an old town by the sea-第6章

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paper…hanger　presently　stood　before　a　life…size　representation　of　Governor　Phipps　on　his　charger。　The　workman　called　other　persons　to　his　assistance；　and　the　remaining　portions　of　the　wall　were　speedily　stripped；　laying　bare　four　or　five　hundred　square　feet　covered　with　sketches　in　color；　landscapes；　views　of　unknown　cities；　Biblical　scenes；　and　modern　figure…pieces；　among　which　was　a　lady　at　a　spinning…wheel。　Until　then　no　person　in　the　land　of　the　living　had　had　any　knowledge　of　those　hidden　pictures。　An　old　dame　of　eighty；　who　had　visited　at　the　house　intimately　ever　since　her　childhood；　all　but　refused　to　believe　her　spectacles　（though　Supply　Ham　made　them（1。））　when　brought　face　to　face　with　the　frescoes。　（1。　In　the　early　part　of　this　century；　Supply　Ham　was　the　leading　optician　and　watchmaker　of　Portsmouth。）

The　place　is　rich　in　bricabrac；　but　there　is　nothing　more　curious　that　these　incongruous　printings；　clearly　the　work　of　a　practiced　hand。　Even　the　outside　of　the　old　edifice　is　not　without　its　interest　for　an　antiquarian。　The　lightening…rod　which　protects　the　Warner　House　to…day　was　put　up　under　Benjamin　Franklin's　own　supervision　in　1762such　at　all　events　is　the　credited　traditionand　is　supposed　to　be　the　first　rod　put　up　in　New　Hampshire。　A　lightening…rod　〃personally　conducted〃　by　Benjamin　Franklin　ought　to　be　an　attractive　object　to　even　the　least　susceptible　electricity。　The　Warner　House　has　another　imperative　claim　on　the　good…will　of　the　visitorit　is　not　positively　known　that　George　Washington　ever　slept　there。

The　same　assertion　cannot　be　made　on　connection　with　the　old　yellow　barracks　situated　in　the　southwest　corner　of　Court　and　Atkinson　streets。　Famous　old　houses　seem　to　have　an　intuitive　perception　of　the　value　of　corner　lots。　If　it　is　a　possible　thing；　they　always　set　themselves　down　on　the　most　desirable　spots。　It　is　beyond　a　doubt　that　Washington　slept　not　only　one　night；　but　several　nights；　under　this　roof；　for　this　was　a　celebrated　tavern　previous　and　subsequent　to　the　War　of　Independence；　and　Washington　made　it　his　headquarters　during　his　visit　to　Portsmouth　in　1797。　When　I　was　a　boy　I　knew　an　old　ladynot　one　of　the　preposterous　old　ladies　in　the　newspapers；　who　have　all　their　faculties　unimpaired；　but　a　real　old　lady；　whose　ninety…nine　years　were　beginning　to　tell　on　herwho　had　known　Washington　very　well。　She　was　a　girl　in　her　teens　when　he　came　to　Portsmouth。　The　President　was　the　staple　of　her　conversation　during　the　last　ten　years　of　her　life；　which　she　passed　in　the　Stavers　House；　bedridden；　and　I　think　those　ten　years　were　in　a　manner　rendered　short　and　pleasant　to　the　old　gentlewoman　by　the　memory　of　a　compliment　to　her　complexion　which　Washington　probably　never　paid　to　it。

The　old　hotelnow　a　very　unsavory　tenement…housewas　built　by　John　Tavers；　innkeeper；　in　1770；　who　planted　in　front　of　the　door　a　tall　post；　from　which　swung　the　sign　of　the　Earl　of　Halifax。　Stavers　had　previously　kept　an　inn　of　the　same　name　on　Queen；　now　State　Street。

It　is　a　square　three…story　building；　shabby　and　dejected；　giving　no　hint　of　the　really　important　historical　associations　that　cluster　about　it。　At　the　time　of　its　erection　it　was　no　doubt　considered　a　rather　grand　structure；　for　buildings　of　three　stories　were　rare　in　Portsmouth。　Even　in　1798；　of　the　six　hundred　and　twenty…six　dwelling　houses　of　which　the　town　boasted；　eighty…six　were　of　one　story；　five　hundred　and　twenty…four　were　of　two　stories；　and　only　sixteen　of　three　stories。　The　Stavers　inn　has　the　regulation　gambrel　roof；　but　is　lacking　in　those　wood　ornaments　which　are　usually　seen　over　the　doors　and　windows　of　the　more　prominent　houses　of　that　epoch。　It　was；　however；　the　hotel　of　the　period。

That　same　worn　doorstep　upon　which　Mr。　O'Shaughnessy　now　stretches　himself　of　a　summer　afternoon；　with　a　short　clay　pipe　stuck　between　his　lips；　and　his　hat　crushed　down　on　his　brows；　revolving　the　sad　vicissitude　of　thingsthat　same　doorstep　has　been　pressed　by　the　feet　of　generals　and　marquises　and　grave　dignitaries　upon　whom　depended　the　destiny　of　the　Statesofficers　in　gold　lace　and　scarlet　cloth；　and　high…heeled　belles　in　patch；　powder；　and　paduasoy。　At　this　door　the　Flying　Stage　Coach；　which　crept　from　Boston；　once　a　week　set　down　its　load　of　passengersand　distinguished　passengers　they　often　were。　Most　of　the　chief　celebrities　of　the　land；　before　and　after　the　secession　of　the　colonies；　were　the　guests　of　Master　Stavers；　at　the　sign　of　the　Earl　of　Halifax。

While　the　storm　was　brewing　between　the　colonies　and　the　mother　country；　it　was　in　a　back　room　of　the　tavern　that　the　adherents　of　the　crown　met　to　discuss　matters。　The　landlord　himself　was　a　amateur　loyalist；　and　when　the　full　cloud　was　on　the　eve　of　breaking　he　had　an　early　intimation　of　the　coming　tornado。　The　Sons　of　Liberty　had　long　watched　with　sullen　eyes　the　secret　sessions　of　the　Tories　in　Master　Stavers's　tavern；　and　one　morning　the　patriots　quietly　began　cutting　down　the　post　which　supported　the　obnoxious　emblem。　Mr。　Stavers；　who　seems　not　to　have　been　belligerent　himself；　but　the　cause　of　belligerence　in　others；　sent　out　his　black　slave　with　orders　to　stop　proceedings。　The　negro；　who　was　armed　with　an　axe；　struck　but　a　single　blow　and　disappeared。　This　blow　fell　upon　the　head　of　Mark　Noble；　it　did　not　kill　him；　but　left　him　an　insane　man　till　the　day　of　his　death；　forty　years　afterward。　A　furious　mob　at　once　collected；　and　made　an　attack　on　the　tavern；　bursting　in　the　doors　and　shattering　every　pane　of　glass　in　the　windows。　It　was　only　through　the　intervention　of　Captain　John　Langdon；　a　warm　and　popular　patriot；　that　the　hotel　was　saved　from　destruction。

In　the　mean　while　Master　Stavers　had　escaped　through　the　stables　in　the　rear。　He　fled　to　Stratham；　where　he　was　given　refuge　by　his　friend　William　Pottle；　a　most　appropriately　named　gentleman；　who　had　supplied　the　hotel　with　ale。　The　excitement　blew　over　after　a　time；　and　Stavers　was　induced　to　return　to　Portsmouth。　He　was　seized　by　the　Committee　of　Safety；　and　lodged　in　Exeter　jail；　when　his　loyalty；　which　had　really　never　been　very　high；　went　down　below　zero；　he　took　the　oath　of　allegiance；　and　shortly　after　his　released　reopened　the　hotel。　The　honest　face　of　William　Pitt　appeared　on　the　repentant　sign；　vice　Earl　of　Halifax；　ignominiously　removed；　and　Stavers　was　himself　again。　In　the　state　records　is　the　following　letter　from　poor　Noble　begging　for　the　enlargement　of　John　Stavers：

PORTSMOUTH；　February　3；　1777。　To　the　Committee　of　Safety　of　the　Town　of　Exeter：　GENTLEMEN；As　I　am　informed　that　Mr。　Stivers　is　in　confinement　in　gaol　upon　my　account　contrary　to　　my　desire；　for　when　I　was　at　Mr。　Stivers　a　fast　day　I　had　no　ill　nor　ment　none　against　the　Gentleman　but　by　bad　luck　or　misfortune　I　have　received　a　bad　Blow　but　it　is　so　well　that　I　hope　to　go　out　in　a　day　or　two。　So　by　this　gentlemen　of　the　Committee　I　hope　you　will　release　the　gentleman　upon　my　account。　I　am　yours　to　serve。　MARK　NOBLE；　A　friend　to　my　country。

From　that　period　until　I　know　not　what　year　the　Stavers　House　prospered。　It　was　at　the　sign　of　the　William　Pitt　that　the　officers　of　the　French　fleet　boarded　in　1782；　and　hither　came　the　Marquis　Lafayette；　all　the　way　from　Providence；　to　visit　them。John　Hancock；　Elbridge　Gerry；　Rutledge；　and　other　signers　of　the　Declaration　sojourned　here　at　various　times。　It　was　here　General　Knox〃that　stalwart　man；　two　officers　in　size　and　three　in　lungs〃was　wont　to　order　his　dinner；　and　in　a　stentorian　voice　compliment　Master　Stavers　on　the　excellence　of　his　larder。　One　dayit　was　at　the　time　of　the　French　RevolutionLouis　Philippe　and　his　two　brothers　applied　at　the　door　of　the　William　Pitt　for　lodgings；　but　the　tavern　was　full；　and　the　future　king；　with　his　companions；　found　comfortable　quarters　under　the　hospitable　roof　of　Governor　Langdon　in　Pleasant　Street。

A　record　of　the　scenes；　tragic　and　humorous；　that　have　been　enacted　within　this　old　yellow　house　on　the　corner　would　fill　a　volume。　A　vivid　picture　of　the　social　and　public　life　of　the　old　time　might　be　painted　by　a　skillful　hand；　using　the　two　Earl　of　Halifax　inns　for　a　background。　The　painter　would　find　gay　and　sombre　pigments　ready　mixed　for　his　palette；　and　a　hundre