man, and thy misfortune shall be remedied soon," said the Orthodox
clergyman, who was among the alarmists, and, notwithstanding his
accustomed frigidity, could scarce suppress a smile at seeing the
major cut so sorry a figure. The clergyman now ordered the
bystanders, who were much more inclined to enjoy the joke, to bring
ropes, and assist in relieving the distressed man, who, if not a
friend of the church, was at least a Christian. "Aye, aye,"
responded the major, "and be not long about it, for the sand is
caving in, and I feel the devil fingering my toes." Seeing the
people come to his relief, the major regained his courage, (for when
discovered he was nearly frightened out of his wits,) and began
heaping curses upon the head of the miscreant who had laid so
diabolical a plot against his life. Indeed, he stubbornly refused to
be convinced that it was anything else than a trick of his enemies
to rob him of his military title. In fine, he declared to the
parson, who several times rebuked him for his free use of profane
adjectives, that nothing but his good will for mankind in general
prevented him from taking summary vengeance of his enemies with his
sword, which, fortunately for those who were making light of his
distress, he had left at home. It was not that he set so high a
value upon his life, for he had shown while in the Mexican War that
he was not wanting in valor, and was ready at any moment to
sacrifice it to his honor; but it sorely grieved him to think of
what a loss the nation and Barnstable would suffer in his death by
falling into a pit.

The rabble, as he called those who had come to his relief, now began
to jeer him, and to demand of him a speech, merely to occupy the
time while ropes necessary to his deliverance were being brought.
This so enraged the major, that in addition to swearing he would not