Historic fields and mansions of Middlesex . The twain accidentally met. How do you do,Brother Chauncy, says the itinerant laborer. I am sorry tosee you, replies Dr. C. And so is the devil, retortedWhitefield. In the early part of his life this gentleman happened to bepreaching in the open fields, when a drummer was present,who was determined to interrupt the services, and beat hisdrum in a violent manner in order to drown the preachersvoice. Mr. Whitefield spoke very loud, but the din of theinstrument overpowered his voice. He therefore called out tothe drummer in these words : — Friend, you a
Historic fields and mansions of Middlesex . The twain accidentally met. How do you do,Brother Chauncy, says the itinerant laborer. I am sorry tosee you, replies Dr. C. And so is the devil, retortedWhitefield. In the early part of his life this gentleman happened to bepreaching in the open fields, when a drummer was present,who was determined to interrupt the services, and beat hisdrum in a violent manner in order to drown the preachersvoice. Mr. Whitefield spoke very loud, but the din of theinstrument overpowered his voice. He therefore called out tothe drummer in these words : — Friend, you and I serve the two greatest masters existing, butin different callings. You may beat up volunteers for King George,I for the Lord Jesus Christ. In Gods name, then, dont let us in-terrupt each other ; the world is wide enough for us both, and wemay get recruits in abundance. This speech had such effect that the drummer went away ingreat good-humor, and left the preacher in full possession ofthe field. CAMBRIDGE COMMON AND LANDMARKS. 267. THE WASHINGTON ELM. Many a pilgrim daily wends his way to the spot where Washington placed himself at the head of the army. Above him towers A goodly elm, of noble girth,That, thrice the human span —While on their variegated course The constant seasons ran —Through gale, and hail, and fiery holt,Had stood erect as man. He surveys its crippled branches, swathed in bandages ; marksthe scars, where, after holding aloft for a century their out-stretched arms, limb after limb has fallen nerveless and de-cayed ; he pauses to read the inscription lodged at the base ofthe august fabric, and departs the place in meditative, mood,as he would leave a churchyard or an altar. Apart from its association with a great event, there is some-thing impressive about this elm. It is a king among trees ; a 268 HISTORIC FIELDS AND MANSIONS OF MIDDLESEX. monarch, native to the soil, whose subjects, once scatteredabroad upon the plain before us, have all vanished a
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