Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-20
CHAPTER II
CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH

WAS born April o. 1s43 the of six children upon
Sunday, and therefore gifted power to powwow and
to fairies the opportunity room which was
born had windows and walnut The house
stood high bluff the north bank Creek
IN Of Phoenxve creek which flows east,
wrdy Schuyki falling the breast of dam on ;s
,av Connected with the house were about five acres f d
Perhaps the famous bridge German
named Lewis Wernwag He had thrown bridge the
schuyk the Upper Ferry, street. in Phiadel-
pba which had the longest bridges down
time There is fine engraving reproduced upon
blue china manufactured England very
much in demand He Phoenixve early
part OF tne century TO conduct the iron works there
built this house. intended for his permanent residence in
fashion then regarded luxurious exravagan visitor
entering from the 'front.' tod step wrought
iron hallway. right were rooms with
folding between them parlor sitting room each
of which had open fireplace with hardwood
mantel and manepece around it, To the left the dining
with kitchen the The dining had likewise
with hearth higher
right large "hole in the wa' of the reach
child and always subject of mystery The kitchen had large
snk and from the whole length the
carved which, covered with the derus
bad housekeeping had like archaeological discovery been found
years before story dining room
the large in which born the eastward
"he spare ROOM and others
chambers small fight of open steps ran up to
q loft, and wooden railing inosed a fiat roof Running the
whole front of the house porch of hewn and huge
neaps eight feet long three feet wide and egbt inches tb
The from the
the of the vineyards along the Rhine by succession of
FIVE walls. From point the the
long flight of stone steps all the down to the creek
RecollectOns of Youth
anywhere stonework 1t had
been the intention of Wernwag iron railing along the
of these walls but his exhausted before this
accomplished and the walls remained unprotected
th of the children each other jump
from wall to the other above the fight of descending
where to have fallen would have destruction, and
while them fell from garden below
perhaps twenty feet Before Wenwag able complete his
designs the of 1912 threw the country
confusion and his efforts connection with the making of iron
ended in failure He went Hapers Ferry, in Virginia where
the Duke of Weimar
died poverty. Phoenix
ve At Moore Hall brother Henry c., has his clock. At
Pennypacker Mills have his hickory chair The bridge
built by him the Pickering Greek Moore Hall
as ever His house and grounds have been down and asunder
by railroad but at The Knoll owned by Colonel Paul s.
Reeves he built for Judge Benjamin Morris of the
house, that he the better work and material into his
own house. preference in those days unusual Built into
the of the barn the Robinson place Upper Providence
township across the road from Phoenixve is block of iron
conspicuous with the which incloses it. When
Wenwag failed he owed the Robnson then living considerable
sum of All that the creditor could this block of
o which he permanently preserved and he secured salts
faction in frequently telling how much it had cost him.
As baby had the collie and than. ordinarily
troublesome NV earliest recollection is of an event almost
tragedy At tenant house belonging my father short dis
lance from the mansion and still standing at work.
john older brother and hung the wall watching them
Presently John FELL struck the Of and
carried home unconscious with deep cash in his forehead
was then about three DID, and the mental made by
seeing him supported in chair with the blood running down his
cheek still distinct.
At four began school, Even earlier mother
mad taught to read William Dare superintendent boss
the works. lived in the Starr farmhouse and of his
relatives Mrs. Heig opened school for boys and girls in
Inc house Lib Schroeder, girl employed by mother who
afeward named her oldest boy for took
oy the hand led the high foobridge which then
crossed the creek the school Ny few memories of it
ed to three four girls to the stool in the center OF the
room with paper failed his
and the roof Of the spnghousc down which slid at
stream of water then from Frog Hollow by the spring
aouse through meadow to the French Creek All are
long gone and Starr street filled them At this time my
nsad with light curs twisted into shape her
ser each morning by Aunt sal invalid sister OF my mother
nen they cut two preserved My earliest play