Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-05-24
OLD COLONIAL DAYS

weakness" frankly acknowledges
magazine chronieler on the subject OIL
Some Colonial Women" but confess
there are few things which give zee moro
genuine satisfaction than to read OF the
pleasures of these ancestors of ours.
Their lives were so full OF hardness
and prIvation that it is a relief to turn
TO brighter page and read oil wed
ding, dinner or some merry-making
or love-making that beguiled the
passing hour, as when young Mr..
Porter's best man stole away his fair
bride, Elizabeth Pitkin; or when Miss
Sarah Eve complained in quaint girlish
phrases OF DR.. Shippen's caresses, be-
cause they 'decomposed the economy
OF her handkerchief, disordered her
high roll and ruffied the serenity OF her
countenance, or of how the naughty
Philadelphia girls, among them Mary
Chew, William ina Smith and her cousin,
Williamina Bond, tripped off to Tory
balls, all upmindful OF what future
generations might think OF their con-
duct.
Occasionally, girlish laughter and
froic illuminate the pages OF some old
recond, as when Lucinda in her Jour
nal OF a Young Lady Of Virginia tells
of how she and Mile Washington were
minded to eat after they had decorously
retired TO their room for the night, and
having taxed their digestions with
dish of bacon and beef and after that
with bowl of sage cream, were about
to enter upon the delights OF noctur-
nal apple pye' when Mr.. Corbin Wash.
ington, in his wife's short gown and
petticoat, and Mrs. Washington, In her
husbands coat, burst In upon the scene
and gave the youthful jewellers fhe
fright, after which they settled down
to enjoy the apple pye' together.
THE 'contented mind Of the old ad'
age must have provided these good peo-
ple with q continual feast when there
was little elsa to serve, and we can1ot
but admire the thankful spirit OF Eliza
beth Hard, who, when she arrived 10
Philadelphia with her husband, re-
joiced and considered it an especial
providence to find her sister, Alice
Guest, whom she had not seen for years,
the latter living quite sumptuousIy In
her own cave by the river bank, where
Elizabeth and her husband were enter
tanned. OF her own share In the build
ing of her home her niece, Deborah
Morris, thus quantity tells:
"'All that came wanted a dwelling,
and FASTENED to provide one. As they
lovingly helped each other the women
set themselves 10 work that they had
not been used to before, for few OF
g., Of thu lQhOrinnS
class, and help OF that sort was scarce.
Ny good aunt thought 1t expedlent 10
help her husband at the end OF the
saw, and to fetch all such water TO make
mortar as they had to build their chin
ney. At one time, being overwearied
Herewith, her husband desired her TO
forbear, saying: Thou, my dear, had
better think OF dinner on which
poor woman, she walked away,
weeping as she went, and reflect
ing on herself for coming here TO
be exposed TO such hardships, and
then not to know where to get dinner,
for their provision was all spent except
a small quantity Of biscuit and cheese,
of which she had not informed her hus-
band, but thought she would try which
she walked on toward her tent (happy
tims whea each ones treasure lag safe
therein), but was q little too despond-
ing in her mind, for which she felt her
self closely reproved, and as II queried
with-"didst thou not come for liberty
OF conscience-hast thou not got it
also been provided for beyond thy ex-
pectetion?" which so humbled her. she
on her knees begged forgiveness, and
preservation In the future and never
repined afterward.
when she arose aud was going TO
seek for other food than what she bad
her cat came into the tent and had
caught a fine large rabbit, which she
thankfully received and dressed as an
English hare. When her husband came
20 dinner, being informed OF the facts,
they both wept with reverential JOY.
and at their meal, which was thus sea-
sonably provided for them. In single
ness OF heart
"Auother woman, IL is said. carried
the bod for her husband while he was
building their house at the southeast
corner OF Fourth and Chestnut streets.
II is interesting 10 know that relics OF
| these Pennsylvania cayedwellers have
been preserved even to this century. one
of the descendants OF Mrs. Hard having,
SAYS Watson. a very pretty chair. low
and small, which had been a sitting
chair in that cave
BuY the Wheeling Bakery's Bread
| from vour grocer. Its almost as cheap