A DAY AND A NIGHT IN THE OLD PORTER HOUSE.
Monday morning, July 5th, 1779, was oppressively warm and sultry in the Naugatuck Valley. Great Hill, that rises so grandly to the northward of Union City, and at whose base the red house still nestles that was built either by Daniel Porter or his son Thomas before or as early as 1735, was bathed in the full sunlight, for it was past eight of the clock. Up the hill had just passed a herd of cows owned by Mr. Thomas Porter and driven by his son Ethel, a lad of fourteen, and Ethel’s sister Polly, aged twelve years.
“It’s awful hot to-day!” said Ethel, as he threw himself on the grass at the hill-top—the cows having been duly cared for.
The Old Porter House
“You’d better not lose time lying here,” said Polly. “There’s altogether too much going on uptown to-day, and there’s lots to do before we go up to celebrate.”
“One thing at a time,” replied Ethel, “and this is my time to rest. I never knew a hill to grow so much in one night before.”
“Well! you can rest, but I’m going to find out what that fellow is riding his poor horse so fast 182 for this hot morning—somebody must be dying! Just see that line of dust a mile away!” and Polly started down Great Hill to meet the rider.