St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-20
KISSED BY WASHINGTON.
RecoUections OF hrs. Phoebe Toicte, NOtc
Deer 1O2 Years Old,

RecOUections of hrs. Phoebe ToicIe, NOIc
Deer 1O2 Years Old.
Mrs. Phoebe Towle, an inmate of Miss
Hattie l.. Melvin's Little Faith Home for the
Homeless, Friendless, and Incurable, on
Arlington street, Newark, will be 1913 years
old if she lives until the 4th of July next. A
record in her old family bible shows that she
was born at O'Clock on the afternoon of
July f, 1871, in Hoboken, and that her par
ents' name was Seeley She was sitting up
in bed when a reporter for the World saw her
yesterday afternoon, and the nurse said the
old lady had been so weak during the past
five months that she had to be lifted from the
bed. Mrs Towle has blue-gray eyes, thin
white hair, plump cheeks but her arms and
body are thin an worn. She said that only
one of her five children, daughter 90 years
old, is alive.
My father was a carpenter" Mrs. Towle
said to the reporter, land he built the first
house on the HobOken hills. l remember
when there was not more than a score of
houses in Hoboken and Jersey City, and over
in New York it was all swamp back of
where the city hall now is. Near the tombs
planks were laid for people to cross the street
and short cuts were made through the lots
up to Canal street. where there was a big
pond. We used to pluck daises and butter
cups up there, and the people used to meet
on the Battery on warm nights. Father
often rOwed me across the river from Hobok-
en- to New York. Sometimes we went in
boats worked by horses. We used to climb
down the muddy bank of the river to 90 into
the boats and on the New Yorkside we clamb-
cred up'at low tide. 1t was a long time be-
fore people would venture on a steamboat.
l have seen them kneel and pray that the
Lord might let them return safe from New
York trip.
Eyes, 1 saw Gen. Washington once" the
old lady said in reply to a question, but it
was so long ago, so long ago. Father took
me to the Battery, in New York, where
great crowd was gathered, and he carried me
in his arms, for | was tiny bit of a girl
then the people all began to cheer and swing
their hats and wave their pocket-hankerchiefs
father raised me above his head so / could
see Washington and his officers. l saw in a
yellow and black coach tall MAJ with head
as white as sheet. He was bowling and
smiling to the people, and l remember that
he had a black coat black breeches, and
black silk stockings. Father carried me close
to the tavern where Gen. Washington was to
sup, anu "h0l INC SeHeldl sucpPcu rom INC
carriage father held me up for Washington
to kiss. Another nice man who, if | re-
member right, was General Lafayette, patted
me on the head. Gen. Washington came
out on the piazza of the tavern, so that all
the people could get good look at him. My
father, who had seen him in the war, was so
wild with delight that he cheered until hoarse
That night people lighted bonfires over on
the Jersey City and Hoboken hills and at
Paulus Hook. 1t was so long ago that l
can't remember everything, but | know that
the sky was red from the bonfires on Brook
Ign hill and Staten island and away back on
the Orange mountain.
II had good health until three years ago.
At one time | was in comfortable circum-
stances, but lost everything, and kind
ladies got me in here. New York World