John Chambers

“ His spurs, too, had caught in the skirt of my hunting-shirt, tearing it to the fringed hem, and digging a furrow across my instep; and the moccasin on that foot was stiff with blood.
Ah, if I might only have brought him off; if I might only have carried this guilty man to Johnstown! Yet I should have known that Sir John's men were likely to be within hail, fool that I was to take the desperate chance when a little parley, a little edging toward him, a sudden blow might have served. Yet I was glad in my heart that I had not used craft; cat traits are not instinctive with me ”

“ Clear my glebe?"
"Remove thither—in proper person, Mr. Drogue?"
"As soon as may be, Sir John."
At that Lady Johnson gave me a quick look and Claudia said: "What! Would you bury yourself alive in that wilderness, Jack Drogue?"
I smiled. "But I must hew out for myself a career in the world some day, Sacharissa. So why not begin now?"
"Then in Heaven's name," she exclaimed impatiently, "go somewhere among men and not among the wild beasts of the forest! Why, a young man is like to perish of loneliness in such a spot; is he not, Sir John?"
Sir John's inscrutable gaze remained fixed on me. ”

“ JOHN CHAMBERS, second Territorial Governor of Iowa, was born October 6, 1780, in Somerset County, New Jersey. His father, Colonel Rowland Chambers, was a colonel in the War for American Independence. At the close of the war he removed to Mason County, Kentucky. His son after securing an education began the study of law. He was admitted to the bar and began practice in 1800. In 1812 he was elected to the Kentucky Legislature and at the close of his term received an appointment on the staff of General William H. Harrison with the rank of major. ”

“ John Chambers, a pioneer Kentucky emigrant, died, aged 73. He was born in New Jersey, and went to Kentucky at the age of 13. He practiced law with success; was a volunteer aid-de-camp to Harrison at the battle of the Thames, and was one of the foremost in the pursuit of Proctor. He was the first governor of Iowa, and held other public offices.
1853. General Pineda, sometime president of Nicaragua, died at Rivas.
1854. Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright, a New York episcopal bishop, died, aged 63; esteemed a learned theologian and a ripe scholar. ”

“ John Lawyer, whatever his political complexion, welcomed me kindly and gave me dinner.
I asked news, and he gave an account that Brick House was now but a barracks full of Tories and Schoharie Indians, led by Sethen and Little David or Ogeyonda, a runner, who now took British money and wore scarlet paint.
"We in this valley know not what to do," said he, "nor dare, indeed, do aught save take protection from the stronger party, as it chances to be at the moment, and thank God we still wear our proper hair." ”

“ Then choose one and dismiss the rest."
"Choose?"
"Aye."
"Whom should I choose, John Drogue?"
"Why," said I, losing countenance, "there is the same ardent rabble like that plague of suitors which importuned the Greek Penelope. There are the sap-pan flies all buzzing."
"Oh. Should I make a choice if entreated?"
"A burgesse is free to choose."
"Oh. And to which suitor should I give my smile?"
"Well," said I, sullenly, "there is Nick. There also is your Cornet of Horse—young Jack-boots. And there is the young gentleman whose picture you wear in your bosom."
"Captain Watts?" ”

“ When the grand rector of Holy Trinity called on me in Boston, as he did more than once (for he, too, loved Japan) , [85] and saw hanging on the wall of my study a certain portrait of his Philadelphia neighbor and friend, he cried out: "What a Grand old Roman! Did you know John Chambers?" Then he burst forth into hearty panegyric of the old "war horse", and seemed delighted that I was one of his boys. Later on, when our people in the Shawmut Church helped a native missionary to Japan and several Japanese lads from the U. S. White Squadron, then in Boston harbor, were present, Dr. ”

“ Nick drew it out. The hatchet is an old one, but it is newly polished!"
"Sacré garce!" whispered Silver fiercely. "Now, grâce à dieu, shall I reckon with those dirtee trap-robbers who take my pelts like the carcajou! Ha! So is it war? A la bonheur! Let them come for my hair then! And if they get Johnny Silver's hair they may paint the Little Red Foot on the hoop, nom de dieu!"
"Get along forward, boys," said I. "Some of you keep an eye on the mountains lest they begin calling to Sir John with fire——"
"A flame on Maxon!" whispered Nick at my elbow. ”

“ We have our agents everywhere, listening, watching, noting all facts and rumours for those whom I need not name. We know, for instance, that Walter Butler has travelled north in a litter. We know that Dunmore scarce dare show his head in Virginia for the shame you put upon him and the growing hatred of the people he governs. We know that Sir John Johnson is fortifying Johnson Hall and gathering hordes of savages and Tories in Tryon County. Ay, Mr. Cardigan, we know, too, that the son of your father will fight to the death for the cause which his honour demands that he embrace. ”

“ I asked gravely.
"I have talked with them."
"And have they told you anything, little sister?"
"The fire-flies say that many green-coats and Maquas have gone to Stanwix," she replied seriously, "and that other green-coats,—who now wear red coats,—are following from Oswego."
I nodded: "Sir John's Yorkers," I said to Tahioni.
"Also," she said, "there are with them men in strange uniforms, which are not American, not British."
"What!" I exclaimed, startled in spite of myself.
"Strange men in strange dress," she murmured, "who speak neither English nor French nor Iroquois nor Algonquin." ”

“ Everything in the Valley is afire!" he screamed, wringing his scorched hands, "Tribes Hill is burning, Fisher's is on fire, and the Colonel and John and Harmon all murdered—all scalped and lying dead in the barn!—--"
"Listen to me!" I cried, shaking the wretched fellow, "when did this happen? Are Sir John's people still here? Where are they?"
"It happened last night and lasted after sunrise this morning," he blubbered. "Everything is burning from Schoharie to the Nose, and they'll come back and kill the rest of us——"
I flung him aside, struck spurs, and galloped for Cayadutta Lodge. ”

“ He had gone on his knees, held back from my feet by the Oneida; and his poltroonery so sickened me that I could scarce see what I wrote down in my carnet.
Every word was a betrayal of comrades; every whine a plea for his own blotched skin.
To save his neck—if treachery might save it—he sold his King, his cause, his comrades, and his own manhood.
And so I learned of him that Stevie Watts, disguised, had been that night at Summer House with Lieutenant Hare; that they had brought news to Lady Johnson of Sir John's safe arrival in Canada; that they had met and talked to Claudia Swift ”

“ Creation or Evolution: A Philosophical Inquiry (1887) ; and a novel, John Chambers: A Tale of the Civil War in America (1889) .
His brother, Benjamin Robbins Curtis (1809-1874) , also an eminent jurist, was born on the 4th of November 1809, in Watertown, Massachusetts, graduated at Harvard in 1829, studied law at Cambridge and at Northfield, Mass., where, after his admission to the bar in 1832, he practised law for two years, and then in Boston in 1834-1851. ”

“ Other news he had none, excepting that our company was to remain where we had halted, in order to stop the road to Fonda's Bush and Saratoga, in case Sir John should attempt to retire this way.
"Well, Godfrey," said I, "if Sir John truly turns out to be without shame and honour, and if he marches this way, there is like to be a lively time for us of the Bush, because Sir John has three hundred Highlanders to thirty odd of ourselves, and enough Borderers and Tory militia to double the count."
"We all know that," said Shew calmly, "and are not afraid."
"Do you think our people mean to stand?" ”

“ Drogue. It's a long, long road to liberty, lad; and I'm thinking we're off at last."
"He believes," explained Salisbury, "that Little Abraham's Mohawks are leaving the Lower Castle—which God prevent!—but I think this business is liker to be some new deviltry of Sir John's."
"Sir John gave his parole to General Schuyler," said I, turning very red; for I was mortified that the honour of my caste should be so carelessly questioned.
"It is not unthinkable that Sir John might lie," retorted Salisbury bluntly. "I knew his father. Well and good. I know the son, also.... ”

“ And could not flee away--
"Oh, tally!" broke out Sir John; "are we to listen to such stuff all night?"
More laughter; and Sir George Covert said that he feared Sir John Johnson had no sense of humor.
"I have heard that before," said Sir John, turning his cold eyes on Sir George. "But if we've got to sing at wine, in Heaven's name let us sing something sensible."
"No, no!" bawled Claus. "This is the abode of folly to-night!" And he sang a catch from "Pills to Purge Melancholy," as broad a verse as I cared to hear in such company.
"Cheer up, Sir John!" cried Betty Austin ”

“ In 1607 a far more serious problem was presented by the impending loss of St. John's. This had remained in Crown hands throughout Elizabeth's time, although on 31 October 1601 we find John Chamberlain writing to Dudley Carleton, 'The Quene sells land still and the house of St. Johns is at sale'. [346] James, however, after leasing the Gatehouse for life to Sir Roger Wilbraham in 1604, carried out his predecessor's intention by selling the greater part of the [102] Priory to Ralph Freeman on 9 May 1607. ”

“ Garcide rose; she received his caress with composure. He made another grateful peck at her chin.
“Why don’t you take a quiet week or two in the country?” he suggested, cheerfully, “Go up to the Sagamore Club; Jane will go with you. You can have the whole place to yourselves. You always liked nature and—er—all that, eh?”
“Oh yes,” she said, indifferently.
That afternoon the Hon. John Garcide sent a messenger to James J. Crawford with the following letter:
“My dear Crawford,—Your manly and straightforward request for permission to address my ward, Miss Castle, has profoundly touched me. ”

“ Flora rolled suspicious eyes at the Scotch girl, but thought there was a bed in Sir William's old gun room.
I waited until the black wench had made sure, then bade Colas look to my mare, said a curt good-night to Penelope Grant, and went out to unroll my blanket on the front porch.
When I whistled softly Nick came across the garden from the well.
"Lady Johnson is here," said I. "Yonder lies my blanket. I stand first watch. Go you and sleep now while you can——"
"Sleep first, John. I am not weary——"
"Remember I am your officer, Nick!"
"Oh, hell!" quoth he. "That does not awe me, John. ”

“ Chambers' Cyclopaedia had existed in England some years before a similar work was attempted in France, and the idea was first started by an Englishman, John Mills. This man was ingeniously defrauded of the work, which owed its conception and execution entirely to him. Perhaps on the whole he might have been congratulated, as he escaped the Bastille, to which the appropriators of his work were consigned.
An author who dares to combat the popular superstitious beliefs current in his time often suffers in consequence of his courage, as Balthazar Bekker discovered to his cost. ”

“ I thought they all meant that—save only Sir John."
We both fell silent. After a little while: "I shall some day ask Captain Watts what he means," said she, thoughtfully. "Surely he must know I am a maiden."
"Do you suppose such young men care!" I said sullenly.
But she seemed so white and distressed at the thought that the sneer died on my lips and I made a great effort to do generously by my old school-mate, Stevie Watts.
"Surely," said I, "he meant no disrespect and no harm. Stephen Watts is not of the corrupt breed of Walter Butler nor debauched like Sir John.... ”

“ Romeyn an' the two childer!—--" He took my arm, turned me partly around, and pointed:
"D'ye mind the pine? The big wan, I mean, betchune the two ellums? 'Twas an hour since that we seen her foreninst the pine-tree yonder, an' the Romeyn childer hidin' their faces in her skirt——"
I swung my horse and flung myself across the saddle.
"She's safe, I warrant," cried Murphy, as I rode off; "Sir John's divils was gone off two hours whin we seen her safe and sound on the long hill!"
I galloped over the shattered fence which was still afire where the charred rails lay in the grass. ”

“ A case of particular oppression on the part of the king, and of bravery on the part of the sufferer, at this time excited great indignation. Richard Chambers, a merchant, was summoned before the privy council for refusing to pay duties on a bale of silks, imposed without sanction of parliament. Charles selected this case as an example of his intention to trample on the Petition of Right so lately granted. Chambers, a brave and independent man, boldly told the council that "merchants were more encouraged, and less screwed and wrung in Turkey than in England." ”

“ In 1862 I was elected to Congress. Childs was an easy going man who made inquiries occasionally, but never complained. Upon my return from a session, about 1865, I resolved to bring the case to a close. I examined the papers carefully, and I found full material for a statement, although it cost labor to analyze the accounts. At that time Russell was dead and Fiske was dead. Mr. John Loring, a former partner of Fiske, took the case. Loring agreed to a hearing at Chambers. Chief Justice Chapman named a day. At the day named the clients and counsel appeared. ”