LI.

FAMOUS SCENES, CHARACTERS, AND RECOLLECTIONS OF EAST FAIRMOUNT PARK, PHILADELPHIA.—BEN FRANKLIN, BENEDICT ARNOLD, BARON STEUBEN, TOM MOORE, ETC.

WHAT is known as East Fairmount Park is among the most romantic divisions of that unequalled combination of nature and history. The visitor to the Centennial grounds approaches the East Park by the Green Street entrance, passing by Rogers's statue of Mr. Lincoln, the boat-houses of the Schuylkill Navy (a series of handsome buildings, constructed of every model, and covered with creeping vines); and, if it is a pleasant afternoon, the river before you is covered with various kinds of craft, from the capacious pleasure-boats filled with jolly parties to the delicate shells in which amateur oarsmen are preparing for some approaching regatta. Following this road along the eastern bank of the beautiful Schuylkill, which, though hidden from view by deep, dense forests and a wonderful abundance of flowers and foliage, flashes upon you at intervals, you pass a series of ancient estates, all of them more or less identified with the Revolutionary days. One of them, the Woodford Mansion, was built by William Coleman, the friend of Franklin, and was afterwards the residence of Daniel Franks, a gentleman of large business connections in Philadelphia and New York during and after the Revolution. His son, Major Franks, was an aide-de-camp to Arnold before the latter's defection, but was himself a true patriot. His daughter, Miss Franks, was celebrated for her wit and beauty in the days of the Republican Court.

The other residence is far more interesting. This is known as Mount Pleasant, and is an object of considerable curiosity because it was purchased from the owner by Benedict Arnold in March, 1779, and afterwards settled upon his wife, reserving

to himself a life-estate, which was forfeited after his treason. The mansion then became the residence of Baron Steuben, the great Prussian soldier, who, after serving the colonies with distinguished disinterestedness, retired at the close of the war, and died near Trenton Falls, New Jersey. The buildings are in a wonderful state of preservation, and are objects of the especial care of the Park Commission. They are admirable specimens of the architecture of the Revolutionary period. They were erected, somewhere about 1761, by John McPherson, who owned them from that time till 1779. Beautiful beyond description, and rarely interesting from the circumstances. I have related, they prove that, at that early day, the banks of the Schuylkill, though distant from the city, and difficult of approach, were preferred by the men of the Revolution.

Among other efforts preparatory to the Centennial was a committee on the restoration of Independence Hall, which included a national museum, under the auspices of a number of ladies, most of them descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. A large variety of portraits, manuscripts, and other relics of the sacred past were successfully collected; and some time in September of 1875 Major Ben Perley Poore, the Massachusetts antiquary, offered to add certain valuable mementoes of 1776 to this interesting collection. Of course, his offer was accepted; but Colonel Frank M. Etting, Chairman of the Committee on the Restoration of Independence Hall, resolved to make a special depository of these precious souvenirs. These were his words:

"It appears unwise to postpone the collection of such material as can be procured from Major Poore and from other sources; besides which a mansion of the olden time, fully equipped from garret to kitchen, would be an appropriate concomitant of the Centennial Exposition, vying in public interest with almost any other memorial of the days we intend to celebrate.

"In the magnificent grounds of Fairmount, in almost perfect

condition, untenanted, stands a fine specimen of a gentleman's residence in 1776-Mount Pleasant. Nor is it devoid of historical associations, General Baron Steuben having resided therein. Possibly there, too, was prepared by him the first army manual, so instrumental in disciplining the patriots of the Revolution. It would be perfectly feasible, with the assistance of the Board of Lady Managers of the Museum, to furnish this house completely in the style which prevailed at the time of its erection, if, in concurrence with this committee, you deem the project advisable and will afford your joint aid."

Benedict Arnold was very well known in Philadelphia. His wife, originally Miss Shippen, as I have said in a former paper, was a Philadelphian, a belle much admired by the officers on both sides. Major André was intimate in the family of her father before her marriage with General Arnold.

After his de

fection there was, of course, immense excitement in Philadelphia; and in September, 1780, the populace were called together to witness the burning of Arnold in effigy. This took place on High Street Hill. His figure had two faces, and a mask in his left hand. Near him was the devil in black robes, holding out to him a purse of money. The procession began from the rear of the present Methodist (St. George's) Church in Fourth Street, "headed," says Watson in his “Annals," "by several gentlemen on horseback, by a line of Continental officers, and by a guard of city infantry. The 'Rogue's March' was played all the way."

In that admirable little work on Fairmount Park by Charles S. Keyser, decidedly the best that has yet been published, we find the lovely drive along the Schuylkill River graphically described. Few of my distant readers have ever heard that Tom Moore, the celebrated Irish poet, had a small cottage on the Schuylkill. The two old trees which, in the lyric poet's time threw their grateful shadows over its roof and humble door, are well stricken in years. The cottage is still standing. It is

only about twenty-five feet long by fourteen or sixteen feet wide. Before Moore was famous, when not much over age, he made a tour, in 1804, through the United States, and did not hesitate to say that he preferred Philadelphia to any other city. In a letter to his mother, June 26, 1804, referring to his Philadelphia friends, he wrote, "I felt quite a regret in leaving them; the only place which I had seen, and which I had one wish to pause in, was Philadelphia." Mr. Keyser says that that which is perhaps the sweetest of his ballads, beginning with the following familiar lines, was composed in the old cottage on the Schuylkill:

"I knew, by the smoke that so gracefully curled

Above the green elms, that a cottage was near,
And I said, 'If there's peace to be found in this world,
A heart that was humble might hope for it here.""

A curious little dinner-party, composed of seven Irishmen, took place in this cottage on May 28, 1858—the anniversary of the birthday of Thomas Moore. They had toasts and songs. and plenty of" Mountain Dew," and formed a Moore Club to meet once in each month, and at the cottage on each anniversary of Moore's birthday. It is not unlikely that this organization is still in existence.

All along this river there are clubs of every description-fishing-clubs, skating-clubs, boat-clubs; clubs literary, political, and benevolent-many with their own establishments, and others organized in the city and coming out here to breakfast or dine. What is called "The State in Schuylkill" is the most unique of these organizations. Nearly a century and a half ago, in 1732, certain gentlemen leased an acre of the tract which begins at "Solitude" and extends to the Sweet Briar Mansion along the Schuylkill, which they enclosed with a worm fence. The owner of the tract or farm was William Warner, a Quaker, and to him the company, as a yearly rental, delivered every spring, on a

large pewter plate, "three sun perch fish," and they elevated him to the dignity of a baron, so that he might be the more worthy to receive this tribute. Here every year they smoked the calumet of peace with the Indians, and here they have maintained their festivities and their organization. They have a governor to order their general affairs, a sheriff to serve writs of execution, and a coroner. The ceremonies of the past are still preserved. They have since moved lower down the Schuylkill, near Gray's Ferry. They have had many illustrious guests. I copy from the record the most memorable days of the company:

October 10, 1767.-The great repast, when a turtle was served which cost, when beef was three cents a pound and madeira thirty cents a bottle, four pounds and ten shillings, one third the cost of their house.

June 14, 1787.-The entertainment of his Excellency General Washington, with the officers of the army and navy, in their old court-house; its most memorable day.

July 4, 1788.-When the great National Jubilee was celebrated there with great pomp and circumstance.

March, 1789.-When one of the members caught with a layout line a fifteen-inch trout—a marvellous feat for all time. Judge Peters on this occasion had a seat near General (Presi· dent) Wharton. "We want some wine," said the General to one of the younger members; "please call John." "I would suggest," said the Judge, "that it would be safer to bring the demi-John."

September 15, 1791.-When a sturgeon leaped from the river into one of their bateaux, and was captured by these steady-nerved fishermen, confirming, if it needed confirmation, what old John Holmes had written about this fish (1689):

"The sturgeon briskly through the waters bounce,

And now and then they into boats do flounce."

1793. During the terrible fever, when there were fed from