Colonial dames and good wives

by Alice Morse Earle

Sept. 16. I arose before six as I was much concern’d to see my wife so afflicted as before on the bad conduct of her girl Poll who is not yet returned, but is skulking and running about town. This I understand was the practice of her mother who for many years before her death was a constant plague to my wife, and who left her this girl as a legacy, and who by report as well as by own knowledge, for almost three years has always been so down to this time. About eight, word was brought that Poll was just taken by Sister Lynn near the market, and brought to their house. A messenger was immediately dispatched for her, as she could not be found before, though a number of times they had been hunting her.

As the years went on, Poll kept taking what he called “cruises,” “driving strokes of impudence,” visiting friends, strolling around the streets, faring up and down the country, and he patiently writes:—

This night our girl was brought home. I suppose she was hunted out, as it is called, and found by Ruth on the Passyunk Road. Her mistress was delighted upon her return, but I know of nobody else in house or out. I have nothing to say in the affair, as I know of nothing that would distress my wife so much as for me to refuse or forbid her being taken into the house.

(A short time after) I arose by four as my wife had been up sometime at work cleaning house, and as she could not rest on account of Polls not being yet return’d. The girls frolics always afflict her mistress, so that to me its plain if she does not mend, or her mistress grieve less for her, that it will shorten Mrs Marshalls days considerably; besides our house wears quite a different face when Miss Poll is in it (although all the good she does is not worth half the salt she eats.) As her presence gives pleasure to her mistress, this gives joy to all the house, so that in fact she is the cause of peace or uneasiness in the home.

It is with a feeling of malicious satisfaction that we read at last of the jaded, harassed, and conscientious wife going away for a visit, and know that the man of the house will have to encounter and adjust domestic problems as best he may. No sooner had the mistress gone than Poll promptly departed also on a vacation. As scores of times before, Mr. Marshall searched for her, and retrieved her (when she was ready to come), and she behaved exceeding well for a day, only, when rested, to again make a flitting. He writes on the 23d:—

I roused Charles up at daylight. Found Miss Poll in the straw house. She came into the kitchen and talked away that she could not go out at night but she must be locked out. If that’s the case she told them she would pack up her clothes and go quite away; that she would not be so served as her Mistress did not hinder her staying out when she pleased, and the kitchen door to be opened for her when she came home and knocked. The negro woman told me as well as she could what she said. I then went and picked up her clothes that I could find. I asked her how she could behave so to me when I had conducted myself so easy towards her even so as to suffer her to sit at table and eat with me. This had no effect upon her. She rather inclined to think that she had not offended and had done nothing but what her mistress indulged her in. I told her before Betty that it was not worth my while to lick her though she really deserved it for her present impudence; but to remember I had taken all her clothes I could find except what she had on, which I intended to keep; that if she went away Charles with the horse should follow her and bring her back and that I would send a bellman around the borough of Lancaster to cry her as a runaway servant, wicked girl, with a reward for apprehending her.

The fatuous simplicity of Quaker Marshall’s reproofs, the futility of his threats, the absurd failure of his masculine methods, received immediate illustration—as might be expected, by Miss Poll promptly running away that very night. Again he writes:—

Charles arose near daybreak and I soon after, in order to try to find my nightly and daily plague, as she took a walk again last night. Charles found her. We turned her upstairs to refresh herself with sleep....

(Two days later) After breakfast let our Poll downstairs where she has been kept since her last frolic. Fastened her up again at night. I think my old enemy Satan is much concerned in the conduct and behavior of that unfortunate girl. He knows her actions give me much anxiety and indeed at times raise my anger so I have said what should have been avoided, but I hope for the future to be more upon my guard and thus frustrate him in his attempts.

With what joy did the masculine housekeeper and steward greet the return of his capable wife, and resign his position as turnkey! Poll, upon liberation from restraint, flew swiftly away like any other bird from its cage.