The record-union., 1893-03-09
TIE AMERICAN GIRL.
What Lydia Hoyt Farmer Says of
Her Past and Present.
found Anywhere on Earth-Girls
History.

The American girl stands out on the
page of history both as the brave maiden
of the Revolution and the quaint, pictur-
esque, prim, Puritan Prudence of CO.
lonial times.
What fascinating picture the demure
Prudence or Patience was in her simple
gown and modest kerchief laid in white
folds about her girlish form, her cap rest
ing, in spite of studied plainness, with
coquett;sh grace upon her curls, her
housewifely apron of ample proportions
reaching to her delicate ankles as she sat
at the homely wheel spinning, with her
small foot in buckled slipper and knitted
stocking pressing the treadle, while her
dett fingers manipulate the flax, wool, or
cotton to be afterwards woven into the
homespun family garments.
On August 9, 1775. the following appeal
was posted in the city of Philadelphia:
''To the spinners in this city. the sub
urbs and country: Your services are now
wanted TO promote the American manu-
factory at the corner of Market and Ninth
streets, where cotton, wool, flax, ETC., are
delivered out. One distinguishing char
scteristic of an excellent woman, as given
by the wisest of men, is that she seeketh
wool and flax, and worketh willingly
hands holdeth the distaff. In this time
of public distress, you have now, each
one of you, an opportunity not only to
help to sustain your families, but like
wise to cast your mite into the treasury of
the public good. The most feeble efforts
to help to save the State from ruin, when
1t Is all you can do, is as the widows
mite, entitled to the same reward as they
who, Of their abundant abilities, have
cast in much.f
So, no doubt, many girl of the time
became spinner for her country, and
many a demure Prudence proved her
brave heart and Stanch patriotism. An
old Revolutionary diary chronicles the
doings OF party of Puritan maidens:
THE following droll affair lately hap
pened at Kinderhook: A young fellow.
an enemy to the liberties of America,
going to a quilting frolic, where num-
Der of young women were collected, and
he, the only man in the company, began
his aspersions on Congress. as usual, and
held forth some time on the subject, till
The girls, exasperated at his impudence,
laid hold of him, stripped him to the
waist, and instead of tar covered him
with molasses, and for feathers took the
downy tops of flags which grow in the
meadows and coated him well and then
let him go. He has prosecuted every one
of them, and the matter has been tried
before Justice s.. We have not as yet
said Parson BuePs daughter is concerned
in the affair"
SOUTH CAROLINA AND NEW JERSEY GIRLS
You all know the story of the two
brave New England sisters, who, having
heard that the Red Coats were approach
ing, took a drum and fife and stationed
themselves behind a huge rock overlook
ing the road where the enemy were to
pass. So persistently did they ply the
drumsticks and play the fife, that the
Red Coats, supposing an army of Blue
Coats TO be advancing. fed precipitately-
frightened away by two brave American
girls.
There was also courageous Mary Gibbes,
a girl only Is, who in l779, in the midst OF
flying shot and shell as the American and
british were fighting for the possession
of st. Johns Island, thirty miles from
Charleston. fled along through the woods
at midnight, where cannon balls crashed
and shot fell like rain around her, back
to the deserted home to rescue the baby
boy left behind in their hurried flight;
clasping the infant to her beating heart
she retraced her way through that same
dreadful forest, where the iron rain of
bullets still cut the midnight air, and
brought the child in safety to her agoniZed
parents. That little boy saved by his
heroic girl cousin became afterward Gen
eral Fenwick, distinguished in the war OF
1872.
Another young woman in New Jersey,
in l777, passing a deserted house, beheld
within drunken Hessian soldier, who
had struggled from his company. There
being no means within call she returned
home, dressed herself in mans apparel,
armed herself with an old musket, and
going back took the Hessian prisoner.
She stripped him OF his arms, and while
leading him captive she met with the
patrol guard of New Jersey regiment
to whom she delivered up her charge.
A gentleman travelling through Connec.
ticut in 1775, met an old lady who haG
lust fitted out and sent five sons anC
eleven grandsons to Boston, because She
had heard of the engagement between
the provincials and regulars.
Ibid you not weep at parting witt
them ?" asked the gentleman, astonishec
at such patriotism.
''No,n replied the heroic mother '1
never parted with them with more pleas
ure.'
but suppose they had all been killed?'
said the gentleman.
The noble matron replied, with flash
ing eyes and lofty poise of her snow
crowned head, and resolute tone of voice
II had rather this had been the case
than that one of them had come back
coward"
THE sPUNKY BELLIES OF 1776.
American girls were not behind sucl
brave mothers, so far as lay in thei
power, to avow their patriotic opinions
The Pennsylvania Journal, in its issue O
July 10, 1877, contained this item:
I'VE hear that the young ladies O
Amelia County, in Virginia. consider
ing the situation of their county in par
ticular, and that of the United States il
general, have entered into resolution
not to permit the addresses OF any per
son, be his circumstances and situation
in life what they will, unless ne ha.
served in the American armies lont
enough to prove by his valor that he il
deserving of their love.''
Those loyal maids of the Reyolutio,
were as charming in the ball room as the,
were brave on the field, where some o
them, clad in Continental uniforms
fought by the side of their fathers an(
brothers, for the girls of that day coulC
handle musket as well as distaff.
In February, 1779, an imposing enter
tainment was given by General Knox anC
the officers of the corps of artillery, a
Pluckemin, in New Jersey, to celebrate
the anniversary of the French alliance
General Washington and the principa
officers of the army, Mrs. Washington
Mrs. Greene, Mrs. Knox and many othe
distinguished guests were present. Th
ball was opened by General Washington
We have not space to describe thi
brilliant assembly and gorgeous feast
and our subject also relates only to an in
cident concerning young American
beauty of that day.
One of the honored guests, an old gen
tleman of 90, thus charmingly describe
the wit of this brilliant girl: ''As it is to
late in the day for me to follow the wind
ings of fiddle, L contented myself wit
the conversation of some one or other c
the ladies during the interval of dancing
l., ,k,.aHx xt-ffl !, li,-o1