The Only Woman in the Town, and Other Tales of the American RevolutionPrichard, Sarah J. (Sarah Johnson)
History
The Only Woman in the Town, and Other Tales of the American Revolution
Prichard, Sarah J. (Sarah Johnson)
Short stories; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Fiction
As I wrote, Mrs. Rutter wished that Patty should go attired in a
manner to do honor to the city of Philadelphia; therefore she was not
permitted to depart in her baby clothes, but her little figure was
arrayed in a long, prim gown of soft drab silk, while a kerchief of
purest mull was crossed upon her breast; and, depending from her
waist, like the fashion of to-day, were pincushion and watch. Upon her
youthful head was a bonnet, crowned and trimmed in true Quaker
fashion; and her infantile feet were securely tied within shapely
slippers of kid. Thus equipped, Miss Patty was sent forth upon her
journey.
Ah! that journey began a long time ago--fifty-eight, yes, fifty-nine
years have gone by, and Patty Rutter is quite an aged little lady now,
as she lies asleep, with her bonnet on.
"It is time," says somebody, "to close."
No one seems to take notice that Patty Rutter does not get up and
depart with the rest of the visitors, that she only stirs her eyelids
and turns her head on the silken "quilt" where she is lying.
The little woman who keeps house in the Hall locks it up and goes
away, and there is little Patty Rutter shut in for the night. As the
key turns in the old-time lock, the Lady Rutter winks hard and sits
up.
"Well, I've been patient, anyhow, and Mrs. Samuel Adams herself
couldn't wish me to do more," she said, with a comforting yawn
and a delightful stretch, and then she began to stare in blank
bewilderment.
"I _should_ like to know what this all means," she whispered, "and
_where_ I am. I've heard enough to-day to turn my head. How very queer
folks are, and they talk such jargon now-a-days. Centennial and
Corliss Engine; Woman's Pavilion and Memorial Hall; Main Building and
the Trois Freres; Hydraulic Annex, railroads and what-nots.
"_I_ never heard of such things. I don't think it is proper to speak
of them, or the Adamses would have told me. No more intelligent folks
in the land than the Adamses, and I guess _they_ know what belongs to
good society and polite conversation. I declare I blushed so in my
sleep that I was quite ashamed. I'll get up and look about now. I'm
sure this isn't any one of the houses where we visit, or folks
wouldn't talk so."
Patty Rutter straightened her bonnet on her head, smoothed down her
robe of silken drab, adjusted her kerchief, looked at her watch to
learn how long she had been sleeping, and found, to her surprise, that
it had run down. Right over her head hung two watches.
"Why, how thoughtful folks are in this house," she exclaimed in a
timid voice, reaching up and taking one of the two time-pieces in her
hand. "Why, here's a name; let me see."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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