Notes From the New York Public Library, 1748-1820

Authors

Alfred L. Shoemaker

Document Type

Notes

Files

Date

1950

Keywords

bundling, Blue Mountain, Easton, German language, courtship customs, tavern

Description

A handwritten set of notes transcribed by Alfred L. Shoemaker, dating from circa 1950. Within, a story originally dated October 10, 1820, details a traveler's experience with his room companions at a tavern near the Blue Mountains.

Corresponds to:

Packet 706-19

Transcription

NY Pub Lib see 706-18

Sept 29-Oct 14, 1820

Between Blue Mt. and Easton

Oct. 10 … cross the Blue Mountain, stopped at Kinds Tavern, no one about the house could understand English, was detained all day by the indisposition of our horse. Had a bad nights rest in consequence of my bed room companions, who appeared to spend the night in raptures of bliss. Nothing was to be heard during the night but a continued whispering "in the German language" and occasionally a smacking of the lips which I supposed to be kissing, as I observed the happy pair to be our landlords rosy cheeked daughter and her sweet-heart who I supposed had got tired of speaking and had come to bed to enjoy the few hours quiet sleep which nature requires; but the bliss they derived from each others lips was to them far preferable to my opinion to all the happiness natures bounty could bestow; their conversation which was incomprehensible to me was as one would naturally suppose uninteresting; as for the kissing which our young hero participated so fully of, it put one in mind of the stork in the fable, who was helping himself so sumptuously of the sweetmeats, while poor Richard was very deliberately licking the outside of the jar, without even hopes of a taste of that which his ravenous appetite excited him so much to long for.

Dec 31, 1762 sundries for James Noble quilting a bed quilt …12...

Feb 19, 1748 a slate pencil 1.

May 6, 1748 a slate 2_3.

Spangenburg, Brookden + Horofield guardians of children of Thomas Noble

Language

English

Rights Statement

This item is available courtesy of the Ursinus College Library Special Collections Department. It is not to be copied or distributed for commercial use. For permissions which fall outside of educational use, please contact the Special Collections Department.

Recommended Citation

Shoemaker, Alfred L., "Notes From the New York Public Library, 1748-1820" (1950). Alfred L. Shoemaker Folk Cultural Documents. 287.
https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/shoemaker_documents/287