The Somerset reporter., 1891-02-19
The Pilgrim Mothers at HON ,


Helen Jay, ~ Ii-fpcfs Bazr
The quaint d sea sport where the PiI-
grim Mothers landed 70 long ago Is full
Of the echoes on ri irious past. A. we
stand Ia Phi grim Hall, the Mecca of the
New Highlander, we are surrounded By
the memorials Of the giau.s Of those days
Surely the ages Of brass, iron, and wood
unitel to wei together those mtssiye
! kettl IS pia,,crs, and trenchers. Whatey-
er s)rrows tried the soul Of the Puritan
housewife, she was spared the break4ge
Of her china.
Making our way past grim-l 1oking
cl Jcks, and cabinets filed with garments
whose wearers have been dust for genera.
tions,we stand by picturesque arm chair
which once formed part Of the household
furnishing of Mistress katherine Carver
We can almost fancy that we see, resting
against its carved back, the fair bl3n1
face, with its glory Of COL len hair partly
hidden under the Puritan cap. It Is hint
ed 10 the chronicles that Dame Carver
vast fond OF dainty gowns, and we are
toll that her "paduasoy kirte and man
tie were of finer texture than those Of
her fell )w.vOysgefs. They forgave her
the3e sins OF superiority, however, for she
had be n reared under the worldly care
OF her father, Bishop White, Of the Eng
llsh Church, and even the circumstance
of her sister having married Robinson,
the pastor at Leyten, and the fact that
her own brother became q "Sepsra,ist,
could not quite weau her from THE flesh
pots of Egypt Fed on the rose. and
lilies of life," it was simply, we believe,
love for him she qusintly called dear
heart that led this well born, well-bred
woman to suffer disinheritauce. perils BY
land and sea, famine, pestil-nce. ana
death The legends linger Of her gentle
dignity of manner and sweet graciousness
OF speech, which won the reverent admir-
alton OF all who came within their influ-
ence. With self-respect so great that
IL bred in her respect for Others, the ruder
women of the company were cheered by
her sympathy and interest, She was an
sristocrat, this Katherine OF ours, aud
unconsciously received as her due the de
votion of her "handmaiden Lois, and the
protecting care Of Mistress Brewster.
Was she sitting in this same arm chair,
dreaming of an English spring time, that
April morning when Myles S.andish
brought home dying husband5
We seem to hear her one request oft re.
pested to the gallant captain, Make the /
grave of my dear lord so that another NAV
be dug 81 )se beside Samuel Fuller, the
surgeon Of the company, said that heart
break was Dame Carver's complaint, FOR
10 May the other grave WAS made under
the wheat on Coles Hin, and there side
by side, unmarked by monument, the first
Governor Of Plymouth and mis- sweet wife
sleep. 1t is charming chapter in the
grim New England annals. "Fresh with
the youth of the world. and recalling
Rebecca and Isaac this story of welded
lovers. who in death were not divided.
Here at our side is s lax wheel, suggest
ing Priscilla, the beautiful spinner her
white hands feeding the rayenous spin
die, while the captain of Plymouth wooes
her by dangerous proxy. We wish thsttbe
iconoclast had left US the home of Elde-
Brewster, the great room" in which was
the scene Of the unique courtship. Made
Of sterner stuff than the fragile English
rose. who could not bear transplanting TO
the bleak New World, Priscilla is a vital
izing force in New England tradition.
Her vivacious French blood could not be
chilled by frost or weakened by famine
She was notable cook, Ike her grsnd /
mother and mother before her; and If I
those dishes and kettles that stand on the /
cabinet, once the property of Peregrine
White, could speak, they would tell of /
"delec,able marchpanes, mancnets, plum
porissge, and all manner of tasty cake
Her descendants say that her onion soup
aud clam chowder hSd as large share in
winning the allegiance OF Samos t.Squan
to, and Msssaoit as had the diplomacy of /
Wnslow or Bradford.
Who can tell how much of the final tri- |
umph of the brethren was due to the Gull
nary skill Of the "lovlieft maiden of Ply
mouth who strengthened hearts of oak
with dainty seasoning, aud tempted dying
saints by tn delcscy of her porridge to
eat and livef
Near the good sword of Standish hangs
a still pretty sampler, which in neat lst |
tering tells the the story of its origin:
Lorea Staplish is my name.
Lord guide my heart that may doe Thy WI
Also i'll my hands with such convenient skill
may conduce 10
Virtue void Of shame.
And
will give the glory to Thy name,
II we NAV believe wins: the record says,
the p aver of the little maid was answered |
for she is called "LOrea well beloved
and "the dear daughter of the founder I
of the American army and his wife Barba-
ra, the companion of Mistress Alice South
worth in the good ship Anne.