dfather, "was now continually occupied by some
of the high tories, as the king's friends were called, who frequented the
British Coffee House. Officers of the custom-house, too, which stood on
the opposite side of King Street, often sat in the chair, wagging their
tongues against John Hancock."

"Why against him?" asked Charley.

"Because he was a great merchant, and contended against paying duties to
the king," said Grandfather.

"Well, frequently, no doubt, the officers of the British regiments, when
not on duty, used to fling themselves into the arms of our venerable
chair. Fancy one of them, a red nosed captain, in his scarlet uniform,
playing with the hilt of his sword, and making a circle of his brother
officers merry with ridiculous jokes at the expense of the poor Yankees.
And perhaps he would call for a bottle of wine, or a steaming bowl of
punch, and drink confusion to all rebels."

"Our grave old chair must have been scandalized at such scenes," observed
Laurence. "The chair that had been the Lady Arbella's, and which the holy
Apostle Eliot had consecrated."

"It certainly was little less than sacrilege," replied Grandfather; "but
the time was coming, when even the churches, where hallowed pastors had
long preached the word of God, were to be torn down or desecrated by the
British troops. Some years passed, however, before such things were done."

Grandfather now told his auditors, that, in 1769, Sir Francis Bernard went
to England, after having been governor of Massachusetts ten years. He was
a gentleman of many good qualities, an excellent scholar, and a friend to
learning. But he was naturally of an arbitrary disposition; and he had
been bred at the University of Oxford, where young men were taught that
the divine right of kings was the only thing to be regarded in matters of
government. Such ideas were ill adapted to please the people of
Massachusetts. They rejoiced to get rid of Sir Francis Bernard, but liked
his successor, Lieutenant-Governor Hutchinson, no better than himself.

About this period, the people were much incensed at an act, committed by a
person who held an office in the custom-house. Some lads, or young men,
were snow-balling his windows. He fired a musket at them and killed a poor
German boy, only eleven years old. This event made a great noise in town
and country, and much increased the resentment that was already felt
against the servants of the crown.

"Now, children," said Gr