The Grange advance., 1874-09-30
Romance Of the Stavcrs House,
Portsmouth.

Portsmouth,
A record Of the scenes, tragic and ha'
morous, that have been enacted within
this old yellow house on the corner
would fill volume. A vivid picture
of the social and public life Of the old
time might be painted by skillful
hand, using the two Earl Of Halifax inns
for back ground. The painter would
find gay and sombre colors ready mixed
for his palette, and hundred romantic
incidents, waiting for his canvas. One
of these romantic episodes has been
turned to very pretty account by Long
fellow in the last series of The Tdles
of Wayside hu'a-the marriage of
Governor Benning Wentworth with
Martha Hilton, sort of second edition
Of King Cophetua and the Beggar
Maid.
Martha Hilton was poor girl, whose
bare feet and ankles and scant drapery
when she was child, and even after
she was we'll in the bloom Of h.r teens,
used to scandalize good Dame Stavers,
the innkeeper's wife. Standing one af.
ternoon in the doorway Of the Earl Of
Halifax, Dame Stavcrs took occasion to
demonstrate with the sleek-limbed and
lightly drapcd Martha, who CHANGED to
be passing the tavern, carrying pail
Of water, in which. as the poet neatly
says, ''the shifting sunbeam danced"
"You Pat! you Pat!' cried Mrs.
Stavers, severely, "why do you 60 look
ing so? You should be ashamed to be
seen in the street.
"Never mind how / look says Miss
Martha, with merry laugh. letting
slip saucv brown shoulder out of her
dress: Il shall ride in my chariot, yet,
ma 'am.'
Fortunate prophecy Martha went
to live as servant with Gov. Wentworth
at his mansion at Little Harbor, look
ing out to sea. Seven years past, and
the thin slip Of a girl who promised
TO be no great beauty, had foworcd
into the lov]iest of women. with lip
like a cherry and cheek like a rose
lady by instinct. one of Nature own
ladies. The governor, lonely widower,
and not too young, fell in love with. his
fair handmaid. Without stating his
purpose to any one, Governor Went
worth invited a number Of friends,
lamong others the Rev. Arthur
Brown, to dine with him at Little
Harbor on his birthday, After the
dinner, which was very elab-
crate one, was at an END, and
the guests were discussing their tobacco
pipes, Martha Hilton glided into the
room, and stood blushing in front of
the chimney place. She was exquis-
itely dressed, as you may conceive, and
wore her hair three stories high. The
guests stared at each other. and par.
ticularly at her, and wondered Then
the governor rising from his seat,
"Played slightly with his rufies, then
looked down,
And said unto the Reverend Arthur Brown:
'Tis my birth day; it shall likewise he
My wedding-day; and you. shall marry
The rector was dumbfounded, know.
ing the humble footing Martha had held
in the house, and could think Of moth
ing cleverer to say than, "To whom,
your excellency?''
ITO this lady, replied the governor,
taking Martha Hilton by the hand.
The Rev. Arthur Brown hesitated.
Gas the Chief Magistrate of New
Hampshire l command you to marry
me!" cried the firm old governor.
And so it was done; and so the pref
ty kitchen maid became Lady Went
worth, and did ride IN her own chariot,
after all. She wasn't woman If she
didn't drive by Staver's Hotel III r. B.
Aldrich, IN Harper's Magazine for
October.
A Ritof Royal G osSip.