The Patowmac Guardian, And Berkeley Advertiser

INDIAN ANECDOTE.

COLONEL JOSEPH DUDLEY, Governor of New-England, was building a house on his plantation, and as he was looking upon his workmen, he took notice of a lusty Indian, who tho' the weather was severely cold, was as naked, as well as an idle spectator. "Hark ye, you Indian, (said the Governor) why don't you work as these men do, and get clothes to cover you?" "And why you no work Governor?" replied the Indian. "I work," returned the Governor, clapping his fore finger upon his forehead, "with my head, and therefore need not work with my hands." "Well," replied the Indian, "and if I would work. what have you for me to do?" "Go, kill me a Calf, said the Governor, and I will give you a shilling." The fellow did so. The Governor asked him, why he did not skin and dress it? "Calf dead, Governor," said the Indian, "give me my Shilling. Give me another, and I will skin and dress him."

This was complied with, and away went the Indian to a Tavern with his two shillings. He soon drank one in rum, and then returned to the Governor. "Your Shilling bad, de man no take it."

The Governor believed it, and gave him another: but returning in the same manner with the second, the Governor discerned that he was a rogue; however, he exchanged that too, reserving his resentment for another opportunity, which he thought he should find no great difficulty in procuring.

To accomplish this, the Governor wrote a letter to the keeper of Bridewell, at Boston, to take the bearer and give him a sound whipping. This letter he kept in his pocket, and in a few days the Indian came again to stare at the workmen. The Governor took no notice of him for some time. but at last pulling the letter out of his pocket said--"If you will carry this to Boston, I will give you half a crown." The Indian closed with his proposal, and set out upon his Journey. He had not gone far, before he met another Indian, belonging to the Governor, to whom he gave the letter, and told him, that his master had sent him to meet him, and to bid him to return with that letter to Boston, as soon as he possibly could.

The poor Indian carried it with great diligence and received a sound whipping for his pains; at the news of which, the governor was not a little astonished on his return. The other Indian returned no more: but at the distance of some months, at a meeting with some of his nation, the governor saw this fellow there amongst the rest, and asked him, how he durst serve him such a trick? the Indian looking him full in the face, and clapping his fore-finger upon his forehead, "Head work! Governor," said he, "Head-work!"