1856.] A Yankee Man-Trap. 321 



the noble work was accomplished. But here and there, in front of cer- 

 tain premises, there was a gap ! and shot was threatened to be thrown 

 if these public benefactors broke ground there ! And so thej passed 

 them bj, and broke ground where no guns were charged, or threats 

 made, and the gaps stood as living remembrances of the hostility to the 

 work. The traveler, however, will find no vacant places now — they were 

 afterward planted with maples by the recusants, and God's sun and rains 

 have matured them into lofty, spreading trees, along with the rest. 



" There are now four rows of trees extending the whole length of the 

 village, with a carriage-way between the two center rows, and foot-walks 

 between each outer row and the ornamented grounds in front of the sub- 

 stantial dwellings of the place. The once barren plain is now a rich 

 gem, whose surroundings are the fertile hills, covered with verdure in 

 summer, and dotted with cattle and sheep, and dark with the forests 

 which spring from their sides." 



How many neighborhoods in the ^Vest might be clothed with beauty, 

 if we could make common such exhibitions of " What one man 

 can do." 



^ • • m * 



A YANKEE MAN-TBAP. 



A STORY OF THE WAR OF 1812. 



Ethan Balch was not swearing exactly ; yet he was undeniably 

 wishing uncharitable wishes, respecting the future of certain English- 

 men, and using exclamatory expletives to do it with. It was August 

 the loth, 1813, and Mr. Balch was walking slowly homeward from the 

 sea-shore of New London county, Connecticut ; and as he went, he 

 whittled. The precise expressions in which he indulged, were these: 



*' Consarn them darned Britishers to darnation ! Blame their ever- 

 lastin' picters ! I hope to gracious the plaguy old boatTl go slam daown 

 with 'em, sarse and all." 



Then after a pause, he added : 



"Jest as ef I mightn't 'a knoan they'd 'a done it! Ef I'd only kcp 



her hum till night, and crep' raound, I could 'a gone strate into Xew 



London jest as easy ! Near abaout two hundred dollars gone slapdab 



for nothin' ! Oh, good thunder ! " cried the mourning young Yankee, 



21 



