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THE GREEN BAG

THE LIGHTER SIDE Poetic Licence.— There was unearthed at the Registry of Deeds at Ossipee, N. H., a while ago rather a curious document. " Bill Fox" was a well known character in Northern New Hampshire thirty or forty years since, and gave this deed for some small favor granted; but it was thought too good to be lost and is duly recorded at Ossipee. Deed of Mount Chocorua. Know all men, Lords, esquires, and peasants, And know all women by these presents, — In short, let all creation know, That I, Bill Fox of Wolfboro, State of New Hampshire, County Carroll, A yoeman bald unused to hair oil, In duplicate consideration Of good will towards my blood relation, And two bears' feet most oleaginous (Ungrateful let no man imagine us,) To me in hand before enditing, Or ever thought of, was this writing (And which I, bound for land o'Canaan, Will daily rub upon my cranium,) Delivered by one Witt De Carter, A true descended Son of Sparta, And ward ad litem of old Nimrod, The Tutelar saint of gun and ramrod — Of Ossipee in State aforesaid, And county ditto (be no more said Of that venue for tattlers gossipy, Enough will tell of " righteous " Ossipee,) • Do thus remise, release, and quitclaim, Nor to myself henceforth one whit claim, So long as I am reckoned vital, To said De Witt all right and title Which I or my male tail descendant, Can claim or hope to claim or covet, While glitters gold and misers love it, In and unto a certain parcel Or piece of land (don't deem it farce all,) In Sam's dominions situated. Containing as 'twas estimated By actual measurement and survey Of engineers (now dead with scurvy, ) Five million acres nine square perches, Besides the Intervale of Birches, Including mountains, hills, and hollows, And bounded and described as follows,

To wit: Begin at Whiteface School-house, And running tow'rds McGaffcy's tooMiouse, Thence where two highways fork and spangle, Jog off upon the sin'ster angle To Dave Rowe's cabin hospitable, Thence where the d 1 you are able, Keeping in close perambulation Within the metes of Yankee nation, — Remembering when at last you've done it, To leave off at the bounds begun at: Hereby both meaning and intending (That litigation it may'nt end in) The said grantee shall be invested With all Chocorua granite crested, Whereon grim Bruin growls in glory, From verdant base to summit hoary, — To have and hold the same forever, Provided he be the longest liver, To him, his heirs, assigns, successors, — A chain of undisturbed possessors, — With each appurtenance and privilege Thereto belonging — in a civil age, And I do covenant with said Carter, While earth is land and two thirds water, And I am spared by rueful Nemesis To warrant and defend the premises, To him and his from parchment blunder, And scamps under me claiming under; But not to warrant and defend 'em When Ursa Majors seek to rend 'em, But rightful lords and lawless squatters For title then to trust their trotters, In witness whereof, super Vellum, I set my manum et sigillum, Year eighteen hundred six and sixty, September third, O Deed, I fixed ye, — May Simis ne'er in wrath o'erwhelm us: Subscripse. Vulpus Gulielmus [Seal] Acknowledgement et ceteranum Justitias at pacisque quanum Received Sept. azd, 1866, examined by LOAMI HARDY, Recorder A true copy of Record, Attest JAMES O. GERRY, Register of Deeds Recorded in Carroll County N. H. Registry of Deeds, Book 49, page 167.