He said: "You"re coming on at a great rate, Ben. When you get your full strength, I think you"ll be as good or a better wrestler than I am, and there"s not such a great difference even now. I don"t think we had ever better wrestle in earnest, for it might make bad blood between us. We can wrestle together for practice and leave it undecided which is the better man."
After wrestling we would go into the house, and he would take out a book of plays by William Shakespeare and read from it to me. We were both religious men and did not believe in play acting. But plays like these could do no harm. Jonas loved this man"s writings next to the Bible, and I saved up money and bought a copy of the book myself. Mr. Clark had the same love for Shakespeare, and often when we stopped wrestling, as it began to grow dark, Jonas would say that Mr. Clark had asked him to come down to his house with me, and he would read to us. The plays seemed much finer as he read them in his clear voice and explained them to us, for by ourselves we only saw a portion of their beauties.
Jonas and I were at his house one August evening of this year, 1757, and Mr. Clark had just begun to read, when Dr. Fiske rode up, and pulling up his horse, called out: "Mr. Clark! Mr. Clark! There"s bad news--very bad news from the army. Colonel Brattle has received word from General Webb that the French army were advancing to attack Fort William Henry, and he was afraid it would be taken. Good-by!"
Mr. Clark shut up the book and said: "This is no night for Shakespeare.
Let us pray for the safety of our army."
[Sidenote: BAD NEWS FROM THE ARMY]
Two days afterward, another messenger rode up to our shop.
"There has been a great disaster. Fort William Henry is taken, and the garrison has been ma.s.sacred."
"Go on! How did it happen?"
"Colonel Munro was at the fort with a small force. Montcalm advanced with his army to attack it. Munro sent to Webb for reenforcements. He promised to send them and did send a few. Munro again asked for more men, but Webb didn"t let a man go. Montcalm attacked the fort, battered it to pieces, and finally the garrison was compelled to surrender. They were to deliver up their arms and then were to be allowed to march off to the English army. They gave up their guns and started back to Webb, but before they got far they were set upon by the Indians and most of them ma.s.sacred. Some few escaped to Webb"s army."
"And what was Webb doing all this time?"
"Shaking in his shoes, I guess. He is now; for he has sent messengers everywhere for reenforcements."
"The miserable coward! We"ll send him men, but he ought to be hanged."
The next day a number of men set out under Captain Blodgett.
I wished to go very much, but Mr. Harrington said: "It"s too late in the season for them to do anything. They will just sit down and watch each other. Your time is up next spring, and if you want to go then, I"ll let you off early."
So I stayed at home, and it was well I did, for the company only got as far as Springfield, where they were met by messengers from Webb, who had got over his fright, telling them to return. They came back to Lexington, having been out only twelve days.
When they returned, we had a great jollification. The company marched to the training-field, and went through the exercises. Crowds gathered round and ate gingerbread and drank beer.
A lot of worthless fellows used to wander round the country, and pick up a living by wrestling and betting on themselves. Such a man appeared on the training-field that day.
[Sidenote: THE ESs.e.x COUNTY CHAMPION]
"Here I am, boys, at your service,--Sam Sloan, the champion wrestler of Ess.e.x County. I"ve wrestled with the best men of every town in the county,--Newburyport, Ipswich, Gloucester, Marblehead, Salem,--and thrown them all. I"ve been from one end of the county to the other, and not a man can stand up against me. I hear you"ve got the best man in Middles.e.x in this town, and I"ve come to throw him. If you think I can"t, make your bets. I"ve got ten pounds with me, and I want to bet every penny of it."
He found plenty of men who were ready to bet with him, for all had confidence in Jonas.
Some one ran after Jonas and brought him to the place where this man was boasting.
"So, you"re Jonas Parker, the best man in Middles.e.x? Well, you look as if you could wrestle a bit, but you"ll know more about it, after I get through with you."
Jonas said nothing, but took off his jacket and waistcoat, and looked at him quietly, with a grim smile.
Then they grappled each other, and I watched them anxiously. It did not seem to me that Jonas was exerting himself fully or doing his very best. But the man from Ess.e.x was laid on the ground in a short time.
He jumped up furious. "That was an accident. Just a piece of bad luck.
My foot slipped on something in the gra.s.s. It wasn"t a fair wrestle.
Come on and try it again. I can throw you as easy as tumbling off a log."
"Wait a minute," said Jonas; "pay your bets, and then we"ll talk."
The man pulled out his wallet, paid his bets, and said, "Now, come on, and I"ll show you what wrestling is."
"Wait a bit," said Jonas; "don"t hurry! You talk big. But you must first prove that you are a wrestler. There"s a likely lad here, and if you wrestle him, and show that you can wrestle, you can take an hour"s time to get fresh, and I"ll try you again."
The man bl.u.s.tered; but Jonas turned away, and coming to me, said: "Now, Ben, I want you to show these people what there is in you. You can throw him if you only make up your mind to it. You are very strong in the arms, and if I were you, I"d give him a grip at first just to show him your strength, and to put a little fear into him."
[Sidenote: A LIKELY LAD]
Father stepped up, and said: "Jonas, what are you up to? Ben can never wrestle that man."
"Neighbour Comee! You don"t know what Ben can do at wrestling, and I do.
And faith! I have a suspicion he"s the best wrestler in the county."
Then Jonas led me to the man. "This is the lad."
"Lad! Why, he"s as big as you be. How old are you?"
"Twenty, sir."
"Well, come on."
We caught hold of each other, and I gave him a grip that made him gasp.
We broke away, and he looked at me, panting, and said:
"What be ye, anyhow? You"ve got a hug like a black bear."
"Oh, that"s nothing. That"s just a little love squeeze to show you how much I like you."
"Well, come on again; I"ll show you what wrestling is."
He was not so strong as I, and I hustled him round in a lively way; but he knew a good deal about wrestling, and kept his feet well. We struggled for a while, and I squeezed him and shook him up, and then tried Jonas"s pet throw. He went to the ground like a log, and lay there stunned.
I was scared at first, for I thought I had killed him, but Jonas said: "He"s all right, Ben. Just stand back, boys, and give him a little air."
He came to in a short time, sat up, and after looking about him got up and said: "A likely lad! I should say so. A kind of mixture of bear, wildcat, and greased lightning. I must get out of this town quick, or you"ll be setting some child at me, and I don"t know what would happen."
He jammed his hat on his head, took his coat and waistcoat under his arm, and hurried away.
Of course, I got great credit and praise, for no one but Jonas knew that I was a first-cla.s.s wrestler; and the men all felt proud to have another man in the town almost as good at it as Jonas.
[Sidenote: BEN WARNED AGAINST FALSE PRIDE]
Amos and Davy had been staring at me, open-mouthed. Both of them came up and shook hands with me in a most respectful manner. Father took me by the arm and walked home with me, giving me a lecture all the way on the vanity of foolish games and warning me to beware of a false pride in my strength.
But when I had taken the basin, and was washing my face and hands by the back door, I could hear him telling mother about it, as jubilant as one of those old Hebrews over the fall of his enemies.