Ten American Girls from HistorySweetser, Kate Dickinson
History
Ten American Girls from History
Sweetser, Kate Dickinson
United States -- Biography; Women -- Biography
I beg'd and entreated that they would suspend the Design,
and they were at last prevail'd upon and I proceeded....
After having Rode so fast and so many Miles, you may well
think I was much fatigued, but no sooner had I got into the
Room of the House we were Visited by a great number of
Gentlemen of the first Character of the City, who took up
the Evening.
About 10 o'clock I Sat down to Supper of Fried Oysters &, at
11 o'clock went to Capt Sear's and Lod'g. Arose at 5
o'clock, went to the House first mentioned, Breakfasted,
Dress'd and went to Meeting, where I heard a most excellent
Sermon....
The Grenadier Company of the City is to continue under Arms
during our stay here and we have a guard of them at our
Doors Night and Day. This is a sad mortification for the
Tories. Things look well here.... I beg you will write me.
Do acquaint me every Circumstance Relative to that Dear Aunt
of Mine; write Lengthy and often.... People move slowly out,
they tell me, from Boston.... Is your Father out? As soon as
you know, do acquaint me, and send me the letters and I will
then write him. Pray let me hear from you by every post. God
bless you, my Dr. Girl, and believe me most Sincerely
Yours most affectionately
JOHN HANCOCK.
One can fancy the flutter of pride in Dorothy's heart at the reading
of such honors to her lover, and she settled down to await the turn of
events with a lighter heart, while Hancock and Adams, with the other
delegates, went on toward Philadelphia, their trip being a triumphal
progress from start to finish.
On the ninth of May they arrived at their destination, and on the
following day the Continental Congress met, when John Hancock was
unanimously elected President of the Congress.
While her lover was occupied with matters of such vital importance, he
always found time to pour out his hopes and fears and doings in bulky
letters which reached his lady love by coach, every fortnight, and
which--"shortened absence" to her impatient desire for the one man in
the world who meant all to her. But even where Dorothy's heart was so
seriously engaged, she could no more help showering coquettish smiles
and pretty speeches on those residents of Fairfield whom she came to
know, than she could help bewitching them by her charm and beauty. The
more sober-minded men of the town were delighted by her conversation,
which was sparkling, and by her keen comment on public affairs--comment
far beyond the capability of most of her sex and age, while it became
the fashion to pay court to vivacious Dorothy, but the moment an adorer
attempted to express his sentimental feelings he found himself
checkmated by a haughty reserve that commanded admiration, but forced
an understanding that Mistress Dolly wished no such attentions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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