The Squire said, "that was their business—if they neglected the defence of our common country, he couldn't help it—he meant to be a patriot, and stand up to the constitution and staterts, if every man in Puddleford turned traitor." The Squire swelled out very large, after concluding this speech.
At this point, Aunt Sonora, who was intently absorbed in the earnestness which pervaded the meeting, and who sat in the next room, rose, and asked the Squire "if there was really goin' to be war?"
The Squire replied, "that the meetin' must not be disturbed; the wimin had been let in as a great favor—for he didn't think the statert meant to have a soul on 'em present, and he didn't know but jest that thing would blow all the proceedin's to flinders in the higher courts, and that every soul on 'em would be court-martialed."
Aunt Sonora slunk out of sight, drew her handkerchief, and heaved a long sigh.
Turtle rose and said, "he would nominate the Colonel captain of the first militia company of Puddleford."
"That's straight agin la'!" exclaimed the Squire; "that makes a vivy vocy vote on't, and we can't take any vivy vocy vote here; this 'ere thing has got-ter go through the town ballot-box, or it won't be legal—this vote must be returned in form to the governor, and if he should see it was a vivy vocy vote, he'd squash everything quicker'n you could say Jack Robinson." The Squire didn't like the nomination—he was determined to be captain himself.
Turtle asked the Squire "if a hat would not do to collect votes?"
The Squire said, "nothing short of the legally authorized boxes; he couldn't trample down the la'."
The legally authorized boxes were procured, and the voting was ready to go forward.
Hereupon the Squire arose, and blowing his nose with one finger, a side at a time, and heaving a few sepulchral hems, said "that it was his duty to say a few words: He was something of a military man himself—he belonged to the Hos Guards down in the Susquehannas, when he was a young man, a great many years ago, and they had sham fights most every year." ("Was anybody killed?" exclaimed Aunt Sonora, who had forgotten herself, and whose nerves had been shocked by hearing the word "fight.")