54 Frederick Law Olmsted 



prayer and, after being thanked by the Captain, was re- 

 escorted to the parsonage. There were few inhabitants of 

 the parish, old or young, who were not present at this cere- 

 mony, as many as possible standing, men and boys with their 

 hats removed, on the long wooden steps of the meetinghouse 

 at the foot of which the square had been formed. 



The Company being again brought into line the Cap- 

 tain said a few words of compliment, closing nearly as 

 follows : 



"You are now about to be dismissed for the day and I 

 hope that nothing will occur after the dismissal which will 

 lessen the respect which your exemplary conduct, while under 

 military discipline, has been calculated to inspire in the hearts 

 of the ladies. I will only add that after the dismissal I shall 

 give a treat at the north Sunday house which you are all 

 heartily invited to partake of." Here a private stepped out 

 and called for three cheers for Captain Fowler, which were 

 given, the drum rolling and the flag waving. 



In the Sunday house, pitchers, glasses, and plates of 

 crackers, cheese and gingerbread were set out and under their 

 influence, the earnestness which had so far characterized the 

 proceedings gave way to a certain temperate degree of hilar- 

 ity, forced and creaking. 



After supper a drum and fife concert concluded the solemn 

 patriotic festival, the last piece performed being Old Hundred. 



I do not know whether it was before or after this that I 

 spent several months with my uncle at Geneseo, where I 

 remember being taken to see Indians making baskets, to 

 visit at a house in the dooryard of which there was a fawn 

 and at which a beautiful woman gave me sweetmeats, and 

 that I was sometimes driven rapidly and silently over the 

 turf of the bottom lands among great trees. 



I was for months again the smallest boy among sixty 

 at a boarding school, where I was placed under the special 

 care of another clergyman, of whom I remember nothing 

 after my father and mother drove away. Here I suffered 



