The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-25
Leads all North Carolina Daies i'm News and Crculato

tie on the crane, and, putting two
| quart bowl full of the tea in it with
plenty of water, swung 1t over the fire,
| and Aunt Esther stayed in the kitchen
to keep it boiling.
While / was laying the table heard
Lydia Ann Macy say: II have heard
| that when tea is drank it gives bril-
liancy to the eyes and youthful fresh
ness to the complexion. | am afraid
thy sister-in-law failed to put in
enough of the leaves"
So Aunt Esther put in another bowl
| full. When the tea had boiled an
hour my cousin and Captain Morris
arrived. Then the tea, which had
boiled down to about a gallon, was
poured into grandma's great silver
tankard and carried to the table, and
each guest was provided with one of
her silver pOrringers; also with cream
and Jumps of sugar.
The captain talked to me before
| dinner. and | told him before ! knew
l was getting confidential how YOU
were all off in the wilds. He said en-
| terprise was what the new country
needed. and that it was not best to
! have Nantucket people entirely with
Starbucks. That I was one of the
old stock it was plain to be seen. ne
said, if my name was Wentworth: and
then he looked pleasantly around the
circle of the Starbucks. / suppose l
do resemble them all. | saw Aunt
Esther looking at me so sharply that
l remembered she had often told me
it was not seemly to talk with men,
so presently / became discreetly silent.
But when dinner was announced, the
captain took me out and made me sit
by him.
After grandpa had asked a blessing
on the food, Aunt Content said to her
son and his friend. II have made
dish of tea for you, but am fearful it is
not rightly made, and would like to
have your opinion whereupon my
cousin and the captain looked and
shifted at the tea, and my cousin made
answer. "As my loved mother desires
my opinion. / mustneeds tell her that
Il spoonful of this beverage which she
hath with such hoSpitable intent pre-
pared for us. woulda ago nigh to kill
anyone at this table" and the captain
said, laughingly, that my aunt could
| keep the decoction to dye the woolen5
He further said he would instruct US
how to draw the tea. ''and this young
lady he said, turning to me, shall
make the first dish of tea ever made
on Nantucket" So the tea was made
under his direction and poured ihto
the tankard Aunt Content had got
Itduy- anu Sue NdTTleu IL 10 tittf
table for me and helped to pour it into
the porringers for the guests He WAS
so kind also as to say it was the best
dish of..tea lie had ever tasted.
We had a wholesome dinner. an1
enjoyable withal. Cousin Nat tod
stories and sang songs, in which Capt.
Norris joined him, and then the Happy
New Years greetings took the place
, Of the good-byes when our neighbors
left for their homes.
My cousins friend still stays for the
shooting, and there is not much spin
ming and weaving done. for it takes
so much time for the cooking and the
eating and the visiting. He is very
agreeable and calls grandfather "the
Miles Standish of Nantucket
heard him tell Bnclej Nathaniel that
| we had good blood, and ever since he
became acquainted with cousin Nat lie
had conceived a great admiration for
| the Nathaniel Starbucks; and he said
something about a wife. Perhaps he
remains here on Aunt Esther's nc
count; but. dear me. she is so prim
Q write with all respect. dear mother), !,
and hea is such a ioyial gentleman. !
do not understand how such a we1-
ding could be harmonious. If he has
a regard for her it must be on ac-
count of the Starbuck blood
Oh, my mother, how can ] tell youi
II is not for love of Aunt Esther thar
Captain Morris remains, but for your
own little daughter; and all the Star
bucks. saving Aunt Esther-who de-
clares l ought to be put back into
pinafores-have given their consent
that | shall be married and sail away
with my husband in his ship to for
eign ports, to see for myself all the
wonders of which | have heard SO
! much Of late. But / will not give
my consent until ] first have that of
| my father and mother; so there is Il
company being made up to go with
cousin Nat and the, captain through
the SHOWS to your far-away home.
And SO, after all. it will be this new
friend of whom ! have written 50
much who Will take this long letter 10
you. | am sure, dear mother, that
| you who know my heart so well will
not think it unseemly for me to pray
that the Lord Will guide your heart
and that, Of my father to feel kindly
towards this gentleman; for, indeed.
he is of good Tepute; and is so kind
as to be very fond of me-; and If l feel
that I have your consent, and that of
my honored father, together with
your blessing, I shall be very happy
and take an honest pride in being mis-
honored wife. 4s.s4G
The captain declares, laughingIy.
tEdt am SenulfS MIN on quest like
a knight of old to prove his love- |
cannot help thinking itrstrange his
wanting to marry me, and when [ said
SO one day, he replied. gravely, that l.
was all on account of the tea whicn
got into his head. And, indeed, it may
be so. for | was flighty, and hardly
shut my eyes to sleep at all the night
after partaking of it; and then my
dear grandmother says she would not
answer for the consequences of wha,
she might be led to. do were she To
make use of it every day
| send you, With other articles. some
of this famous tea. and bit of the
white Grape that | Shall, if so it
seemeth best in the Judgment of my
honored father and dear mother. wear
as wedding gown.
The house all join mo in send ny
loving greeting to you all. and / r.
main, now and ever
Your loving and dutiful daughter.
RUTH STARBUCK WENTWORTH
So on some day in that midwint~r
of 1745 Captain Morris and
cousin Nat crossed the bar az
high tide sailed up the bay singing
sea songs no doubt allow and aloft
struck the woods at Woods Hall. and
went fra mining through the snow