Daughters of the Revolution and Their Times

by Charles Carleton Coffin

  VII.

  LAUNCHING OF THE BERINTHIA BRANDON.

  The pigs had been fattening through the winter, and it was quite timeto send them to market.

  "You did so well with the cheese, you may see what you can do with theshoats," said Mr. Walden to Robert. "It is good sleighing. You canharness the colt and Jenny, and go with the pung. I want you to takeRachel along. You can stay a couple of weeks and have a good visit."

  There was a glow upon Rachel's face. It would be her first journey.She would see new things, and make new acquaintances. During theevenings she had been knitting a hood and mittens of the finest wool,and would present them to Miss Newville.

  It was a resplendent morning, with the eastern sky like molten gold inthe light of the rising sun, and the hoar-frost upon the twigs of theleafless trees changing to glittering diamonds. The colt, sleek andplump, was champing his bit and shaking his head in his impatience tobe off. Jenny was staid and sober, but when Robert said, "Now, lad andlady," the colt pranced a few steps, then settled to a steady trot,learning a lesson from Jenny.

  An hour before lunch-time they whirled up to Captain Stark's tavern inDerryfield, and before sunset came to a halt in the dooryard of arelative in Andover. Before noon the next day Rachel was looking withwondering eyes upon the gleaming spires of the meetinghouses and thecrooked streets of Boston.

  "You have come just at the right time," said Berinthia, welcoming herwith a kiss, "for I am to be launched day after to-morrow."

  Seeing by the look of wonder on Rachel's face that she was notunderstood, Berinthia explained that the ship her father was buildingwas to bear her name, and that everything was ready for the launching.

  "Oh, it will be so delightful to have you here!" she added. "We willbe on the deck, ever so many of us,--my friends, papa's and mamma'sand Tom's. Ruth Newville will be here; and Tom's classmate in HarvardCollege, Roger Stanley, who lives out beyond Lexington, is coming.He's a real nice young man, and I am sure you will like him. Tom'sgirl will be here, Mary Shrimpton; she is out in the kitchen now. Shehas been helping us make crumpets, crullers, gingerbread, and cake.Father and mother intend to make it a grand affair, and have invitedhalf of the town,--doctors, lawyers, ministers, and their wives;everybody that is anybody. Tom has invited his friends, and I mine,because the ship is to bear my name."

  Rachel said she was glad she had come to see and enjoy it all.

  "We will have a jolly time while you are here; it is vacation atcollege, and I shan't have to study," said Tom.

  A young lady with a pleasant face, light blue eyes, and soft brownhair, entered the room and was introduced as Miss Shrimpton.

  "She has been helping us get ready, and has rolled out a bushel ofcrullers," said Tom.

  "Not quite so many," said Miss Shrimpton, smiling.

  Robert thought her very attractive and pleasing.

  "I think I will go home now; father and mother will be expecting me,but I will be round to-morrow," said Miss Shrimpton.

  Tom put on his hat and escorted her. When he returned, and he andRobert were by themselves, he said that she was the best girl inBoston.

  "Her father," he went on, "is a red-hot Tory. He lives in a finehouse, owns thousands of acres of land out in the country, thinks KingGeorge a saint, ordained of God to rule us; that Sam Adams and DoctorWarren are tricksters fooling the people for their own benefit. ButMary is just the nicest girl you ever saw. She has no mother, runs thehouse for her father, keeps everything as neat as a pin, and by andby, after I get through at Harvard and am in possession of mysheepskin with A. B. on it, she will be Mrs. Tom Brandon."

  Robert congratulated Tom upon his engagement.

  The next morning saw Robert in the market disposing of what he had tosell, while Berinthia with Rachel called upon Miss Newville.

  "It was very kind of you to send such a basket of fruit to me, astranger; will you please accept a little gift in return? It is notmuch, but it will let you know that I appreciate your goodness," saidRachel, placing a bundle in Miss Newville's hands. When it was openedRuth beheld a close-fitting hood of the softest lamb's wool, madebeautiful with pink ribbons; there was also a pair of mittens.

  "Oh, Miss Walden! How good you are! How soft and nice! And they are ofyour own carding, spinning, and knitting? And you have done it for me,whom you never had seen, and of whom you never heard except throughyour brother. And is he well?" Miss Newville asked.

  "Quite well. You will see him to-morrow at the launching."

  "Isn't it delightful that they have come in the nick of time?" saidBerinthia.

  "How fortunate! And you are to have such a nice party. I will wear thehood and be the envy of everybody," said Miss Newville, putting it on,praising its beauty, and calling in her mother to make Rachel'sacquaintance and admire the gift.

  The launching of the ship was to be at flood-tide, eleven o'clock inthe forenoon. Though in midwinter, the air was mild, as if a warmbreath had been wafted landward from the Gulf Stream. There was afever of excitement and preparation in the Brandon home. Dinah in thekitchen was taking pots of baked beans and loaves of brown breadsmoking hot from the oven, filling baskets with crumpets and crullers.Mark Antony was taking them to the shipyard. Mrs. Brandon, Berinthia,Rachel, and Mary Shrimpton were preparing the cakes and pies. Tom andRobert on board the ship were arranging for the collation.

  Never before had Rachel beheld anything so enchanting as the scene inthe shipyard,--the ship with its tall and tapering masts, its sparsand yard-arms; the multitudes of ropes like the threads of a spider'sweb; flags, streamers, red, white, green, blue, yellow, with devicesof lions, unicorns, dragons, eagles, fluttering from bowsprit tofore-royal mast, from taffrail to mizzen. Beneath the bowsprit was thebust of Berinthia, the heart and soul of the man who carved it inevery feature, for to Abraham Duncan there was no face on earth sobeautiful as that of the shipmaster's daughter.

  The guests were assembling on the deck: the commissioner of imposts,Theodore Newville, Mrs. Newville, and their daughter, Ruth; hismajesty's receiver-general, Nathaniel Coffin, and his two sons, Isaacand John; Reverend Doctor Samuel Cooper, minister of the church inBrattle Street; Doctor Warren, physician to the family of theshipmaster; Lieutenant-Colonel Dalrymple, commanding the king'stroops,--for Mr. Brandon, though deprecating the presence of thetroops in Boston, determined to be courteous to the representatives ofhis majesty; Admiral Montague, who came in his gig rowed by sixsailors from his flagship, Romney; William Molineux[33] and John Rowe,merchants; Richard Dana and Edmund Quincy, magistrates; John Adams, ayoung lawyer; honored citizens and their wives; Master Lovell; andTom's classmate, Roger Stanley, who had walked from Lexington in theearly morning. Among the many ladies, most attractive was RuthNewville, wearing a close-fitting hood of soft lamb's wool, trimmedwith bright ribbon, all her friends admiring it.

  [Footnote 33: William Molineux was a prominent merchant who gave hissympathies to the cause of the people. He was one of the committee whodemanded the removal of the troops after the Massacre of March 5,1770. He was one of the "Indians" composing the "Tea-party." He wasalso one of the promoters of the spinning-school in Long Acre. He diedbefore the outbreak of hostilities.]

  Berinthia introduced Rachel and Robert to Mrs. Adams. They found her avery charming lady; she had brought her little boy, John Quincy, tosee the launching of the ship.

  Picturesque the scene: gentlemen wearing white wigs, blue, crimson,and scarlet cloaks, carrying gold-headed canes, taking pinches ofsnuff from silver-mounted boxes; young gentlemen with handsome figuresand manly faces; ladies with tippets and muffs; girls in hoods,--allcongratulating Berinthia, admiring the beauty and tidiness of theship, and the lovely figure of herself. All praised Abraham Duncan,who blushed like a schoolboy.

  They could hear the clattering of mallets and axes beneath them, andknew the carpenters were knocking away the props. The ways had beenslushed with grease. The tide was at the flood. Ruth Newville was tobreak the bottle of wine. She had shaken hands with Robert Wa
lden, andgiven expression of her pleasure at meeting him once more. Her eyeshad followed him; even when not looking towards him she had seen him.Once more she thanked Rachel for her gift. Her mates were asking herwhere she had found a hood so beautiful and becoming. They stood uponthe quarter-deck, Berinthia the queen of the hour, Ruth, radiant andlovely, by her side. They heard the bell striking the hour of eleven.A great crowd had assembled to see the launching. Men, women, boys,and girls were in the yard, flocking the street, gazing from doorsand windows of neighboring houses.

  "Are you ready there?"

  Launching the Ship.]

  It was the builder of the ship, Mr. Brandon, shouting over thetaffrail to those beneath.

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  "Then knock it away."

  They heard a blow from an axe. The stately ship quivered a moment,then glided with increasing speed down the ways.

  Mr. Brandon raised his hand, and a ball of bunting at the topmastfluttered out into the Cross of St. George. Ruth lifted the bottle ofwine, broke it upon the rail, and poured the contents into the river.A huzza rose from the quarter-deck. Handkerchiefs fluttered in theair. The people tossed up their hats. From street, doorway, and windowcame an answering shout.

  Out from the shore drifted the Berinthia till the anchor dropped fromher bow, and she lay a thing of beauty, swinging with the ebbing tide.

  In the cabin the guests were partaking of the bountiful and appetizingrepast.

  "I remember, Miss Newville, that you once graciously served me at anafternoon tea; shall I have the pleasure of waiting upon you?" Robertasked.

  "I shall be pleased to be served by you. The fresh air has sharpenedmy appetite, and I will begin with a plate of beans, if you please."

  He brought what she desired, served himself, and took a chair by herside. They talked of the successful launching, of the beauty of theship, sitting as gracefully as a swan upon the water, of the almostperfect likeness of the figurehead to Berinthia.

  "Possibly it is so beautiful because the engraver's heart has goneinto it," she said with a smile.

  Their eyes met. He thought hers very beautiful at the moment.

  Roger Stanley found equal pleasure in serving Rachel, and inlistening to what she had to say about the launching, her visit toBoston, and of things in Rumford.

  Robert talked with Isaac Coffin, who said he expected to have acommission in his majesty's navy. Admiral Montague was very kind, andwas using his influence to secure an appointment. His younger brother,John, liked the army better. Robert came to the conclusion that theywere not Sons of Liberty, but were inclined to take sides with theministry, which was very natural, as their father was holding a veryimportant office under the crown.

  There was a merry chattering of voices, a rattling of knives andforks, and changing of plates. Mark Antony was master of ceremonies atthe table, giving directions to Caesar and Pompey.

  Although society was divided politically, neighbors still werefriends, accepting and giving hospitality, and when meeting sociallyavoiding all allusion to the proposed bill for taxing the Colonies.All hoped that nothing would be done by Parliament to interruptfriendly relations between the Colonies and the mother country. DoctorWarren made himself agreeable to bluff Admiral Montague. WilliamMolineux cracked jokes with Colonel Dalrymple. Richard Dana andNathaniel Coffin were friendly neighbors. Mr. Dana could look out fromhis front windows near Frog Lane,[34] and see the spacious grounds ofhis neighbor Coffin's "Fields," as the boys who played ball calledit. There was no reason why they should be at odds socially, justbecause Lord North and the king proposed to levy a tax of three pencea pound on tea.

  [Footnote 34: Frog Lane extended from Newbury, now Washington Street,to the Common. It is now a part of Boylston Street. Mr. Dana's housecommanded an extensive view across the fields, gardens, and orchardsowned by Nathaniel Coffin, south of the present Summer Street.]

  With story and jest the company enjoyed the banquet and thenwere rowed to the shore, all shaking hands with Berinthia andcongratulating her upon the successful launching of the vesselbearing her name.

  "What can we do to round out the day for you, dear?"

  It was Miss Newville addressing Berinthia.

  "I don't know; what can we?" was the reply.

  "How would you like a sleigh-ride?" Robert asked.

  "Delightful!" exclaimed Miss Newville.

  "Jenny and the colt are rested, and if you don't mind riding in apung, I shall be pleased to take a little spin out of town."

  "Oh, it will be so charming! I would rather go in a pung than in asleigh; it is more romantic," Miss Newville said.

  It was quickly arranged. Robert went to the Green Dragon, put newstraw in the pung, and was soon back with the team. They were eight innumber and quickly seated themselves. It was natural that Berinthiaand Abraham Duncan, who had put his heart into his work while carvingher features, should sit side by side, and that Tom Brandon and MaryShrimpton should desire to be tucked under the same bearskin. It was apleasure to Roger Stanley to ask Miss Walden to keep him company.

  "They have decided, Mr. Walden, that we shall sit together," MissNewville said as she stepped into the pung.

  "I shall regard it an honor to have your company," was the reply.

  When all were ready, the horses set the sleigh-bells jingling. Farmersplodding home from the market gave them the road, and smiled as theylistened to the merry laughter. They went at a brisk trot over theNeck leading to Roxbury, and turned to the left, taking the Dorchesterroad. At times the horses came to a walk, but at a chirrup from Robertquickened their pace, the colt throwing snowballs into Miss Newville'sface.

  "You must excuse him, Miss Newville; he is young, and has not learnedto be polite," Robert said, apologizing for the animal.

  They gained the highlands of Dorchester, from whence they couldoverlook the harbor and its islands, and see the lighthouse risingfrom its rocky foundation, with the white surf breaking around it. Aship which had left Charles River with the ebbing tide had reachedNantasket Roads, and was spreading its sails for a voyage across thesea.

  "So the Berinthia will soon be sailing," said Miss Newville, "and weshall all want to keep track of her; and whenever we read of hercoming and going we shall all recall this delightful day, made soenjoyable for us this morning by Berinthia and so charming thisafternoon by your kindness."

  She turned her face towards Robert. The afternoon sun was illuminingher countenance. He had seen in Mr. Henchman's bookstall a beautifulpicture of a Madonna. Mr. Knox told him it was a steel engraving froma picture painted by the great artist Raphael, and Robert wondered ifthe countenance was any more lovely than that which looked up to himat the moment.

  They were riding towards the Milton Hills. The woodman's axe had leftuntouched the oaks, elms, maples, and birches; they were leafless inmidwinter, but the pines and hemlocks were green and beautiful uponits rocky sides. The purple sky, changing into gold along the westernhorizon, the white robe of winter upon hill and dale, the windows offarmhouses reflecting the setting sun, made the view and landscape ofmarvelous beauty. Descending the hill, they came to the windingNeponset River, and rode along its banks beneath overhanging elms. Thebending limbs, though leafless, were beautiful in their outlinesagainst the sky. Turning westward, they reached the great road leadingfrom Boston to Providence.

  "We might go to Dedham, but I think we had better turn back towardsRoxbury, let the horses rest a bit at the Greyhound Tavern, and havesupper,"[35] said Tom, who was well acquainted with the road.

  [Footnote 35: The Greyhound was a much frequented tavern in Roxbury,with the figure of a greyhound upon its sign. It was in this tavernthat the repeal of the Stamp Act was celebrated, 1767. Convivialparties were courteously entertained by the accommodating landlord.]

  The sun had gone down when they whirled up to the tavern, whoseswinging sign was ornamented with a rude picture of a greyhound. Abright fire was blazing in the parlor. They laid aside their outergarments and warmed themselves b
y its ruddy glow. The keen, fresh airhad sharpened their appetites for supper. Chloe and Samson, cook andtable-waiter, served them with beefsteak hot from the gridiron,swimming in butter; potatoes roasted in the ashes; shortcake steaminghot from the Dutch oven.

  "Shall I brew Bohea, Hyson, or Hyperion[36] tea," the landlady asked,beginning with Miss Newville and glancing at each in turn.

  [Footnote 36: Strawberry and other domestic teas were called by thehigh-sounding name, Hyperion.]

  "I will take Hyperion," Miss Newville replied, with a tact and gracethat made her dearer than ever to Berinthia, and to them all, knowingas they did that Bohea and Hyson were still served in her own home.

  Supper over, they returned to the parlor, where the bright flame onthe hearth was setting their shadows to dancing on the walls. The feetof Mary Shrimpton were keeping time to the ticking of the clock.

  "Why can't we have a dance?" she asked.

  "Why not?" all responded.

  "I'll see if we can find Uncle Brutus," said Tom.

  Uncle Brutus was the white-haired old negro who did chores about thetavern.

  "Yes, massa, I can play a jig, quickstep, minuet, and reel. De ladiesand genmen say I can play de fiddle right smart," Brutus responded,rolling his eyes and showing his well-preserved white teeth.

  "If de ladies and genmen will wait a little till old Brutus can makehimself 'spectable, he'll make de fiddle sing."

  While the old negro was getting ready to entertain them with hisviolin, they proposed conundrums and riddles and narrated stories.

  There came at length a gentle rap on the door, and Brutus, with highstanding collar, wearing a cast-off coat given him by his master, hisround-bowed spectacles on the tip of his nose, entered the room,bowing very low. He took his stand in one corner and tuned his violin.The chairs and light-stand were removed to the hall.

  "De ladies and genmen will please choose pardners for de minuet," saidBrutus.

  The choosing had been already done; the partners were as they hadbeen. After the minuet came the reel and quickstep, danced with graceand due decorum.

  The hour quickly flew. The horses had finished their provender andwere rested. Once more they were on the road, not riding directlyhomeward, but turning into cross-roads to Jamaica Pond, where the boyswere gliding over the gleaming ice on their skates. They had kindledfires which lighted up the surrounding objects, the dark foliage ofpines and hemlocks, and the branches of the leafless elms and maplesgrowing on the banks of the pond.

  The full moon was shining in their faces as they rode homeward. Theevening air was crisp, but the hot supper and the merry dance hadwarmed their blood. The jingling of the sleigh-bells and their joyouslaughter made the air resonant with music.

  At times the horses lagged to a walk, and Robert could let the reinslie loose and turn his face toward Miss Newville. Her eyes at timeslooked up to his. He could feel her arm against his own. The violethood leaned towards him as if to find a resting-place. To RobertWalden and to Ruth Newville alike never had there been such a night,so full of beauty, so delightful.

  The horses came to a standstill at last by the entrance to theNewville mansion.

  "This has been the most enjoyable day of my life," Miss Newville said,as Robert gave her his hand to assist her from the pung.

  "Good-night, all. Thank you, Mr. Walden, for all your kindness," herparting words.