best two men in New Hope, and then have enough left
to buy up his brother from his hair to his boot-leathers. He made no
secret of the rebuff he had sustained from Colonel Belford, for his
grievance clung to him like hot pitch--itching the more he meddled with
it. Sometimes his fury was such that he could scarcely contain himself.
Upon such occasions, cursing and swearing like an infernal, he would
call Heaven to witness that he would live in New Hope if for no other
reason than to bring shame to his brother, and he would declare again
and again, with incredible variety of expletives, that he would grind
his brother's face into the dirt for him.

[Illustration: "HE WOULD SHOUT OPPROBRIOUS WORDS AFTER THE OTHER IN THE
STREETS"]

Accordingly he set himself assiduously at work to tease and torment the
good man with every petty and malicious trick his malevolence could
invent. He would shout opprobrious words after the other in the
streets, to the entertainment of all who heard him; he would parade up
and down before Colonel Belford's house singing obstreperous and
unseemly songs at the top of his voice; he would even rattle the
ferrule of his cane against the palings of the fence, or throw a stone
at Madam Belford's cat in the wantonness of his malice.

Meantime he had purchased a considerable tract of land, embracing Pig
and Sow Point, and including the Old Free Grace Meeting-House. Here, he
declared, it was his intention to erect a house for himself that should
put his brother's wooden shed to shame. Accordingly he presently began
the erection of that edifice, so considerable in size and occupying so
commanding a situation that it was the admiration of all those parts,
and was known to fame as Belford's Palace. This magnificent residence
was built entirely of brick, and Captain Obadiah made it a boast that
the material therefor was brought all the way around from New York in
flats. In the erection of this elegant structure all the carpenters and
masons in the vicinage were employed, so that it grew up with an
amazing rapidity. Meantime, upon the site of the building, rum and
Hollands were kept upon draught for all comers, so that the place was
made the common resort and the scene for the orgies of all such of the
common people as possessed a taste for strong waters, many coming from
so far away as Newport to enjoy our Captain's prodigality.

Meantime he himself strutted about the streets in his red coat trimmed
with