Read Ebook: Youth Vol. I No. 7 September 1902: An Illustrated Monthly Journal for Boys & Girls by Various Coggins Herbert Leonard Editor

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FRONTISPIECE PAGE

THE PENN COTTAGE Allen Biddle 237

WITH WASHINGTON AT VALLEY FORGE W. Bert Foster 239 Illustrated by F. A. Carter

IN THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES William A. Stimpson 246

AUDUBON AT BIRD ROCK 249

A DAUGHTER OF THE FOREST Evelyn Raymond 250 Illustrated by Ida Waugh

THE FLOWERLESS PLANTS Julia McNair Wright 257 Illustrated by Nina G. Barlow

WHIP-POOR-WILL Geo. E. Winkler 259

LITTLE POLLY PRENTISS Elizabeth Lincoln Gould 260

WOOD-FOLK TALK J. Allison Atwood 268

WITH THE EDITOR 270

EVENT AND COMMENT 271

OUT OF DOORS 272

THE OLD TRUNK 273

IN-DOORS Ellis Stanyon 274

WITH THE PUBLISHER 275

ADVERTISEMENTS 276

YOUTH

Sent postpaid to any address Subscriptions can begin at any time and must be paid in advance

Remittances may be made in the way most convenient to the sender, and should be sent to

The Penn Publishing Company 923 ARCH STREET, PHILADELPHIA, PA.

Copyright 1902 by The Penn Publishing Company

YOUTH

VOL. I SEPTEMBER 1902 No. 7

THE PENN COTTAGE

BY ALLEN BIDDLE

"Pitch upon the very middle of the plat where the town or line of houses is to be laid or run, facing the harbor of the great river, for the situation of my house; ... the distance of each house from the creek or harbor should be, in my judgment, a measured quarter of a mile; or, at least, two hundred paces, because of building hereafter streets down to the harbor." Such were the instructions which William Penn, founder of Philadelphia, gave to his commissioners, William Crispin, John Bezar, and Nathaniel Allen, for the building of what is now known as Penn's Cottage.

It was in 1681 that the great Quaker completed the negotiations for the grant of Pennsylvania, and in the next year the first work of the building of the Proprietary House was begun. The plat chosen for its site was the one bounded by Front, Chestnut, Letitia, and High streets, the last now being named Market. In the place of the little cottage and its surrounding yard there is, to-day, one of the most thickly-built portions of Philadelphia. But the true centre of the city, at one time radiating from this point, has now, owing to the growth of two hundred years, moved a mile to the westward.

According to one tradition, the Penn or Letitia House was the first brick building erected in Philadelphia; to another, it was the first house to have a cellar. The name, "Letitia," was given to it by Penn himself, as the house was intended eventually to be the portion of his daughter, Letitia. It is from this source, too, that Letitia Street gets its name.

One of the most interesting stories of this little structure is that the bricks and most of the finer building materials used in its construction were brought over from England. More recently doubt has been thrown upon this statement by the discovery that even at that time quite as excellent a quality of brick was being made in Philadelphia.

Despite its diminutive size, the cottage required what, to-day, would be an unusual time in its building, and it was well into the year 1683 before it was ready for the house-warming. Quaint, angular, and comfortable in appearance, it faithfully reflects the spirit of Philadelphia's early people. True to the founder's ideal in the laying-out of the city, the house, too, is characterized by economy of space and absence of mere ornament. Doors, windows, sills, and sashes--everything, in fact, except the gabled roof, is plain and rectangular.

From the front door, we enter its largest room, serving, perhaps, at one time as dining hall, sitting-room, kitchen, and library. On its plain, bare walls we now see collections of old wood cuts, illustrating events which occurred in the time of the founder, including reproductions of Benjamin West's painting of that famous treaty with the Indians which "was not signed and never broken." Above the door hangs an old print of the wampum belt which was presented to Penn by the Indians upon that occasion. Near by are facsimiles of the charter of the Province of Pennsylvania, granted by Charles II, and also the first charter of the city of Philadelphia, granted in 1691. In the further corner to the left is an ample fireplace before whose glow we can readily recall to our imagination the serene features of the great founder surrounded by his family.

From this room, extending to the rear of the building, is a short hallway, on either side of which is a room so small that we wonder what could have been their function in the Penn household. Quaint and cozy as is the little mansion, we can scarce believe it to have been the home of one who owned our whole great State of Pennsylvania.

In the year 1684, after a stay of twenty-one months, Penn was forced to return to England to protect his proprietary interests, as they were at that time threatened by the plans of Lord Baltimore. In his absence, the proprietorship fell upon his cousin, Markham, the Lieutenant-Governor, who then took up his abode in the Letitia House. Later, according to the wish of Penn, who desired that his house be devoted to public service, it became the State House. It is hard to imagine such a dignified body as was undoubtedly the provincial council meeting in the tiny brick cottage. What a contrast it makes with Independence Hall, or the great capitol now at Harrisburg!

In after years, when other houses had grown up on all sides, the little cottage fell into obscurity. At one time, even, it was thrown open as a public inn, and the little room which at one time held the Penn family circle now became the haunt of the wayfarer and the chronic idler. But, recently, folks of the great State have come to think more of the little house and to recognize gratefully the part which it played in their history. They have lifted it from its late dingy surroundings and, as if to put before it the city's best, have placed it on the west bank of the Schuylkill, overlooking Fairmount Park. Here, far away from the city's centre, with its face toward the broad, green valley of the river, the little mansion rests patiently, as if waiting until the city shall again closely encircle it in its westward growth.

As would have been the wish of the great Quaker, the door is still left hospitably open, and citizen and stranger alike may freely enter the house of him who founded their State. Here, daily, come many pilgrims. The Schuylkill, too, winding placidly down from its hills, loiters gently in its course through the picturesque valley, as if to catch a momentary glimpse of the quaint old house.

WITH WASHINGTON AT VALLEY FORGE

From Germantown to Valley Forge

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

Hadley slept that night at a friendly farmer's, some miles to the north of Germantown. A large force of British were quartered about where Washington's army lay the first day the boy had crossed the river and made his way to the Commander-in-Chief's headquarters with the dispatches so nearly lost by the wounded courier. As far as he could learn, the Americans still rested at Skippack Creek, to which locality they had retired after the enemy entered Philadelphia.

He made a long detour the next morning to avoid the Germantown outposts, but fell in with a foraging party of Continentals before noon, and was near to losing his horse. But he was not so afraid of these marauders now as he had been the night he was halted on the Germantown road and his dispatches seized. So, after an argument with these fellows and the mention of Colonel Cadwalader's name, he got away, with directions regarding the shortest path to headquarters. He was halted a good many times before he found the Pennsylvania troops; but the pickets saw that he was a recruit and let him through without trouble.

He found John Cadwalader with General Wayne, and was able to obtain speech with him without dismounting from his horse, as the officers were about starting on a tour of inspection through the camp. "And you want to see more fighting, do you, my lad--and your wound not healed yet?" said the colonel. "What good d'ye think a wounded man will be to us?"

"But I'm all right on horseback, and I've brought my horse," Hadley declared.

"I wish we had more such fellows--and as eager to fight, Colonel," said General Wayne. "He's but a boy, too!"

"And how about the promise to your mother, Master Morris?" queried the other officer.

"My uncle has cast me off for carrying dispatches, and for being in the Paoli fight, where I got wounded," the boy said, sadly. "I can do nothing for him now. So I have come to do what I can."

"Well, well. I will speak to His Excellency about you. There is a certain long-legged Yankee hereabout who, if I mistake not, has been inquiring for you through the camp."

"Lafe Holdness!" exclaimed Hadley.

"The same. He said he knew you had got away from Philadelphia; but where you had gone was another matter, and one of which he was not cognizant. Now, Master Morris, you will find your friend, Captain Prentice, somewhere to the west of here. Keep near him and then you will be near me. When the propitious moment comes to present you to the Commander-in-Chief, I shall want you in a hurry."

The officers rode on, and Hadley sought out Captain Prentice. "My faith, Hadley!" was the captain's exclamation, "but we're a pretty pair of winged birds." His own arm was still in a sling, but he had taken active command of his company again.

"You can scarcely call me winged," said Hadley, "for the ball went through my leg." He climbed down from Molly and allowed a soldier to take her away. He could scarcely walk, having been so many hours in the saddle; but Captain Prentice made him welcome and saw to it that he had a bed for a few hours, where he slept away much of his weariness.

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