THE NEW HOME
Six years had swiftly passed by since that memorable landing, and the
Massachusetts Company had in this time made fine progress.
The band of emigrants, numbering about a thousand people, had settled in
various places, some in Salem, but the majority in the new Colony of
Boston, which Governor Winthrop made the capital.
He was an excellent leader, and as soon as he had established his
Colony, a steady stream of immigrants poured in from England, though
there were troubles and hardships enough for the settlers.
Mr. Bradley came over from Salem, and selling his little farm in the
forest clearing, started a business in Boston, where he dealt with the
Indians, of whom he bought rich and costly furs, which they exchanged
for such articles as the white people had to offer.
The Indians wanted cooking utensils, guns, and above all fire-water;
guns were more effective than their bows and arrows when they were
hunting wild animals, though later, when they became hostile to the
white people, the governors did all in their power to prevent traders
from furnishing them rifles and ammunition.
They also forbade them to sell to the Indians the much-desired
fire-water or whiskey, for this insidious poison worked great havoc
among them. So anxious were they to obtain it, that they sold their
last fur blanket to the white trader, and when they got their whisky
they drank to excess, and in their fits of drunkenness committed
outrages both upon their own people and the whites.
Mr. Bradley was a true Christian, and therefore refrained from selling
to the Indians such things as might harm them. They were like children,
and would have given in exchange for worthless beads and trinkets the
most expensive and valuable furs. In this way, Mr. Bradley could have
made much money, but his heart was not covetous, and he tried his best
to teach the Indians what articles were really of use to them.
So he prospered, but not as much as did the wicked traders who only
considered their gain, and who without qualms of conscience sold to the
Indians worthless and even harmful things.
His home was near the fort, and it was substantially built of huge logs
which he had felled in the forest.
Since his wife was accustomed to luxuries and comforts, he tried to
make his home as pleasant as possible, though she proved herself a good
pioneer, who did not grumble when she did not have the many fine things
to which she was used in England, and which could not be obtained in
the Colony.
"God has given me so much that is precious," she would say as her
husband expressed his regrets that he could not do more for her. "I
have you, my dear husband, and God has sent us two obedient and pious
children, though we have none of our own. So while not giving us all we
want, He has nevertheless filled our cup of happiness to overflowing."
"And to me He has given a most godly and faithful wife," Mr. Bradley
would then say as he caught her up into his arms. "How shall I ever be
able to thank Him enough for His tender mercies!"
"And we have here so many friends and good neighbors," Mrs. Bradley
would say; "the whole Colony is like one big family, though at times
they do quarrel over religion and other things. Yet in general they are
truly Christian people who desire to do what is right."
The husband assented. "Yes, our Massachusetts Colony is the most
prosperous of them all. Every vessel brings hundreds of settlers, and
the Indians live with us in peace and harmony. May God continue His
blessings upon us, for we are not worthy of them."
Of course, there were also hard times when food was scarce, and when
sickness and trouble afflicted many hearts.
Yet God had given to the Colony a man of great piety and wisdom who in
all matters of general and private administration conducted himself
with prudence and vision.
The Winthrops were great friends of the Bradleys, and often in the
winter evenings they would sit together and discuss weighty matters
pertaining to the welfare of the Colony. In this way, our friends
became intimately acquainted with that great and good man. But every
settler acknowledged his sterling virtues, and up to the time of his
death in 1649, he was elected almost continually governor of the Colony.
For contrary to the prevailing custom, the Massachusetts colonists could
elect their own governors, as provided by their charter.
Governor Winthrop dressed very plainly so that when you met him, you
could not at all tell by his clothes that he was governor. He was also
a very humble man, and labored with his hands among his servants, since
he was not ashamed of working. This put zest into those that were
inclined to be indolent and who shirked the many toils that were
necessitated by the upbuilding of the Colony.
In order to spread the principles of temperance Governor Winthrop drank
little but water, and also in other respects he encouraged the habits of
temperance and sobriety. This was very necessary since peace and
prosperity attend a people only if it is temperate in all things.
When the Colony had little food, he liberally gave to the poor people of
his own store. Once his last bread was in the oven, yet when hungry
people came to him, and begged for flour, he dispensed to them the small
remainder. Fortunately, that very day a shipload of provisions arrived,
and for a time the distress was alleviated.
Governor Winthrop also encouraged his fellow colonists in the Christian
virtue of forgiveness. One time a leading man of the Colony wrote him
an angry letter, but this he sent back at once with the note appended:
"I am not willing to keep such a provocation to ill-feeling by me."
The offender, a man of great influence, replied immediately: "Your
overcoming yourself, has overcome me." He became one of his warmest
friends and from that time diligently assisted him in his arduous tasks.
The Governor was not desirous of vainglory, though according to the
custom of the time, he might have demanded absolute submission and
obedience. But he was a man who rather desired the love of his
fellowmen than their slavish fear, and in all things he guided them so,
that they could well govern themselves.
His greatest boast was that he had a "loving and dutiful son," who
followed in his father's footsteps and was as pious and sincere in his
religion as he was. This son grew up to be a man of excellent virtues,
and he became the first governor of the Colony of Connecticut.
No wonder that under such a governor the Colony prospered and became
stronger from year to year! And what a blessing it was for our two
little friends that they were brought up in such a Christian atmosphere
and home!
It is true, sometimes Fred longed to find out what became of his father,
but in spite of all efforts made to ascertain anything about him,
nothing was heard of him.
In those early times many a settler disappeared, and no one ever learned
what had become of him. The woods were full of fierce animals, the
Indians at times were hostile, and took revenge for real or imagined
injuries which they suffered by killing innocent persons, for they
regarded the Colonies as so many units, so that the wrongs inflicted by
individuals were regarded as having been done by the whole community.
In the long and dreary winters storms and tempests would rage, and many
a settler lost his way in the forests, and perished miserably in the
deep snow. Then when spring came, forest streams would wash away the
bodies, or wild animals would devour them. In short, there were many
ways to account for the disappearance of Fred's father, as the boy
learned when he grew up.
Yet he was not a boy to brood over matters that could not be changed,
and the rich and varied life in the Colony gave him little time for
dreaming idle dreams.
In the mornings he rose early, and went with Mr. Bradley to his fine
store, which was near the house. There the Indians gathered, and
brought their furs and other goods of barter and sale.
Fred soon learned to trust the Indians and to like them, and in a short
time he was able to attend to many a sale himself. He knew the value
of furs, and the prices for all articles in his foster-father's store.
Though the language of the Indians was difficult for the white people to
learn, the bright lad made rapid progress in it, especially as he played
with the Indian children, who did not know a word of English.
This knowledge helped him considerably in his dealings with the Indians
who trusted the white people the more as they used their language.
Agnes in the meanwhile stayed in the house with Mrs. Bradley, helping
her in the many duties which the housewife of that time had to perform.
Every colonist raised some corn and garden vegetables, and such things
as contributed to the food supply of the community; for the food
question was of great importance to them.
The corn they planted after Indian fashion, placing two fish into the
holes into which the kernels were dropped. The Indians connected with
this act some superstitious rite, but the white people knew that the
fish were necessary to fertilize the sterile soil. Soon they used
improved methods, and their harvests were much greater than those of the
Indians.
In the course of time Agnes learned from Mrs. Bradley every art of
managing a home. She could sew garments, make moccasins, heal bruises
and wounds, cook the various dishes which the Puritans liked, and in
short, attend to the many tasks of managing a home.
Mrs. Bradley never had occasion to be sorry for having adopted the
children, and often she would thank God for them as she considered that
she had none of her own. How lonely the large house of the trader
would have been had not Fred and Agnes brought life into it!
But their life was not all work.
Their foster parents were very conscientious in giving them a good
education, and for this purpose they hired Master Henry, a young
theologian who had studied in England, and now continued his studies
privately under the instruction of the learned Reverend John Davenport.
In the meanwhile he earned a few shillings by instructing children,
visiting the sick, and doing other useful things for the busy minister,
whose tasks increased as the Colony became larger from year to year.
Master Henry's teaching was not the kind which was practiced by
pedagogues of little learning and experience, who ruled with the rod
and inculcated their lessons by blows and punishments.
Fred and his sister liked to learn, and their lessons were always
prepared thoroughly the evening before.
So when shortly after midday the young minister would come to Mr.
Bradley's home, he was welcomed by the children with great joy.
Mrs. Bradley always kept a bowl of rich, hot soup for him, or some
dainty which he liked. But Master Henry was a man of frugal habits, and
while he enjoyed his meal, he partook of the food very sparingly.
The instruction would continue till four o'clock, the children were
given a vacation during which they might divert themselves.
These were the golden hours of unqualified joy when they amused
themselves to their heart's delight. As Mr. Bradley was becoming
wealthy, he could allow them many pleasures which poor parents had to
deny their children.
As soon as they were old enough, he bought them two small horses which
they could use very well, as the means of transportation were very
primitive. So they rode out into the forests and made friends with the
Indians, or they visited the other Colonies which were not far away.
To the north there was the Salem Colony, and to the south, the old
Colony of Plymouth, which was the mother colony of all the English
settlements. On these trips they not only made many friends, but also
became acquainted with the country and learned to lose all fear of white
men and Indians.
One summer Fred, with the help of young Indian friends, made a boat,
and he and Agnes rowed up the rivers and streams of which there were
many.
At first their only weapons were bows and arrows and home-made spears
which they could use with the skill of the Indians. However, when they
became older, Mr. Bradley allowed them small firearms for their hunting
expeditions.
Thus Fred and Agnes spent a very happy life in the Boston Colony, and
they grew up to be strong and healthy, with a wisdom not gotten out of
books merely, but which their varied experience taught them.
They could swim, skate, cover long distances over the snow by means of
snow-shoes, shoot, ride horseback, and do almost all the things which
the pioneers did.
Like all the Puritans they were well versed in the Bible, and they knew
many hymns by heart, so that when they joined the church, they did this
of their own accord and with firm convictions.
Thus six years passed by with rapidity, and before he realized it, Fred
was fourteen years old, while Agnes was thirteen.
Their life had been very happy, and in mind and body they had matured
so, that they appeared to be much older than they really were. Mr.
Bradley could trust Fred with almost any task that he would assign to
a man, while Agnes was a regular little tom boy, who was skilled not
only in the duties of a good young lady, but also in those of young men.
Whether she was in the house, or outside, she could always be depended
upon.
There was not a better rider in the whole community than she, and she
handled every sort of weapon with great skill.
Life in the Colony was pleasant indeed!