It was
below their dignity to do anything but grunt, put their specs on their
noses, and lean chin upon staff. They deserved to be rewarded, and so
they were.
For this grand poster, which overlapped the shutters, was a Royal
Proclamation, all printed in red ink, announcing that His Majesty King
George the 3rd would on the 25th of June then ensuing hold a grand
review upon Shotbury Down of all the Volunteer forces and Reserve,
mounted, footmen, or artillery, of the four counties forming the
Southeast Division, to wit, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, and Hants. Certain
regiments of the line would be appointed to act with them; and officers
in command were ordered to report at once, &c., &c. God save the King.
If Shotbury Down had been ten miles off, Springhaven would have thought
very little of the matter; for no one would walk ten miles inland to
see all the sojers that ever were shot, or even the "King and Queen, and
their fifteen little ones." Most of the little ones were very large now;
but the village had seen them in a travelling show, and expected them to
continue like it. But Shotbury Down was only three miles inland; and the
people (who thought nothing of twenty miles along the coast) resolved to
face a league of perils of the solid earth, because if they only turned
round upon their trudge, they could see where they lived from every
corner of the road. They always did all things with one accord; the
fishing fleet all should stand still on the sand, and the houses should
have to keep house for themselves.
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