Blogs by Robert A. Mills on AuthorsDen.com

AuthorsDen.com Join | Login

Where Authors and Readers come together!

SIGNED BOOKS AUTHORS BOOKS SAMPLE CHAPTERS AUDIOBOOKS eBOOKS STORIES ARTICLES POETRY BLOGS NEWS VIDEOS SUCCESS TESTIMONIALS

Featured Authors: Bryon Smith, iH.G. Potter, iJudy Joy Jones, iJohn Henning, iPatricia Hilliard, iTerry Vinson, iScott Zachary, iEmmanuel Laroche, iDebra Kraft, iCharles Keller, i

Home > Blogs

Popular: Books, Stories, Articles, Poetry Authors: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Robert A. Mills

Follow Me

· Contact Me
· Sponsor Me!
· Books
· Articles
· News
· Blog
· Messages

· 7 Titles
· 7 Reviews
· Share with Friends!
· Member Since: Aug, 2001

Robert A. Mills, click here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.

Blogs by Robert A. Mills

HOLY SMOKE!
10/29/2011 5:47:47 AM

Except for Edgar Guest and Ogden Nash, my favorite American poet has to be Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. His A LANDLORD’S TALE: THE RIDE OF PAUL REVERE is a prime example of my all-time favorites.

Of course, most people know it as THE MIDNIGHT RIDE OF PAUL REVERE, but Longfellow never called it that. In fact, he only involved the renowned skillet salesman because his name was more easily rhymed with than the other two protagonists, William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott (“Billy Dawes, no kin to Santy Claus” and Prescott’s “wry Sammy a double whammy” were perhaps avoided as a bit of a stretch.)

In any event, in April 1775, the embryo of a revolutionary war was incubating, and Paul Revere and his colleagues were dispatched from Boston to Lexington (Concord was an alternative) to alert residents the Regulars (as the Brits were called) might be en route and hell-bent on glomming onto the Yankees’ guns and ammo.

“One if by land, two if by sea” was the proposed signal, originally planned to be lanterns placed in a handy church steeple. Obviously overlooked by Longfellow and astute historians was Revere, Dawes and Prescott’s membership in the Antioch Congregationalist Church of the Unmitigated Truth, where all three were accomplished musicians and performed each Sabbath as featured “classical bell ringers.”

Each man was responsible for four of the 12 polished chiming bells, ranging from the pure tones of middle C all the way up to B, including D flat, E flat, F flat, G flat and A sharp, plus a hybrid bell that Revere was assigned for special occasions. As the three were adept at sight-reading, especially in the treble clef, all the parishioners anxiously looked forward to Yuletide renditions of the HALLALUAH CHORUS.

“I don’t think we should rely on those dang lanterns,” Dawes warned. “What if the wind comes up and blows one of ‘em over? We could burn the whole bloody church down!”

All three suddenly recalled Longfellow’s immortal ditty:
WHILE THE ORGAN PEELED POTATOES,
LARD WAS RENDERED BY THE CHOIR;
WHILE THE SEXTANT WRUNG THE DISHRAG,
SOMEONE SET THE CHURCH ON FIRE!
‘HOLY SMOKE,’ THE PREACHER SHOUTED;
IN THE RAIN HE LOST HIS HAIR!
NOW HIS HEAD RESEMBLES HEAVEN,
‘CAUSE THERE IS NO PARTING THERE!

“Good thinking!” good Dr. Prescott concurred.

“I know!” Revere enthused. “Why don’t we just ring the bells? We could do JUST AS I AM or THE OLD RUGGED CROSS. The citizenry would be alerted the Regulars were coming, and they could hide all their guns and ammunition, like under their beds!”

Dawes thought that was a superb idea. “And just to make sure, we could fire our single shot muzzle loaders as we ride into town playing our musical bells! That oughta get their attention!”

Of course, as with all great plans of mice and minutemen, this may have looked better on paper than it turned out.

Even before they hit the outskirts of Lexington, the British captured them. Dawes and Prescott were released after standing several drafts of Sam Adams Lite, but Revere was detained for a few days and finally sent home to Boston on foot, minus his old steed, Hannibal, which had been confiscated by the Regulars.

A few years later Longfellow received a note from his publisher: “We’re really short on epic historical sonnets, and G. Washington wants you to read something dynamic at his Second Inaugural. See if you can comer up a few lines about how John Hancock managed to keep his insurance records out of the Redcoats’ hands. Didn’t a cobbler, a doctor and a frying pan salesman have something going for them? Would you mind taking a crack at it?”

Copyright©2011 by Robert A. Mills

Post a Comment

More Blogs by Robert A. Mills
• LINKLETTER - Friday, January 30, 2015
• HOUSE - Wednesday, January 21, 2015
• POT - Sunday, January 18, 2015
• LINKLETTER - Wednesday, January 14, 2015
• ALS - Sunday, January 11, 2015
• GEORGIA 11 - Thursday, January 8, 2015
• GEORGIA - Wednesday, January 7, 2015
• SUPERMAN PT. 11 - Saturday, January 3, 2015
• SUPERMAN PT. 1 - Wednesday, December 31, 2014
• XMAS - Sunday, December 28, 2014
• PBS - Wednesday, December 24, 2014
• BICUSPIDS - Wednesday, December 17, 2014
• STEPS - Saturday, December 13, 2014
• MONDAY - Thursday, December 11, 2014
• MONDAY - Thursday, December 11, 2014
• WEEK - Sunday, December 7, 2014
• SBOW PT. 11-Thursday Dec, 4, 2014 - Friday, December 5, 2014
• COSHOCTON - Saturday, November 29, 2014
• SNOW - Wednesday, November 26, 2014
• 22nd - Saturday, November 22, 2014
• OLD - Wednesday, November 19, 2014
• PHILIP - Saturday, November 15, 2014
• OLD - Wednesday, November 12, 2014
• [POINTS - Saturday, November 8, 2014
• NORVIEW - Tuesday, November 4, 2014
• NORVIEW - Tuesday, November 4, 2014
• BALLOON - Saturday, November 1, 2014
• GENES - Wednesday, October 29, 2014
• CONCORDE ll - Saturday, October 25, 2014
• NEW JERSEY - Wednesday, October 22, 2014
• CLEAN - Saturday, October 18, 2014
• SOLUTION - Wednesday, October 15, 2014
• RUNNINGBACK – SAT – Oct 11 - Saturday, October 11, 2014
• PART TWO of FLORENTINE - Saturday, October 4, 2014
• CONCORDE - Saturday - Saturday, October 4, 2014
• FLORENTINE - Wed - Part One - Wednesday, October 1, 2014
• MEYHODITS - Saturday, September 27, 2014
• SPENCERPORT - Wednesday, September 24, 2014
• ELLIE - Saturday, September 20, 2014
• BLANK - Wednesday, September 17, 2014
• JOAN - Wednesday, September 10, 2014
• BIRDS - Saturday, September 6, 2014
• NAPOLEON - Wednesday, September 3, 2014
• NPR - Saturday, August 30, 2014
• ALS - Wednesday, August 27, 2014
• 2 - Saturday, August 23, 2014
• 70! - Wednesday, August 20, 2014
• USSR - Saturday, August 16, 2014
• MOSQUE - Wednesday, August 13, 2014
• HANDS - Saturday, August 9, 2014
• TEETH - Wednesday, August 6, 2014
• COVENTRY - Saturday, August 2, 2014
• BICHON - Wednesday, July 30, 2014
• PLS - Saturday, July 26, 2014
• HOCKEY - Saturday, July 19, 2014
• WXIA - Wednesday, July 16, 2014
• SAM - Saturday, July 12, 2014
• FOOTBALL - Wednesday, July 9, 2014
• AUNTIE - Saturday, July 5, 2014
• FAME - Wednesday, July 2, 2014
• JACKIE - Saturday, June 28, 2014
• WILL - Wednesday, June 25, 2014
• BRIT - Saturday, June 21, 2014
• HOLCOMB-Wed-June 18, 2014- - Wednesday, June 18, 2014
• PREMATURE - June 14, 2014 - Saturday, June 14, 2014
• MAYO - Saturday, June 7, 2014
• SHAW - Wednesday, June 4, 2014
• LEXOPHILES - May 31, 2014 - Saturday, May 31, 2014
• RED - Wednesday, May 28, 2014
• berle - Saturday, May 24, 2014
• HALO - Wednesday, May 21, 2014
• MINIE- May 17, 2014 - Saturday, May 17, 2014
• CHRISTMAS - MAY 14, 2014 (Wed)) - Wednesday, May 14, 2014
• BIRDS - May 10 - Saturday, May 10, 2014
• APRIL - May 7, 2014 - Wednesday, May 7, 2014
• FRANCES & FRIENDS - May 3 - Saturday, May 3, 2014
• TEAPOT - Saturday, April 26, 2014
• SKIERS - Saturday, April 19, 2014
• FDR - Tuesday, April 15, 2014
• WIZARD - Saturday, April 5, 2014
• ELEVEN – March 22, 2014 (edited) - Wednesday, April 2, 2014
• DUKE - Saturday, March 29, 2014
• ELEVEN - Saturday, March 22, 2014
• GOBBY - Sunday, March 16, 2014
• CONFESSION - Saturday, March 1, 2014
• DRAGON - Saturday, February 22, 2014
• KUERIG + FURTHERMORE II + FURTHERMORE III - Saturday, February 15, 2014
• CATHY - Saturday, February 8, 2014
• OMAHA + FURTHERMORE - Saturday, February 1, 2014
• LINCOLN - Saturday, January 25, 2014
• MATH - Saturday, January 18, 2014
• WHAT? - Saturday, January 11, 2014
• PIG - Saturday, January 4, 2014
• NANA - Saturday, December 28, 2013
• JEWS - Saturday, December 21, 2013
• LUCIFER - Saturday, December 14, 2013
• PEARL - Saturday, December 7, 2013
• CARILLON - Saturday, November 30, 2013
• ASSASSINATION - Sunday, November 24, 2013
• VETERANS - Saturday, November 16, 2013
• ABSCESSED - Saturday, November 9, 2013
• AGENDA & WHOLESALE - Saturday, November 2, 2013
• HEADLINES - Saturday, October 26, 2013
• OAHU - Saturday, October 12, 2013
• BAD - Saturday, October 5, 2013
• MATH - Saturday, September 28, 2013
• YARD - Saturday, September 21, 2013
• ENGLISH - Saturday, September 14, 2013
• ECSTACY - Saturday, September 7, 2013
• LABOR - Saturday, August 31, 2013
• SPORTS - Saturday, August 24, 2013
• FAIR - Sunday, August 18, 2013
• PANIC - Saturday, August 10, 2013
• JEFFERSON - Saturday, August 3, 2013
• GERTE - Saturday, July 27, 2013
• GRACE - Saturday, July 20, 2013
• PLS - Saturday, July 13, 2013
• BROOKS - Saturday, July 6, 2013
• DVDs - Saturday, June 29, 2013
• WEDDING & SCOTT - Saturday, June 22, 2013
• FREEZER - Saturday, June 15, 2013
• BASILIO - Saturday, June 8, 2013
• CARUSO - Saturday, June 1, 2013
• EXPERT - Saturday, May 25, 2013
• CANTANKEROUS - Saturday, May 18, 2013
• BOATS - Saturday, May 11, 2013
• BALANCE - Saturday, May 4, 2013
• USPS - Saturday, April 27, 2013
• TAXES - Saturday, April 20, 2013
• AUDITION - Saturday, April 13, 2013
• NASHVILLE - Saturday, April 6, 2013
• BOXER - Saturday, March 30, 2013
• COLUMNS - Monday, March 25, 2013
• VIETNAM - Saturday, March 16, 2013
• ΣAM - Saturday, March 9, 2013
• WHOA! - Saturday, March 2, 2013
• TWO - Saturday, February 23, 2013
• QUITTER - bonus - Tuesday, February 19, 2013
• GHOSTS - Saturday, February 16, 2013
• VALENTINE - Wednesday, February 13, 2013
• FBI - Saturday, February 9, 2013
• WOOLLEY - Saturday, February 2, 2013
• GRUMPY - Saturday, January 26, 2013
• FORMAL - Saturday, January 19, 2013
• PATTY - Saturday, January 12, 2013
• OFFENDED - Saturday, January 5, 2013
• LOVE - Saturday, December 29, 2012
• CHRISTMAS - Wednesday, December 26, 2012
• PEPE - Saturday, December 22, 2012
• TIME - Saturday, December 15, 2012
• TIME - Saturday, December 15, 2012
• UGA - Saturday, December 8, 2012
• MASS - Saturday, December 1, 2012
• SLF - Saturday, November 24, 2012
• THANKSGIVING- a bonus column - Wednesday, November 21, 2012
• ASSASSINATION - Saturday, November 17, 2012
• POLL - Saturday, November 10, 2012
• YOGI - Wednesday, November 7, 2012
• VOTE - Saturday, November 3, 2012
• REACH - Saturday, October 27, 2012
• WASTELAND - Saturday, October 20, 2012
• 58% - Saturday, October 13, 2012
• WACKO - Saturday, October 6, 2012
• REVIST - Thursday, October 4, 2012
• DEBATE - An addendum - Wednesday, October 3, 2012
• CRASH - Saturday, September 29, 2012
• VEEP - Saturday, September 22, 2012
• BUGLE - Saturday, September 15, 2012
• DELTA - Saturday, September 8, 2012
• ANNIVERSARY - Saturday, September 1, 2012
• INCA DINKA DO - Saturday, August 25, 2012
• METH - Saturday, August 18, 2012
• PHELPS - Saturday, August 11, 2012
• UPDATE EXTRA - Wednesday, August 8, 2012
• CHICKEN - Saturday, August 4, 2012
• OLYMPICS - a review - Tuesday, July 31, 2012
• SUMMERTIME - Saturday, July 28, 2012
• SHOOT! - Saturday, July 21, 2012
• PUN - Saturday, July 14, 2012
• DECISION - Saturday, July 7, 2012
• FREE - Saturday, June 30, 2012
• EXTRA! - Thursday, June 28, 2012
• ANNIVERSARY - Saturday, June 23, 2012
• REHEARSAL - Saturday, June 16, 2012
• BELMONT - Saturday, June 9, 2012
• 1% - Saturday, June 2, 2012
• DERIVATIVES - Saturday, May 26, 2012
• MEDICARE - Saturday, May 19, 2012
• CRIME! - Saturday, May 12, 2012
• POTTER - Saturday, May 5, 2012
• BUCKHOUSE - Saturday, April 28, 2012
• SOX! - Saturday, April 21, 2012
• SOL - Saturday, April 14, 2012
• CONTEST! - Saturday, April 7, 2012
• JUSTICE! - Saturday, March 31, 2012
• SUITS! - Saturday, March 24, 2012
• BOBBYS - Saturday, March 17, 2012
• NUNDA FUN DAYS – PT II - Saturday, March 10, 2012
• NUNDA FUN DAYS - PART 1 - Saturday, March 3, 2012
• HUTSON IS ONE! - Thursday, February 23, 2012
• TôT OU TARD! - Saturday, February 18, 2012
• MINE! - Saturday, February 11, 2012
• SOUP! - Saturday, February 4, 2012
• BUCK STOP - Saturday, January 28, 2012
• FOLLIES - Saturday, January 21, 2012
• MISFITS - Saturday, January 14, 2012
• MOHS - Saturday, January 7, 2012
• GOODBYE! - Saturday, December 31, 2011
• CITY SLICKERS -- Week of Dec 24 - Saturday, December 24, 2011
• HEADLINES - Saturday, December 17, 2011
• FIRE! - Saturday, December 10, 2011
• YEP, THE SKY IS FALLING! - Saturday, December 3, 2011
• HOBNAIL BOOTS - Saturday, November 26, 2011
• GIRL o’ WAR - Saturday, November 19, 2011
• CAIN IS NOT ABEL - Saturday, November 12, 2011
• JOHNNY CAN’T READ - Saturday, November 5, 2011
• HOLY SMOKE! - Saturday, October 29, 2011
• CELL PHONE - Saturday, October 22, 2011
• 60 MINUTES - Saturday, October 15, 2011
• BANKS CLOSED - Saturday, October 8, 2011
• ANNUAL PHYSICAL - Saturday, October 1, 2011
• A T W IN 80 MINUTES - Saturday, September 24, 2011
• HUTSON! - Saturday, September 17, 2011
• A TIME TO REMEMBER - Saturday, September 10, 2011
• TOMB AT ARLINGTON - Saturday, September 3, 2011
• GUNFIGHT AT DODGE CITY - Saturday, August 27, 2011
• NOTHNAGLE - Saturday, August 20, 2011
• A CLUTTERED BELFRY - Saturday, August 13, 2011
• CFS, FOR SHORT - Saturday, August 6, 2011
• THE MINSTREL SHOW - Saturday, July 30, 2011
• BIRTHDAY BOY RIDES (MARTA) AGAIN - Saturday, July 23, 2011
• KNOCK, KNOCK! WHO’S THERE? DEATH! - Saturday, July 16, 2011
• COMMENCEMENT - Saturday, July 9, 2011
• 234th 4th OF JULY - Saturday, July 2, 2011
• MIDNIGHT RIDE OF BOORTZ/DUPREE - Saturday, June 25, 2011
• OH, MY PAPA (& MAMA, TOO) . . . - Saturday, June 18, 2011
• ROLLING STONES - Saturday, June 11, 2011
• I DOUBLE D’AIR YA! - Saturday, June 4, 2011
• WOW—SUM BEACH - Monday, May 30, 2011
• GRAMP ON THE TOWN - Saturday, May 21, 2011
• THE UNSOCIABLE NETWORK - Saturday, May 14, 2011
• DING DONG, THE WICKED SUMBITCH IS DEAD - Saturday, May 7, 2011
• KATE PLUS MATE - Saturday, April 30, 2011
• GOP IS TRUMPED - Monday, April 25, 2011
• SNIFFING JOCKS IN ATLANTA - Saturday, April 16, 2011
• BOEHNER BLINKED - Saturday, April 9, 2011
• ROY ROGERS - Saturday, April 2, 2011
• SWEAT MORE, BLEED LESS - Saturday, March 26, 2011
• HE STILL DESERVES BETTER - Saturday, March 19, 2011
• AFTRA & EARTHQUAKES - Saturday, March 12, 2011
• ALEX IN WONDERLAND - Saturday, March 5, 2011
• THE OSCARS - 2011 - Wednesday, March 2, 2011
• FIRST BIRTHDAY, PART THREE - Thursday, February 24, 2011
• FIRST BIRTHDAY, PART II - Tuesday, February 22, 2011
• MY FIRST BIRTHDAY - Saturday, February 19, 2011
• IDES OF FEB, MINUS ONE DAY - Saturday, February 12, 2011
• FUN AT THE ICE PALACE - Saturday, February 5, 2011
• VACATION FROM HELL - Saturday, January 29, 2011
• BARBERSTOWN CASTLE - Saturday, January 22, 2011
• TRYING TO TAKE TUCSON – a bonus blog - Wednesday, January 19, 2011
• THE “BOBBYS” - Saturday, January 15, 2011
• POLITICS 101 - Saturday, January 8, 2011
• THE SNOWS OF KILIMANGEORGIA - Saturday, January 1, 2011
• WRITER'S CRAMP - Saturday, December 25, 2010
• BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY - Saturday, December 18, 2010
• PATTY ROBERTS, Part Two - Wednesday, December 15, 2010
• SECRET SANTA - Saturday, December 11, 2010
• PATTY ROBERTS - Thursday, December 9, 2010
• GETTING MY GOAT(EE) - Saturday, December 4, 2010
• IN FLIMFLAMS FIELDS . . . - Saturday, November 27, 2010
• PLYMOUTH ROCKS - Saturday, November 20, 2010
• LACED FOR ACTION - Saturday, November 13, 2010
• PEER PRESSURE - Saturday, November 6, 2010
• POLL CATS - Saturday, October 30, 2010
• FRIENDS - Saturday, October 23, 2010
• MY COUSIN DOUGIE - Saturday, October 16, 2010
• LOBSTER POTTED - Sunday, October 10, 2010
• A PRECIOUS GOLDEN BOBBY - Thursday, September 30, 2010
• THE KING IS DEAD (or at least in his throes) - Saturday, September 25, 2010
• STAND PAT - Saturday, September 18, 2010
• EGGS ROSAKOVIA - Saturday, September 11, 2010
• POLL CATS - Saturday, September 4, 2010
• KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE - Saturday, August 28, 2010
• (Bonus Blog) BUT WHO’S COUNTING? - Wednesday, August 25, 2010
• PEANUTS AND CRACKER JACKS - Saturday, August 21, 2010
• LUCKY STRIKE GREEN - Saturday, August 14, 2010
• AMERICARE vs. OBAMACARE - Saturday, August 7, 2010
• THE MAN WHO WOULD (temporarily) BE PRESIDENT - Saturday, July 31, 2010
• THE WEDDING - Saturday, July 24, 2010
• BUTTERFLIES ARE HAPPY - Saturday, July 17, 2010
• HATTERS ARE MAD - Saturday, July 10, 2010
• WHAT DOES THE BOSTON TEA PARTY AND THE REPUBLICAN TEA PARTY HAVE IN COMMON? - Friday, July 2, 2010
• MILQUETOAST HEADLINES - Saturday, June 26, 2010
• JAMIE DUPREE DESERVES BETTER - Saturday, June 19, 2010
• WHAT BARACK OBAMA AND HELEN THOMAS HAVE IN COMMON - Saturday, June 12, 2010
• GRANDNIECE LEIGH IS OFF TO HONDURAS - Saturday, June 5, 2010
• MEMORIAL HOLE-IN-ONE - Saturday, May 29, 2010
• GRANDNIECE EMILY GRADUATES - Wednesday, May 26, 2010
• THE MOON IS ROQUEFORT - Saturday, May 22, 2010
• LENO VS. O’BRIEN – TEMPEST IN A TV POT - Saturday, May 15, 2010