Ng something like a march, and followed by a sturdy throng of country
lads, the chivalry of a neighbouring and rival village. No sooner had
they reached the green, than they challenged the heroes of the day to
new trials of strength and activity. Several gymnastic contests ensued,
for the honour of the respective villages. In the course of these
exercises, young Tibbets and the champion of the adverse party had an
obstinate match at wrestling. They tugged, and strained, and panted,
without either getting the mastery, until both came to the ground, and
rolled upon the green. Just then, the disconsolate Phoebe came by. She
saw her recreant lover in fierce contest, as she thought, and in danger.
In a moment pride, pique, and coquetry, were forgotten; she rushed into
the ring, seized upon the rival champion by the hair, and was on the
point of wreaking on him her puny vengeance, when a buxom, strapping
country lass, the sweetheart of the prostrate swain, pounced upon her
like a hawk, and would have stripped her of her fine plumage in a
twinkling, had she also not been seized in her turn. A complete tumult
ensued. The chivalry of the two villages became embroiled. Blows began
to be dealt, and sticks to be flourished. Phoebe was carried off from
the field in hysterics. In vain did the sages of the village interfere.
The sententious apothecary endeavoured to pour the soothing oil of his
philosophy upon this tempestuous sea of passion, but was tumbled into
the dust. Slingsby, the pedagogue, who is a great lover of peace, went
into the midst of the throng, as marshal of the day, to put an end to
the commotion; but was rent in twain, and came out with his garment
hanging in two strips from his shoulders; upon which the prodigal son
dashed in with fury, to revenge the insult which his patron had
sustained. The tumult thickened; I caught glimpses of the jockey-cap of
old Christy, like the helmet of a chieftain, bobbing about in the midst
of the scuffle; whilst Mistress Hannah, separated from her doughty
protector, was squalling and striking at right and left with a faded
parasol; being tossed and tousled about by the crowd in such wise as
never happened to