in the village, the Stockbridge battalion, with the girl riding at its
head, entered Great Barrington, and breaking ranks, mingled with the
crowd.

"Bully, we be jess in time to see the fun," cried Obadiah delightedly,
as the courthouse bell rang out, thereby announcing that the justices
had left their lodgings to proceed to the courthouse and open court.

"I declar for't," exclaimed Jabez, "I wonder ef they be gonter try tew
hole court 'n spite o' all that crowd. Thar they be sure's rates."

And, indeed, as he spoke, the door of the residence of Justice Dwight
opened, and High Sheriff Israel Dickinson, followed by Justice Dwight
and the three other justices of the quorum, issued therefrom, and took
up their march directly toward the courthouse, seemingly oblivious of
the surging mass of a thousand men, which barred their way.

The sheriff advanced with a goose step, carrying his wand of office,
and the justices strode in Indian file behind him. They were dressed
in fine black suits, with black silk hose, silver buckles on their
shoes, fine white ruffled shirts, and ponderous cocked hats upon their
heavily powdered wigs. Their chests were well thrown out, their chins
were held in air, their lips were judicially pursed, and their eyes
were contemplatively fixed on vacancy, as if they had never for a
moment admitted the possibility that any impediment might be offered
to their progress. It must be admitted that their bearing worthily
represented the prestige of ancient authority and moral majesty of
law. Nor did the mob fail to render the tribute of an involuntary
admiration to this imposing and apparently invincible advance. It had
evidently been taken for granted that the mere assemblying and riotous