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Updated: May 5, 2025
Chipperton had read about, and to whom we gave a whittled stick, with strict instructions not to jab anybody with it. Corny had been reading a German novel, and she wanted us to appoint a "Hof-rath," who is a German court officer of some kind. He was a nice fellow in the novel, and so we picked out the best-looking young darkey we could find, for the position. We each had our posts.
They seemed sad and disappointed, and probably had been deprived of their rank. The Hof-rath stood in the front of the crowd. He did not appear happy; indeed, he seemed a good deal ruffled, both in mind and clothes. Perhaps he had defended his queen, and had been roughly handled. Priscilla was talking, and fanning herself, gracefully and lazily, with her calf-skin fan.
The Lord High Chancellor was at the bottom of the heap, while the Hof-rath wiggled his bare feet high in the air. Every fellow who grabbed a penny had ten fellows pulling at him. The women and small fry did not get into this mess, but they dodged around, and made snatches wherever they could get their hands into the pile of boys and men.
At this, two or three men seized the poor Hof-rath, while the crowd cheered and laughed. "Take him an' kill him!" shouted Priscilla. "Chop his head off!" At this, a wild shout of laughter arose, and one of the men who held the Hof-rath declared, as soon as he got his breath, that they couldn't do that, they had no hatchet big enough. Priscilla stood quiet for a minute.
She looked over the crowd, and then she looked at the poor Hof-rath, who now began to show that he was a little frightened. "You, Hop-grog," said she, "how much money did you grab in dem scrahmbles?" The Hof-rath put his hand in his pocket and pulled out some pennies. "Five big coppers," said he, sullenly. "Gim me dem," said she, and he brought them to her.
The Hof-rath was by him, to help if anything got tangled, and the four courtiers and the other officials had places in the front row of the spectators, while Priscilla stood by Corny, to be on hand should she be needed. When all was ready, and Corny had felt in her pocket to see that the "permission paper" was all right, I began my speech.
I think she had been telling the people what she intended to do, and what she intended them to do; but, almost immediately after our arrival, she was interrupted by the Hof-rath, who said something that we did not hear, but which put Priscilla into a wild passion. She sprang to her feet and stood up in the chair, while poor Poqua-dilla held it firmly by the back so that it should not shake.
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