f boyish bravery. At heart, a little coward,
I brandished my fishpole and clung to my mother's dress. We could see
our soldiers with their high hats surmounted by pompons, parading in
front of the town house and could hear the snare drum beat the time of
their movement. Nothing came of the affair beyond great excitement and
town talk. The Dorrites retreated to Smithfield, the militia men went
back to their farms and the town was saved. I was terribly disappointed,
and the succeeding days were too flat and dull to be endured. I got
through them by playing at soldiering for the remainder of the summer,
making forts and wooden guns and gay uniforms out of bright bits of
calico, cocked hats of paper stuck full of cock tail feathers. I had
also a long-handled lance which had come down in the family from
Revolutionary times with which I charged the woodpile and the hen house,
made of sods, at an angle in the orchard wall. Through this I thrust so
fiercely one day that I killed our only rooster, to the consternation of
my mother and sisters. As I was much in need of more tail feathers for
my military hat, it did not seem to me such a tragedy. I was punished by
not getting the drumstick and wishing bone when he was cooked, and the
tail feathers, to my chagrin, were made into a hearth duster.

The Dorr Rebellion was not long past when the terrifying prophecies of
Rev. William Miller began to be preached. He had figured out by Biblical
and historical dates that the world was to last six thousand years, and
that era would be reached about 1843. The Dorr scare was a trifle
compared to the panic which now seized upon many people in the country
towns of New England. Even those who disbelieved or scoffed could not
conceal their dread. It sobered everybody and banished all joy and
gaiety. A sad expectancy and presentiment of impending disaster
oppressed whole communities. Church members and serious minded persons
thought it as well to be prepared and to be on the safe side, in case
the end should come. Revivals were going on everywhere and the churches
were refilled. What impression did this talk and excitement make on
children? I can say for one that I enjoyed it almost as much as the Dorr
War. I comprehended nothing of what it meant. I never thought of
anything happening to myself, to the house or my dog and kites. The
general agitation filled me inwardly with a lively joy; the danger
seemed to threaten only our neighbors, that is, su