an old town by the sea-第6部分

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n　ladies。　The　governor；　a　lonely　widower；　and　not　too　young；　fell　in　love　with　his　fair　handmaid。　Without　stating　his　purpose　to　any　one；　Governor　Wentworth　invited　a　number　of　friends　（among　others　the　Rev。　Arthur　Brown）　to　dine　with　him　at　Little　Harbor　on　his　birthday。　After　the　dinner；　which　was　a　very　elaborate　one；　was　at　an　end；　and　the　guests　were　discussing　their　tobacco…pipes；　Martha　Hilton　glided　into　the　room；　and　stood　blushing　in　front　of　the　chimney…place。　She　was　exquisitely　dressed；　as　you　may　conceive；　and　wore　her　hair　three　stories　high。　The　guests　stared　at　each　other；　and　particularly　at　her；　and　wondered。　Then　the　governor；　rising　from　his　seat；

　　　　〃Played　slightly　with　his　ruffles；　then　looked　down；　　　　　And　said　unto　the　Reverend　Arthur　Brown：　　　　　'This　is　my　birthday；　it　shall　likewise　be　　　　　My　wedding…day；　and　you　shall　marry　me！'〃

The　rector　was　dumfounded；　knowing　the　humble　footing　Martha　had　held　in　the　house；　and　could　think　of　nothing　cleverer　to　say　than；　〃To　whom；　your　excellency？〃　which　was　not　cleaver　at　all。

〃To　this　lady；〃　replied　the　governor；　taking　Martha　Hilton　by　the　hand。　The　Rev。　Arthur　Brown　hesitated。　〃As　the　Chief　Magistrate　of　New　Hampshire　I　command　you　to　marry　me！〃　cried　the　choleric　old　governor。

And　so　it　was　done；　and　the　pretty　kitchen…maid　became　Lady　Wentworth；　and　did　ride　in　her　own　chariot。　She　would　not　have　been　a　woman　if　she　had　not　taken　an　early　opportunity　to　drive　by　Staver's　hotel！

Lady　Wentworth　had　a　keen　appreciation　of　the　dignity　of　her　new　station；　and　became　a　grand　lady　at　once。　A　few　days　after　her　marriage；　dropping　her　ring　on　the　floor；　she　languidly　ordered　her　servant　to　pick　it　up。　The　servant；　who　appears　to　have　had　a　fair　sense　of　humor；　grew　suddenly　near…sighted；　and　was　unable　to　the　ring　until　Lady　Wentworth　stooped　and　placed　her　ladyship's　finger　upon　it。　She　turned　out　a　faultless　wife；　however；　and　Governor　Wentworth　at　his　death；　which　occurred　in　1770；　signified　his　approval　of　her　by　leaving　her　his　entire　estate。　She　married　again　without　changing　name；　accepting　the　hand；　and　what　there　was　of　the　heart；　of　Michael　Wentworth；　a　retired　colonel　of　the　British　army；　who　came　to　this　country　in　1767。　Colonel　Wentworth　（not　connected；　I　think；　with　the　Portsmouth　branch　of　Wentworths）　seems　to　have　been　of　a　convivial　turn　of　mind。　He　shortly　dissipated　his　wife's　fortune　in　high　living；　and　died　abruptly　in　New　Yorkit　was　supposed　by　his　own　hand。　His　last　wordsa　quite　unique　contribution　to　the　literature　of　last　wordswere；　〃I　have　had　my　cake；　and　ate　it；〃　which　showed　that　the　colonel　within　his　own　modest　limitations　was　a　philosopher。

The　seat　of　Governor　Wentworth　at　Little　Harbora　pleasant　walk　from　Market　Squareis　well　worth　a　visit。　Time　and　change　have　laid　their　hands　more　lightly　on　this　rambling　old　pile　than　on　any　other　of　the　old　homes　in　Portsmouth。　When　you　cross　the　threshold　of　the　door　you　step　into　the　colonial　period。　Here　the　Past　seems　to　have　halted　courteously；　waiting　for　you　to　catch　up　with　it。　Inside　and　outside　the　Wentworth　mansion　remains　nearly　as　the　old　governor　left　it；　and　though　it　is　no　longer　in　the　possession　of　the　family；　the　present　owners；　in　their　willingness　to　gratify　the　decent　curiosity　of　strangers；　show　a　hospitality　which　has　always　characterized　the　place。

The　house　is　an　architectural　freak。　The　main　buildingif　it　is　the　main　buildingis　generally　two　stories　in　height；　with　irregular　wings　forming　three　sides　of　a　square　which　opens　in　the　water。　It　is；　in　brief；　a　cluster　of　whimsical　extensions　that　look　as　if　they　had　been　built　at　different　periods；　which　I　believe　was　not　the　case。　The　mansion　was　completed　in　1750。　It　originally　contained　fifty…two　rooms；　a　portion　of　the　structure　was　removed　about　half　a　century　ago；　leaving　forty…five　apartments。　The　chambers　were　connected　in　the　oddest　manner；　by　unexpected　steps　leading　up　or　down；　and　capricious　little　passages　that　seem　to　have　been　the　unhappy　afterthoughts　of　the　architect。　But　it　is　a　mansion　on　a　grand　scale；　and　with　a　grand　air。　The　cellar　was　arranged　for　the　stabling　of　a　troop　of　thirty　horse　in　times　of　danger。　The　council…chamber；　where　for　many　years　all　questions　of　vital　importance　to　the　State　were　discussed；　is　a　spacious；　high…studded　room；　finished　in　the　richest　style　of　the　last　century。　It　is　said　that　the　ornamentation　of　the　huge　mantel；　carved　with　knife　and　chisel；　cost　the　workman　a　year's　constant　labor。　At　the　entrance　to　the　council…chamber　are　still　the　racks　for　the　twelve　muskets　of　the　governor's　guardso　long　ago　dismissed！

Some　valuable　family　portraits　adorn　the　walls　here；　among　which　is　a　fine　painting…yes；　by　our　friend　Copleyof　the　lovely　Dorothy　Quincy；　who　married　John　Hancock；　and　afterward　became　Madam　Scott。　This　lady　was　a　niece　of　Dr。　Holme's　〃Dorothy　Q。〃　Opening　on　the　council…chamber　is　a　large　billiard…room；　the　billiard…table　is　gone；　but　an　ancient　spinnet；　with　the　prim　air　of　an　ancient　maiden　lady；　and　of　a　wheezy　voice；　is　there；　and　in　one　corner　stands　a　claw…footed　buffet；　near　which　the　imaginative　nostril　may　still　detect　a　faint　and　tantalizing　odor　of　colonial　punch。　Opening　also　on　the　council…chamber　are　several　tiny　apartments；　empty　and　silent　now；　in　which　many　a　close　rubber　has　been　played　by　illustrious　hands。　The　stillness　and　loneliness　of　the　old　house　seem　saddest　here。　The　jeweled　fingers　are　dust；　the　merry　laughs　have　turned　themselves　into　silent；　sorrowful　phantoms；　stealing　from　chamber　to　chamber。　It　is　easy　to　believe　in　the　traditional　ghost　that　haunts　the　place

　　　　〃A　jolly　place　in　times　of　old；　　　　　But　something　ails　it　now！〃

The　mansion　at　Little　Harbor　is　not　the　only　historic　house　that　bears　the　name　of　Wentworth。　On　Pleasant　Street；　at　the　head　of　Washington　Street；　stands　the　abode　of　another　colonial　worthy；　Governor　John　Wentworth；　who　held　office　from　1767　down　to　the　moment　when　the　colonies　dropped　the　British　yoke　as　if　it　had　been　the　letter　H。　For　the　moment　the　good　gentleman's　occupation　was　gone。　He　was　a　royalist　of　the　most　florid　complexion。　In　1775；　a　man　named　John　Fenton；　and　ex…captain　in　the　British　army；　who　had　managed　to　offend　the　Sons　of　Liberty；　was　given　sanctuary　in　this　house　by　the　governor；　who　refused　to　deliver　the　fugitive　to　the　people。　　The　mob　planted　a　small　cannon　（unloaded）　in　front　of　the　doorstep　and　threatened　to　open　fire　if　Fenton　were　not　forthcoming。　He　forth…with　came。　　The　family　vacated　the　premises　via　the　back…yard；　and　the　mob　entered；　doing　considerable　damage。　The　broken　marble　chimney…place　still　remains；　mutely　protesting　against　the　uncalled…for　violence。　Shortly　after　this　event　the　governor　made　his　way　to　England；　where　his　loyalty　was　rewarded　first　with　a　governorship　and　then　with　a　pension　of　L500。　He　was　governor　of　Nova　Scotia　from　1792　to　1800；　and　died　in　Halifax　in　1820。　This　house　is　one　of　the　handsomest　old　dwellings　in　the　town；　and　promises　to　outlive　many　of　its　newest　neighbors。　The　parlor　has　undergone　no　change　whatever　since　the　populace　rushed　into　it　over　a　century　ago。　The　furniture　and　adornments　occupy　their　original　positions　and　the　plush　on　the　walls　has　not　been　replaced　by　other　hangings。　In　the　halldeep　enough　for　the　traditional　duel　of　baronial　romanceare　full…length　portraits　of　the　several　governors　and　sundry　of　their　kinsfolk。

There　is　yet　a　third　Wentworth　house；　also　decorated　with　the　shade　of　a　colonial　governorthere　were　three　Governors　Wentworthbut　we　shall　pass　it　by；　though　out　of　no　lack　of　respect　for　that　high　official　personage　whose　commission　was　signed　by　Joseph　Addison；　Esq。；　Secretary　of　State　under　George　I。

V。　OLD　STRAWBERRY　BANK

THESE　old　houses　have　perhaps　detained　us　too　long。　They　are　merely　the　crumbling　shells　of　things　dead　and　gone；　of　persons　and　manners　and　customs　that　have　left　no　very　distinct　record　of　themselves；　excepting　here　and　there　in　some　sallow　manuscript　which　has　luckily　escaped　the　withering　breath　of　fire；　for　the　old　town；　as　I　have　remarked；　has　managed；　from　the　earliest　moment　of　its　existence；　to　burn　itself　up　periodically。　　It　is　only　through　the　scattered　memoranda　of　ancient　town　clerks；　and　in　the　files　of　worm…eaten　and　forgotten　newspapers；　that　we　are　enabled　to　get　glimpses　of　that　life　which　was　once　so　real　and　positive　and　has　now　become　a　shadow。　I　am　of　course　speaking　of　the　early　days　of　the　settlement　on　Strawberry　Bank。　They　were　stormy　and　eventful　days。　The　dense　forest　which　surrounded　the　clearing　was　alive　with　hostile　red…men。　The　sturdy　pilgrim　went　to　sleep　with　his　firelock　at　his　bedside；　not　knowing　at　what　moment　he　might　be　awakened　by　the　glare　of　his　burning　hayricks　and　the　piercing　war…whoops　of　the　Womponoags。　Year　after　year　he　saw　his　harvest　reaped　by　a　sickle　of　flames；　as　he　peered　through　the　loop…holes　of　the　blockhouse；　whither　he　had　flown　in　hot　haste　with　goodwife　and　little　ones。　The　blockhouse　at　Strawberry　Bank　appears　to　have　been　on　an　extensive　scale；　with　stockades　for　the　shelter　of　cattle。　It　held　large　supplies　of　stores；　and　was　amply　furnished　with　arquebuses；　sakers；　and　murtherers；　a　species　of　naval　ordnance　which　probably　did　not　belie　its　name。　It　also　boasted；　we　are　told；　of　two　drums　for　training…days；　and　no　fewer　than　fifteen　hautboys　and　soft…voiced　recordersall　which　suggests　a　mediaeval　castle；　or　a　grim　fortress　in　the　time　of　Queen　Elizabeth。　To　the　younger　members　of　the　community　glass　or　crockery　ware　was　an　unknown　substance；　to　the　elders　it　was　a　memory。　An　iron　pot　was　the　pot…of…all…work；　and　their　table　utensils　were　of　beaten　pewter。　The　diet　was　also　of　the　simplestpea…porridge　and　corn…cake；　with　a　mug　of　ale　or　a　flagon　of　Spanish　wine；　when　they　could　get　it。

John　Mason；　who　never　resided　in　this　country；　but　delegated　the　management　of　his　plantation　at　Ricataqua　and　Newichewannock　to　stewards；　died　before　realizing　any　appreciable　return　from　his　enterprise。　He　spared　no　endeavor　meanwhile　to　further　its　prosperity。　In　1632；　three　years　before　his　death；　Mason　sent　over　from　Denmark　a　number　of　neat　cattle；　〃of　a　large　breed　and　yellow　colour。〃　The　herd　thriv