Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1853-09-22
AN EXTRACT
From the Introduction to Noble dlrlS Of imtTi-
ean Women"
BY MRS. l.. II. siGoUREEY.

If all true greatness should be estima-
ted by it's tendencies, aud by the good il
performs. it is peculiar'y desirabl tina,
woman's claims 10 distinction should b.
thus judged and awarded. In this young
western world, especially in New E IS
land her agency has been admitted. aud
her capacity tested. Of minglins health n
full leaven with the elements oil a nations $
character. Here. her presence has been
acknowledged. and her aid faithfully rem
dered from he beginning There is beau
tiful tradition, that the first foot which
pressed the snow clad rock of Plymouth
was that of Mary Clifton. a fair young
maiden. AMI that the last survivor of
those heroic pioneers was Mary Allerton.
who lived to see the planting OF twelve
out OF the thirteen colonies which form
ed the nucleus Of these Uhited States.
In the May Flower. eighteen wives ac-
companied their husbands to waste land
and uninhabited, save the willy and
vengeful savage. On ;'e unHoored hut.
she who had been nurtL. ed amid the rich
carpets and curtains of the mother land.
rocked her new born babe. and complain
ed not. She. who in the home of her
youth had arranged the gorgeous shades
of embroidery. or. perchauce. had COM
pounded the rich venison pastry as her
share in the housekeeping. now pounded
the coarse Indian corn for her chlldren's
bread. anil btde them ask Gods blessing.
ere they took ttIrir scauty portion. When
the SHOWS sifted through their miserable
roof trees upon her lEtle ones. she gath
cred them closer to her bosom; she taught
them the Bible. and the catechisn. AMI
the holy hymn. though the war whoop
of the Indian rang through the wild
Amid the untold hardships of colonial
life. she infused new strength into her
husband by her firmness. and solaced his
weary hours by her love. She was TO
him,
"An undergoing spirit. to bear up
Against what e'er enSued."
During the struggle of our Revolution.
the privations sustained. and the efforts
made by women, were neither few nor of
short duration. Many of them are delin-
eated i'm the present volume, and in 9th
er interesting ones of the same class
which have found favor with the public.
Yet innumerable instances IF faithful
toll. and patient endurance. must have
been covered with oblivion. In how
many u lone home, whence the ia ther was
long sundered by a soldiers destiny. did
the Mother labor to perform to their lit
tie ones both his duties and her own,
having no witness of the extent of her
heavy burdens, and sleepless anxieties.
save the Hearer Of Prayers.
A good and hoary headed man. who
had passed the limits of fourscore. once
said TO me. ''my father was in the army
during the whole eight years of the Rev
olutiOnary war. at first as a common sol
dier. afterwards as an officer. My moth
er had the sole charge of us, four little |
ones. Our house was poor one, and
lar from neighbors. | have keen re-
me m brance Of the terrible cold of SOM
of those winters. The snow lay so deep
and long. that it was difficult to cut or
draw fuel from the woods. and to get our
corn to mill. when we had any. My
mother was the posSrssor of / coffee mill |
In that she ground wheat. and made coarse
bread. which we ate. and were thankful |
1t was not always that we could be al
lowed as much. even of this, as our keen
aPpetites craved. Many is the time that
we have gone to bed. with only drink
of water for our supper, in which little
molasses had been mingled. We pa
tieutly received it. for we knew our moth
sr did as well for us as she could. and
hoped to have something better in the
She was never heard TO repine:
Ind young as we were. we tired TO make
her loving spirit and heavenly trust. our
example.
"When ny father was permitted to
come home, his stay was short, and he U