The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1904-06-01
GLIMPSES OF A BUSY WEEK.
City of BrOtherly Love, and Some OF
lis Colonial Scenes aud Relics.
BY NANCY c. MORROW.



strated at the close of the Newark con-
vention. Our presbyterial president was
especially honored by the ladies of the
convention, but being unable to take her
part at the time required, her secre-
tary was asked to the platform in her
place for the last session of the conven-
tion. At its close, the pastor of the Sixth
Presbyterian church, Newark, was slso
asked to the platform to pronounce the
benediction. Twenty years aud
more had passed since these two had
seen each other, except for few min-
utes two hours before. What faint recol-
lections were recalled by the city psstor
of the (perhaps) barefooted, rompng girl
could not be discerned, but the vision of
the young theological student giving his
first lecture on Life as it is" in the old
home church in Armstrong county, had
been printed too clearly on the childish
mind to be forgotten, although it did take
a struggle to bring ones self TO realize
that the man Of years and experience and
good deeds was indeed the one who had
tried to solve lifes great problem quar-
ter of a century past. But the church
records of Newark said it was he; the
alumni of old Westminster echoe1 an
Amen, and the testimony of his excel
lent wife could not he doubted. And so
it was that the last night in Newark was
spent in the pleasant home of the Rev.
and Mrs. David w. Lusk. The next
morning found us up bright and early.
ready for the Philadelphia "ilyer," and
by 10 O'clock, or little after, the trio of
delegates had landed safely at Broad
Street station, each to go in different di-
rections. 1t was our first visit to the
City of Brotherly Love, and as we stepped
from the station into the massive arched
entrance Of City Hall we fairly caught
our breath, scarcely knowing where we
were going, but we soon spied the Wan
throughout our land, and we felt no
longer alone in the world. We might
have spent hours within this large de-
partment store, but time was precious
and the hour for luncheon drawing near,
when we were to meet one of our Tones
Ia friends, Miss Effie Clark, at the Man
haitian building, Being told we had
"plenty of time' and it was not far, we
started to walk in the direction of the
Delaware, to reach Fourth street. 1t
seemed little longer than we had imag-
walking down Chestnut street for this af-
forded us the privilege of locating with
the eye places of bushes which were IA
miliar. But a surprise awaited us.
Strolling along in a country fashion, our
eyes caught sight of building almost sa,
cred TO the liberty loving people of Amer
lea. Could it be possible, that in the heart
of busy populace, we should come so
suddenly to an oasis of rest? But it was
surely so; and as the clock on the old
City Hall said we had some time to spare,
we entered the old State House, whose
foundations we're laid the year George
Washington was born, and which had
seen over forty years of service before
the famous Declaration Of Independence
was sigued in its east assembly room.
The walls were speechless. They did
not even whisper to us of the historic
scenes that we're enacted there when "our
ancestors" truly lived. Only the painted
portraits of colonial fathers looked at us
in mute surprise to find descendant of
some of their kinsfolk and acquaintance
wandering around alone, and wondering
much of what they had seen and little of
what they were now seeing. Twelve
empty chairs sat face to face i'll dlgnifed
silence and only in imagination could we
see those early patriots arise, in their
courtly manner. and address the presid-
ing officer on little platform on the east
side. On the south side, facing beauti-
full park, is the staircase which was or
dered built in 1850, to contain "a place
therein for hanging bell" On the en-
trance floor, in large glass case, hangs
the old Liberty Bell, for whose provision
this addition had been made. A tablet
on the wall explains the length of its
clamerous song for liberty. 1t states that
on the Sth of July, l776, the citizens Of
Philadelphia were called together in the
park by its ringing to hear the first pub
lie reading of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, and on each succeeding Sth OF
July, citizens were still assembled, in
lioe manner, to hear the reading of this
document, till 1885, when, on the Goth an
niversary of this memorable event it was
cracked while being tolled in memory of
Chief Justice Marshall, whose remains
were being conveyed through the city on
their way to Virginia. Up stairs, we
were specially interested in the large
banqueting hall facing Chestnut street
Penn's table and cane seated chairs
would do very well for twentieth century
furnishings, while Washington grim, up
holstered sofa, used during his stay in
the old Christ church are too severely
plain and somber to suit the fastidiOus
tastes of the present day. In the east and
west wings are found the revolutionary
and colonial relics, respectively. In a
large glass case in the centre of the room
hangs the old green rattlesnake flag. In
another case are satin slippers, with their
high heels, that were worn by society la
dies of the revolutionary days. Here also
are the baby clothes worn by John Quin-
cy Adams and made by his mother, the
fist mistress OF the White House. Abb
gail Adams is known in history as a lit