the rope walks engaged in earnest conversation with the homely
craftsmen. Indeed, nothing pleased him more than to be talking with a
ship carpenter as they sat side by side on a block of oak, or with some
shopkeeper in a sheltered fence corner. Most of his writing was done in
a little room in his Purchase Street house where night after night his
busy mind and quill were kept at work on his trenchant letters for the
"Gazette," which were signed with significant nom de plumes in Latin.

The year 1768 was made notable by the arrival in Boston from England of
the 14th and the 29th regiments. The main guard was quartered in King
(now State) Street, with the cannon pointed toward the State House, and
the troops occupied various houses in the vicinity. In the next year the
Governor, Bernard, was recalled, and Thomas Hutchinson, although
remaining nominally lieutenant governor, became acting chief magistrate.
He now appeared the most conspicuous figure among the royalists, and
Samuel Adams became more distinctly the leader of the patriots.
Neglecting all other affairs, he was content to live on a pittance,
which he was enabled to do by a frugal and helpful wife.

Affairs were now approaching a crisis. A consignment of goods from
England, sent in defiance of the non-importation agreements, was not
allowed to land and had to be returned. One importer, a Scotchman, would
not sign the agreements, so after much remonstrance, Samuel Adams arose
in town meeting and grimly moved that the number present, about two
thousand, should resolve itself into a committee of the whole, wait upon
the obstinate merchant and use such persuasion as should be necessary to
secure a compliance. But no vote was needed, for the Scotchman was
present, and rushing to the front with knees trembling and in a
squeaking voice, rolling his r's like a well-played drum, exclaimed:--
"Mr. Mode-r-r-rater, I agr-r-ree, I agr-r-ree!" greatly to the amusement