very thick, almost like strawboard, and is fancifully illus- trated with all sorts of pictures — land- scapes, marine views, court scenes, and other pageants. It will afford one in- finite amusement to study the various figures. On one side is a nautical scene An old-fashioned galleon, such an one as Kicld the pirate would have liked to run afoul of, is being unladed by a group of negroes. Swarthy marin- ers, clad in the Spanish costume of the seventeenth century — long sausage shaped hose, breeches pinned up like pudding bags, and fringed at the bottom, boots with wide voluminous tops, buff coats with sleeves slashed in front, and a broad-brimmed, Flemish beaver hat, with a rich hat-band and a plume of feathers — are watching the unlading, and an old Turk stands near by com- placent and serene, smoking his pipe. On the opposite wall there is a grand old castle, with towers and spires and battlements. In the foreground is a fountain, and a group of gallants and ladies are promenading the lawn. One lady, lovely and coquettish, leans on the arm of a cavalier, and is seemingly engrossed with his conversation, while yet she slyly holds forth behind her a folded letter in her fair white hand which is being eagerly grasped by an- other gallant — like a scene from the Decameron. In the corner a comely maiden, in a trim bodice, succinct pet- ticoat and plaided hose, stands below a tall tree, and a young lad among the branches is letting fall a nest of young birds into her extended apron. The expression on the boy's face in the tree, and the spirited protest of the mother bird, are very graphically por- trayed.

The loveliest scene of all is that of a bay sweeping far into the land ; boats

��and ships are upon the tide ; on the shore, rising from the very water's edge is a fairy-like, palatial structure, with machicolated battlements, that reminds one of the enchanted castle of Armida. Under the castle walls is assembled a gay company. A cavalier, after the Vandyke style, is playing with might and main upon a guitar, and a graceful, full bosomed, lithe limbed Dulcinea is dancing to the mu- sic in company with a gayly dressed gallant. It is the Spanish fandango. Another scene is a charming hind and water view with no prominent figures in it.

Upon the mantel are several curios- ities, notably a fragment of the rock on which Rev. Samuel Hidden was or- dained at Tamworth, Sept. 12, 1792, several silhouettes of various members of the Badger family, and the silver candlesticks, tray and snuffers used by Mrs. Gov. Badger. Suspended above upon the wall are a pair of horse pis- tols, a dress sword, and a pair of spurs. These were the governor's, which were used by him in the war of 1S12, and also when he was sheriff of the coun- ty. The sword has quite a romantic history. It was formerly Gen. Joseph Badger's, who obtained it in the follow- ing manner : when a lieutenant in the army near Crown Point and Lake Champlain, just after the retreat from Canada, in 1777, Badger undertook, at the desire of Gen. Gates, to obtain a British prisoner. With three picked men he started for the British camp at St. Johns. Arriving in the neighbor- hood, he found a large number of the officers enjoying themselves at a ball given by the villagers. One of the Bri- tons, in full ball dress, they were fortu- nate enough to secure, and took him to their boat. Badger then exchanged clothes with the officer, returned to the ball, danced with the ladies, hobnobbed with the officers, and gained much val- uable information as to the movements of the British army. Before morning light he returned in safety with his pris- oner to Crown Point, when he received the commendations of the command-

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