“Dere is noting,” he said, “so sweet as liberty.  ’Tis dis dat make de eagle fedder light, and de bob-o-link sich a good singer.  See de grand bird how he wheel right about face up to de sun, and hear de moosic ob de merry little fellow!

  “Liberty, liberty,
  Berry nice to be free! 
  Bob-o-link where he please,
  Fly in de apple trees,
  O, ’tis de Freedom note
  Guggle sweet in him troat! 
  Jink-a-jink, jink-a-jink,
  Winky wink, winky wink,
  Ony tink, ony tink,
  How happy, Bob-o-link! 
      Sweet!  Sweet!

“King George, he want to make de Yankees drink tea instead ob coffee.  Now dere is no comparishum ’atween de two, and who is dere would drink de little tea leaves dat look as dey been all chew and den roll up, when he can git good coffee?  Now King George he hab a great lot ob dis tea on hand, and it sell berry slow, and he want to git rid ob it, so he send it to dis country wid orders dat ebery man, woman, and child shall drink at least four cup a day, and no coffee.  So Broder Jonatan he rise like a cat back, and he say (begging you pardon, ladies), ’dam if I drink de tea.’  And a great many ob dem dress demselves up like Injuns, and one dark night dey heab all de tea oberboard in Bosson harbor, and all de fish get sick, dey say for a week.  Now King George when he hear ob all dis he git mad and jerk his old wig on de ground, an stamp on it, and kick it in de fire, and say he make de ’Mericans pay for de tea.  And after dat he send a big army to dis country, but it was no use.  De ’Mericans whip dem orfully at Bunker Hill, and dat was de beginning ob de famous Resolution.  And dey continues to drink de coffee; and I nebber drink no better dan Miss Rosa make in dis house (bowing to her).  And for my ’sploits in de glorious Resolution you is welcome wid all my heart, ladies and genlmn; and for de complemen to de officers and sogers I gib dere best knowledgmn on dis ’casion.”

The General sat down amid a storm of applause.  Miss Rosa after the excitement caused by his eloquence had subsided, observing that no toast had been given by any lady, offered to make up the deficiency herself, which proposal being eagerly accepted, she gave “Miss Faith; and when she marry may she be happy as the angels.”  The toast was drank with right good will, though with somewhat more decorum than the others.  Faith was greatly beloved by the servants, to that degree indeed, that the affectionate creatures doubted whether there was any man in the world fit to be her husband.  But, enough of toasts and fine speeches.  As the General very judiciously observed when Miss Rosa, who seemed to think he could not have too many delicacies, nor too much of them, offered to add to his already overfilled plate, “dere is ’bundance of cranberry saace for dis turkey.”

According to custom, as soon as it began to be dark, the bonfires were lighted, and flashing from various eminences made luminous the night, while joyous shouts of boys answered each other across the rivers and ravines.