They knew and laughed at the cheats practised on the army, for horses, provisions, and the like; for a good bargain over the foreigner was not an unfrequent or unpleasant practice among New Yorkers, Pennsylvanians, or Marylanders; though 'tis known that American folks have become perfectly artless and simple in later times, and never grasp, and never overreach, and are never selfish now.

For three weeks after the army's departure, the thousand reports regarding it were cheerful; and when our Castlewood friends met at their supper, their tone was confident and their news pleasant.
But on the 10th of July a vast and sudden gloom spread over the province.

A look of terror and doubt seemed to fall upon every face.
Affrighted negroes wistfully eyed their masters and retired, and hummed and whispered with one another.

The fiddles ceased in the quarters: the song and laugh of those cheery black folk were hushed.

Right and left, everybody's servants were on the gallop for news.