roina_arwen (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
roina_arwen) wrote2022-07-06 05:49 pm
roina_arwen) wrote2022-07-06 05:49 pm
Entry tags:
LJ Idol, Prompt 12: “America”
Mary entered her mistress’s study with a polite knock and a perfunctory curtsey.
“What is it, Mary?”
Mary approached her mistress’s writing desk. “A letter has arrived for you, madam.”
Martha took it, and waved Mary away with a warm smile. “Thank you, you may go.”
As soon as she was alone, Martha gazed at the folded parchment. She did not recognize the handwriting. It wasn’t her husband’s hasty script, at any rate.
She broke the wax seal and read the contents. As she did, a slow smile spread across her youthful face, and she brushed a wayward lock of auburn hair back behind her ear as she quickly rose, strode to the doorway, and glanced down the hall. “Mary, come to my quarters - we have a trip to pack for!”
=#=#=#=#=
The following morning, Martha and her maidservant boarded the estate’s private carriage. A footman rode at the back, and the driver sat stiffly up front on the box seat. Her oak traveling case - filled with a selection of her favorite gowns, petticoats, aprons, and shifts - was safely stored on the roof, along with a much smaller case with a change of clothes for Mary.
The horses nickered as they started out on their long journey from Virginia to Pennsylvania, one that Martha knew would take at least five days.
The steady clip-clop of the horses iron-shod hooves, along with the oppressive June humidity, soon put Mary into a light doze on the seat opposite hers, while Martha nimbly worked on decorating the border of a large kerchief with elaborate embroidery.
Martha hadn’t seen her husband in nearly six months, and had been pleasantly surprised at being sent for. She could hardly wait to throw herself into his arms and kiss his soft lips. He wasn’t much of a talker, but his smile melted her heart.
She sighed happily and cast her hazel gaze over the slowly moving landscape outside her carriage window for a few minutes, before turning her attention back to her needlework.
=#=#=#=#=
Late on their fifth day of travel, they reached Philadelphia. The driver dropped Martha and Mary off at one of the finest Inns. The driver arranged for a room for Martha, and the footman brought their cases up to the room before the two men departed to see to the horses and their own accommodations. Mary trailed Martha up the wooden staircase, then went in to light the lanterns and stoke the fire.
Mary helped Martha out of her gown, pannier, shoes, and stays, and hung the gown on the wall pegs as usual. She tucked her lithe mistress into the sumptuous bed before finally removing her own modest gown, kerchief, and shoes.
Mary curled up in her shift under a light blanket on the freshly stuffed pallet by the window. She closed her dark eyes and breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they were done with travel for a while. This was her first trip outside of Virginia, where she and her mother Elizabeth had been born and raised as slaves. Mary was content with her lot in life - as a valued household servant like her mother before her, she was well treated, nicely dressed, and rarely hungry. Sadly, the same couldn’t be said for many others.
Mary murmured a quick prayer of gratitude for the welfare of her family - which included her half-sister, Martha - then fell into a dreamless slumber.
=#=#=#=#=
After dressing and breaking their fast, Martha was accompanied by their driver to the establishment where her husband, Thomas, was housed on the second floor. Eagerly, she climbed the stairs and opened the door.
The imposing red headed figure turned away from his guests towards the unexpected sound, and his staid features brightened upon seeing his young, comely wife. She threw herself into his strong, welcoming embrace, and they kissed deeply.
The world melted away.
The two guests awkwardly watched this exchange of pleasantries for a few moments, then the shorter of the two cleared his throat. “Jefferson, kindly introduce me to your wife.”
After being ignored for another few minutes, Adams inquired, “She is your wife, isn’t she?”
Dr. Franklin grinned impishly at John Adams and adjusted his spectacles. “Well of course she is,” he replied mildly. “Look at the way they fit!”
After another minute or two of being summarily ignored, the two gentlemen finally deigned to depart, allowing the happily reunited couple to spend much-needed time together. Strains of violin music, one of Thomas’s heretofore hidden talents, accompanied them down the stairs.
Once at the bottom, the two gentlemen sauntered down the street towards a nearby tavern.
“It’s no wonder the man couldn’t write! Who could think of independence being married to her?” Benjamin stated. “You know, perhaps I should have written the Declaration,” he added with a throaty chuckle. “At my age there’s little doubt that the pen is mightier than the sword.”
John rolled his eyes, and Benjamin smiled benignly. “Come, John. There’s still much to be done.”
Up in his rooms, Martha helped refuel Thomas’s desire for a better future. The time was right for a revolution. If not now, then when?
Author’s Note: This post was inspired by the musical “1776”. The lines attributed to Adams and Franklin were drawn from that movie, in which Martha Jefferson just appears out of nowhere at Thomas’s second floor room, after being sent for by John Adams. I wanted to delve a bit more into her backstory, and pay a little homage to her half-sister, Mary Hemings, one of the house slaves that worked for them. Mary gained her freedom in 1792. Thank you for reading!
“What is it, Mary?”
Mary approached her mistress’s writing desk. “A letter has arrived for you, madam.”
Martha took it, and waved Mary away with a warm smile. “Thank you, you may go.”
As soon as she was alone, Martha gazed at the folded parchment. She did not recognize the handwriting. It wasn’t her husband’s hasty script, at any rate.
She broke the wax seal and read the contents. As she did, a slow smile spread across her youthful face, and she brushed a wayward lock of auburn hair back behind her ear as she quickly rose, strode to the doorway, and glanced down the hall. “Mary, come to my quarters - we have a trip to pack for!”
=#=#=#=#=
The following morning, Martha and her maidservant boarded the estate’s private carriage. A footman rode at the back, and the driver sat stiffly up front on the box seat. Her oak traveling case - filled with a selection of her favorite gowns, petticoats, aprons, and shifts - was safely stored on the roof, along with a much smaller case with a change of clothes for Mary.
The horses nickered as they started out on their long journey from Virginia to Pennsylvania, one that Martha knew would take at least five days.
The steady clip-clop of the horses iron-shod hooves, along with the oppressive June humidity, soon put Mary into a light doze on the seat opposite hers, while Martha nimbly worked on decorating the border of a large kerchief with elaborate embroidery.
Martha hadn’t seen her husband in nearly six months, and had been pleasantly surprised at being sent for. She could hardly wait to throw herself into his arms and kiss his soft lips. He wasn’t much of a talker, but his smile melted her heart.
She sighed happily and cast her hazel gaze over the slowly moving landscape outside her carriage window for a few minutes, before turning her attention back to her needlework.
=#=#=#=#=
Late on their fifth day of travel, they reached Philadelphia. The driver dropped Martha and Mary off at one of the finest Inns. The driver arranged for a room for Martha, and the footman brought their cases up to the room before the two men departed to see to the horses and their own accommodations. Mary trailed Martha up the wooden staircase, then went in to light the lanterns and stoke the fire.
Mary helped Martha out of her gown, pannier, shoes, and stays, and hung the gown on the wall pegs as usual. She tucked her lithe mistress into the sumptuous bed before finally removing her own modest gown, kerchief, and shoes.
Mary curled up in her shift under a light blanket on the freshly stuffed pallet by the window. She closed her dark eyes and breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they were done with travel for a while. This was her first trip outside of Virginia, where she and her mother Elizabeth had been born and raised as slaves. Mary was content with her lot in life - as a valued household servant like her mother before her, she was well treated, nicely dressed, and rarely hungry. Sadly, the same couldn’t be said for many others.
Mary murmured a quick prayer of gratitude for the welfare of her family - which included her half-sister, Martha - then fell into a dreamless slumber.
=#=#=#=#=
After dressing and breaking their fast, Martha was accompanied by their driver to the establishment where her husband, Thomas, was housed on the second floor. Eagerly, she climbed the stairs and opened the door.
The imposing red headed figure turned away from his guests towards the unexpected sound, and his staid features brightened upon seeing his young, comely wife. She threw herself into his strong, welcoming embrace, and they kissed deeply.
The world melted away.
The two guests awkwardly watched this exchange of pleasantries for a few moments, then the shorter of the two cleared his throat. “Jefferson, kindly introduce me to your wife.”
After being ignored for another few minutes, Adams inquired, “She is your wife, isn’t she?”
Dr. Franklin grinned impishly at John Adams and adjusted his spectacles. “Well of course she is,” he replied mildly. “Look at the way they fit!”
After another minute or two of being summarily ignored, the two gentlemen finally deigned to depart, allowing the happily reunited couple to spend much-needed time together. Strains of violin music, one of Thomas’s heretofore hidden talents, accompanied them down the stairs.
Once at the bottom, the two gentlemen sauntered down the street towards a nearby tavern.
“It’s no wonder the man couldn’t write! Who could think of independence being married to her?” Benjamin stated. “You know, perhaps I should have written the Declaration,” he added with a throaty chuckle. “At my age there’s little doubt that the pen is mightier than the sword.”
John rolled his eyes, and Benjamin smiled benignly. “Come, John. There’s still much to be done.”
Up in his rooms, Martha helped refuel Thomas’s desire for a better future. The time was right for a revolution. If not now, then when?
Author’s Note: This post was inspired by the musical “1776”. The lines attributed to Adams and Franklin were drawn from that movie, in which Martha Jefferson just appears out of nowhere at Thomas’s second floor room, after being sent for by John Adams. I wanted to delve a bit more into her backstory, and pay a little homage to her half-sister, Mary Hemings, one of the house slaves that worked for them. Mary gained her freedom in 1792. Thank you for reading!
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I love that you brought Mary into this also. It's important that we not lose sight of the fact that these founding fathers, in many instances, owned slaves and thought nothing of it.
- Erulisse (one L)
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Thanks for the reminder of some joy in America's history!
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I’m glad you liked it - thanks for reading!
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