Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-02-06
A REVOLUTIONARY PICTURE.


- VVONAHV TsOVOUes
Life In Philadelphia In the Latter
Days Of the Colonies.
And 90 passed the years ITO, It'll
and 1772. when Lord North precipitat.
ed the crisis by attempting to control
the Judges in Massachusetts,, who
were In future to be paid by the crown,
and would thus pass under Its control.
Adams now suggested committees Of
correspondence, and thus the first step
toward united action was taken.
These years, up to the autumn Of
1772, were not without influence on my
own life for both good and evil. was
Of course kept sedulously Mt work at
our business, and, though liking 1t even
less than farriery, learned It well
enough. 1t was not without Its pleas
ures. Certainly II was an agreeable
thing to know the old merchant cap.
tains, and to talk to their men or them.
selves. The seq had not lost Its 70
nance. Men could remember Kidd
and Blackboard. In the low-lying dens
below Dock Creek and on King street
were many. II Is to be feared, who had
seen the black flag flying, and who
knew too well the keys and shoals Of
the West Indies. The captain who put
to sea with such sailors had need to be
rcsolute and ready. ships went armed,
and was amazed to see. In the holds
Of our own ships, cnrronades. which
out on the ocean were holsted up and
set In place on deck; also cutlasses and
muskets In the cabin, and good store Of
pixies. I ventured once to ask my father
II this were consistent with non.resist.
ance. He replied that pirates were
like to wild beasts, and that had bet.
ter attend to my business; after which
said no more, having food for
| thought.
These captains got thus noble train.
ing. were splendid seamen, and not un.
used to arms and danger. ms proved
fortunate in days to come. Once
| would have gone to the Madeiras with
Captain Biddle. but unluckiiy my
mother prevailed with my father to for.
bid It. It had been better for me had
It been decided otherwise, because !
was fast getting an education which
did me no good.
Indeed" says Jack in his diary, II
was much troubled In the seventies
The means up to "a. when we were full
twcnty-one) "about my friend Hugh
The town was full Of officers Of all
grades. who came and went. and
brought with them much license and
contempt for colOnists In general, and
a silly way Of parading their own SEN
timents on all occasions. Gambling
hard drinking. and all manner OF
worse things became common and
more openly INDUCED In. Neither here
nor In Boston could young women walk
about unattended, a new and strange
thing In our quiet town.
"Mistress Gainor's house WINS full ol
these gentlemen, whom she entertain
ed with freedom equalcd only by tina,
with which she spoke her good Whll
mind. The mir was full Of excitement
Business fell or. and Hugh and lIat
ample ielsurc to do much as We liked.
Il declare that ] deserve no praise
for having escaped the temptation
which beset Hugh. l hated all excess
and suffered In body II I drank or Mt,
more than was wise. As to worst
things than wine and cards, thinl
Miss Wynne was right when she dc
scribcd me as a girl.boy; for the leas
rudencss or laxity Of talk In wOmel
I dislikcd. and as regards the mer
mOiestlrs OF the person have Away
been like some wcll.nurturcd mnld.
THUS 1t was that when Hugh, On
cOuragcd by his aunt. fell into the com
pany Of the loose, staggering captain
/, and comets, I had either to give ~
him. who was unable to resist them
or to share In their vicious ways my
self. 1t was my personal disgust n
: drunkenness or loose society whlc
saved me, not any moral or religion
safeguards. although trust ! was no
altogether without these helps. hav
seen now and then that to be refine
In tastes and feelings II great MD I
n yirtuous life. Also l have know
some who would have been drunknrd
but for their heads and stomach'
which SO behaved rs to he good subst
tutes for conscience. 1t IL sometime
the body which saves the soul. Both
these helps had, but my dear Hug
had neither. He was n great, stronl
masculine fellow, and II ] may secl
to have said that he wanted refine
feelings. that IL not so. and to hin
who will never read these lines, and
myself. I must apologize"
l did come to see these pages. as 20
know. ! think he meant that, with IL
wine of youth, ana ut times of Oth'
vintages. In my veins, tho strong p
tcrnal blood. which In my father onl
a true. II hard, religion. kept In orde
was too much for me. II state tn
= awkwardly 1t Ii because all excus
;, are awkward. Looking back, ! wond
= that l was not worse. and that Il
% not 20 to the uttermOst devil. WI
e vigorous, and had the stomach OF
J. temperate OK, and a head which mat
u no complaints. The morning aft
10 some mad revel could rise ut five. Al
d 60 out In my boat and overheard. al
,e then home In glow, with fine appel
0. for breakfast; and ! was SO big al
Is tall that l was thought to be maj
" wears older than ] was.-From "Hul
Wynne. Free Quaker" by DR.. s. W.
- Mitchell, In the Century.