Tom Anderson, Dare-Devil: A Young Virginian in the Revolution — page 95: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A BirTHpAy Party 79 ‘© A braver place In my heart’s love hath no man than yourself.’ ” Pat exclaimed, “If thim Vigilance Men could hear thot, now! we'd all be in the calaboose before the fust fidgety ould rooster kin crow fer day!” Laughter, and the toastmaster called out: “Mr. Fau- chetegoat””— and Ole responded: “De Colonel. God blessh him! May he alvays see de heelsh of hish enemies, und de countenance of his Lord!” “Mr. Fauchetegoat, you have surpassed us all,” de- clared the toastmaster. “* Now, Dilsey —" “Oh, g'way, Marse Tom,” giggling. “Whi folks don’ want no niggers drinkin’ dee healfs — “Fidelity, thy name is Dilsey! Drink.” “Well, I’m gwine drink dis en say ‘God bless him!’”’ which she did amid “unbounded applause.” But here Don Miguel, the little parrot which Pat and Sehoy had sent to Lady Pantoufle, leaned from his ring of ruddy berries, ruffled up all his feathers fiercely, fixed a wicked eye on the company, and croaked out, “God save the King!” The young gentleman in ball dress who was sitting on Ole’s workbench leaped to his feet and caught up his glass: “God save the King!”’ As he drained the last drops from the glass, there came a thunderbolt that was like the _ very crack o' doom. The house shook. he very founda- tions seemed to quake. And the hearts bound up in the old roof-tree trembled with it. Everybody began exclaim- ing in the same breath; but Dilsey was ominous. “Sump’n sho gwine happen! rink de King’s health in dis house!” “The King’s health has been pledged in Oxheart House hundreds of times,” scoffed Dare. “Miarse Audley en’ Marse ‘Troupe wuzn’t fightin’ in dem days — ”’ But ‘Tom was declaring the storm would make things all the jollier, and Ole was bringing out a great basket of chestnuts and walnuts and “‘seek-no-furders,” so Dilsey CORNICLIOO cS (C©) mn