122 JUSTIN MORGAN 



for it showed off his smooth and easy gaits. Sometimes, 

 after sHpping off his heavy boots and tying them to his 

 stirrup, he would spring to his feet on the horse's back, 

 and stand balancing himself while Morgan glided evenly 

 along under him ; or, riding hard, he would stoop and 

 pick up a stone or stick ; or, if there chanced to be a 

 pretty flower beside the road, he would set the horse 

 running and lean swiftly down, pluck the flower, and 

 wait for the coach to catch up, that he might hand it to 

 some lady passenger, with a bow and sweep of his hat. 



One of his anecdotes, which always brought a laugh 

 from the passengers — especially if they were from New 

 York — was how the tract of land, now known as Ver- 

 mont, was granted to Dominie Dillius, of Albany, in 

 1696, for the "annuall rente of one racoon skinne." 



*'The New York legislature," Kelsey always finished, 

 "later called this 'rente' excessive!'' 



During that spring there came a scourge of locusts. 

 They ate up the trees and ah green things. Wise old 

 women declared them a sign of coming disaster — disas- 

 ter enough they were of themselves ! With their stri- 

 dent cries they drowned the prayers of the Righteous 

 who sat in meeting praying to be delivered from them 

 and their consequences. 



One day at noon a darkness fell over everything; 

 cocks crew ; pigs squealed ; cows came home, lowing ; 

 dogs howled, dismally; and cats mewed, distressingly. 



Morgan, sensitive to all influences, shivered and 

 moaned, softly. 



One of the most fearsome calamities in the history of 

 Vermont was, indeed, about to descend. 



Masses of clouds rose and blotted out the sun ; the 

 storm came closer ; thunder crashed ; the wind howled ; 

 rain began to fall. 



Day after day lightning flashed, thunder jarred the 



