Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-04-23
THE SCARLET LETTER.
By NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.
CHAPTER |.

Inc grass plot DeIOfe the jail,
in Prison lane, on certain summer
morning not less than two centuries ago.
was occupied by pretty large number
Of the inhabitants of Boston, all with
their eyes intently fastened on the iron
clamped oaken door. Among any other
population, or at a later period IN the
history of New England, the grim rigid
ity that petrifed the bearded physiogno-
mics of these good people would have
augured some awful business in hand.
It could have betokened nothing short
of the anticipated execution of some
noted culprit, on whom the sentence of
legal tribunal had but confirmed the
verdict of public sentiment. But in
that early severity of the Puritan char
acter an inference of this kind could not
SO Individually be drawn. 1t might be
that sluggish bond servant, or an I'M
dutiful child, whom his parents had
given over to the civil authority, was to
be corrected at the whipping post.
1t might be that an Antinomian, a
Quaker or other heterodox religionist
was to be scourged out of the town, or
an idle and vagrant Indian, whom the
white mans fire water had made riotous
about the streets, was to be driven with
stripes into the shadow of the forest. 1t
might be, too, that witch, like old
Mistress Hibbins, the bitter tempered
widow of the magistrate, was to die
upon the gallows. In either case, there
was very much the same solemnity of
demeanor on the part of the spectators;
as beftted people among whom religion
and law were almost identical, and in
whose character both were so thorough
Iy interfused that the mildest and Sc
verest acts of public discipline were
alike made venerable and awful.
Meager, indeed, and cold was the SYM
pathy that transgressor might look
for, from such bystanders, at the scat
fold. On the other hand, a penalty,
which in our days would infer degree
of hooking infamy and ridicule, might
then be invested with almost as stern
dignity as the punishment Of death it
self
1t was a circumstance to be noted, on
the summer morning when our story be-
gins its course, that the women, of whom
there were several in the crowd, APP
peared to take peculiar interest in
whatever penal infection might be ex-
pected to ensue. The age had not so
much refinement that any sense Of inn
propriety restrained the wearers of pet
ticoat and farthingale from stepping
forth into the public ways and wedging
their not unsubstantial persons, if oc-
casion were, into the throng nearest to
the scaffold of an execution. Morally
fiber in those wives and maidens of old
English birth and breeding than in their
fair descendants, separated from them
by a series of six or seven generations;
for throughout that chain of ancestry
every successive mother has transmitted
to her child fainter bloom, more del
icate and briefer beauty and slighter
physical frame, if not character of less
force and soiidity than her own.
The women who are now standing
about the prison door stood within less
than half century of the period when
the manlike Elizabeth had been the not
altogether unsuitable representative of
the sex. They were her countrywomen:
and the beef and ale of their native land,
with moral diet not whit more re-
fined, entered largely into their compo-
sition. The bright morning sun there
fore shone on broad shoulders and well
developed busts and on round and ruddy
cheeks that had ripened in the far off
island, and had hardly yet grown paler
or thinner in the atmosphere Of New
England. There was moreover bold
ness and rotundity of speech among
these matrons, as most of them seemed
to be, that would startle US at the pres
ent day, whether in respect to its pur-
port or its volume of tone.
"Goodwives," said a hard featured
dame of fifty, "I'll tell We piece of my
mind. It would be greatly for the pub
lie behoof, if we women, being of mature
age and church members in good repute,
should have the handling of such male
factresses as this Hester Prynne. What
think We, gossips? If the hussy stood up
for Judgment before us five that are now
here in knot together, would she come
off with such sentence as the worship
full magistrates have awarded? Marry,
trow notr'
People say" said another, ''that the
Reverend Mr.. Dimmesdale, her godly
pastor, takes it very grieyously to heart
that such scandal should have come
upon his congregation"
1.-THE magistrates are Godfearing gen.
tlemen, but merciful overmuch--that is
a truth, added a third autumnal ma
tron. SAT the very least, they should
have put the brand of a hot iron on
Hester Prynne's forehead. Madam Hes
ter would have WINGED at that, war
rant me. But she-the naughty bag
gage-little will she care what they put
upon the bodice of her gown! Why,
look you, she may cover it with a brooch
or such like heathenish adornment and
so walk the streets as brave as everr'
''Ah, but" interposed more softly a
young wife, holding child by the hand,
"let her cover the mark as she will. the
pang of it will be always in her heart"
What do we talk of marks and
brands, whether on the bodice of her
gown or the flesh of her forehead"
cried another female, the ugliest as well
as the most pitiless of these self consti-
tuted judges. This woman has brought
shame upon us all and ought to die. Is
there not law for it, Truly, there is,
both IN the Scripture and the statute
book Then let the magistrates, who
have made it of no effect, thank them
selves if their own wives and daughters
go astrayr
Mercy on us. goodwife," exclaimed
man in the crowd, lis there no virtue
IN woman save what springs from q
wholesome fear of the gallowss That is