Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-04-13
Benjamin Vests Marriage.

ABOUT the middle Of the eighteenth
century young West had an obscure lodg-
ing in Strawberry alley, and painted por-
traits at guinea head-painted signs,
too, for a few shillings, when portraits
and guineas were not to be had" The
Cask of Beer" or "The Jolly Fiddlers. "
A picture of st. Ignatius, after Murillo,
having been captured on Spanish brig
antine by the Britannia, fell into the pos
session of Gov. Hamilton, at Bush Hill.
West copied it, and humored some of his
portly patrons by painting them in the
attitude Of saint. Mad Anthony Wayne,
then handsome, gallant, showily dressed
young fellow, was often seen on the streets
with the mild hammered, applecheeked
Quaker lad. He brought as many of his
fashionable friends as he could persuade
to sit for their portraits to the hungry
young artist, and, it is limited, not only
made military man of him, but intro
duced him to charming Miss Betty Shew-
ell, with whom West, in his orderly,
proper way, fell in love. Miss Shewell's
brother, however, being a man with an
income, had no mind that his pretty sister
should marry man who had none, and
whose occupation was held to be
not half so genteel as that of a
tailor. He therefore locked Miss
Betty up in her room just about
the time that one of the Aliens, who was
sending a ship laden with grain to the
starving Italians, offered Benjamin a
passage On her to Leghorn. But love
laughed at locksmiths then as now. The
Quaker Romeo and his Juliet saw each
other, though one was in the garden and
the other in the window, and vowed
eternal faith. West promised to win fame
and money, and his sweetheart promised
to come to him to the ends of the earth as
soon as he should send her word he had
enough of the latter necessary to keep
them from starvation. The remainder of
the story Bishop White told to DR.. Swift,
Of Easton, Pennsylvania. West, as we all
know, succeeded rapidly in winning both
the fame and money, and, as soon as he was
established first favorite at Hampton
Court, sent to Miss Shewell to claim her
part of the promise. Her brother was still
memorable, and did not consider painter,
though he were Georges own, fit match
for the daughter of blue blooded Phila-
delphia family. He locked Miss Betty UP
again in her chamber. The story went out
through the town. Popular sympathy was
with the lovers. Stephen Shewell was de-
nounced as a tyrant, and many chances OF
pity and encouragement were cast at the
high-latticed window behind which was
the fair captive maiden. The ship was in
the harbor, ready to sail, in which West
had arranged that his bride should come
to him, under the escort of his father.
The day arrived for her departure. Al
this crisis DR.. Franklin appeared as the
good angel, and proved himself quite as
competent to direct love affair as the
lightning or the draught in stove.
With Bishop White, then a lad Of eigh-
teen, and Francis Hopkinson, he went to
the ships Captain and arranged with
him to delay starting until night, but te
be ready to weigh anchor at moments
warning. Old Mr.. West was then taken
on board, and at midnight Franklin
young White and Hopkinson repaired to
Stephen Shewell's house, fastened a rope
ladder to Miss Betty's window, held i
while she descended, and conducted hel
safely to the ship, which set sail a,
soon as she was on board The lover:
were married when she landed, and lived
long and happily together. But Stepher
Shewell never forgave his sister, nor die
she or her husband ever return to thi;
country.-Re5ecca Harding Da0is, in Har
per'S HGgaatfeo.
The ugliest ''cratur" on earth-th,
! &c AZ No.: