Cobblestones Home : Colonial Lives : Memoirs of a Boston Midwife

December 16, 1773,
     It was a dark and stormy night I was sitting down and drinking tea, but all of a sudden there was a knock on the door. It was some girl about to give birth and she needed help, I laid her down and gave her herb tea to drink to calm her down.

    Then we started to talk about the what was happening down near the wharf. People have been very upset because the taxes on the tea are high. Strangely, there were a lot of men dressed up as Indians who went down there to try and fix that. I was worried because my husband was one of the men dressed up as an Indians. I was very scared and mad, but I was more worried about the girl and her baby. So I helped her give birth and she had a beautiful little girl and she named her Samantha . They spent the night so she didn't have to walk home in the storm with her new born baby. I cooked us some dinner and made some more tea and I asked her if she wanted to wash up the baby and get her into something warmer. After she laid the baby down,we had some dinner, it was delicious. We went to bed but I was still worried about my husband I wanted to go down to the wharf just to make sure he was okay.

December 17, 1773,
     Today was a strange day. I woke up and noticed that the mother and Samantha were gone. No note or anything. It was strange, too, because I didn't hear a peep out of them. But this strange person knocked on my door I was hoping it was the baby and her mother. It was strange old man who I had never seen before. He was asking about the baby and its mother. I kept asking him who he was but he wouldn't answer me, I slammed the door in his face. Two hours later, I received a note from my husband, Henry Google, “ My dearest, how are you? I miss you so much. I really don't like it on this ship. I wish I was home with you. I cant really tell you where I am or when I’ll be home, Im hiding out and I’m sorry, but as soon as I know when I’ll write you again. Oh yes don't be afraid we’re throwing some of the tea off the ship but were being really careful so we do not get caught. We are protesting the taxes on our dear tea, I will keep writing again, as on as I can. I have to go. I will keep write again as soon as you can.”

     I cried until I fell asleep. I missed him dearly. I thought about things and wrote him back. Later there was a knock at the door. I got up as fast as I could, I thought it might be the strange man again. Guess who it was? It was the girl who gave birth and her baby. I was shocked I thought I would never see them again. I invited them inside. I asked her about that strange man that knocked at my door earlier and asking me about Anna and Samantha but she had no idea what I was talking about. So I described him and she had a strange look on her face. She looked like she was shocked but she didn't say anything. I became suspicious.

December 18, 1773
     Well today Anna woke me up all scared and shaky so I asked her what was wrong, she was scaring me. Then she sat me down and said, all right, Remember that strange guy you asked me about yesterday? Well I know who he is. He's Samantha’s father and his name is Benjamin Foolish. He's a very bad man she said.

     So I asked her if she needed any help with him but she said NO she didn't want me to get hurt but I said “I’ll be fine I’m a big girl and you and Samantha can’t do this on your own. I’m here for you. Please let me help you.” Finally a few minutes after I explained this to her she let me help. So I let her hide out at my house, hoping that Benjamin would come back. It has been days and days no sign of Benjamin. I thought maybe he forgot about you and moved on. But a few weeks later someone knocked at my door I told Anna and the baby to hide because it might be Benjemin. So I opened the door and it was the old strange man also known as Benjemin. He still was wondering about Anna and Samantha but this time he had some of his friends with him. I don't know how he knew but he knew that Anna and Samantha were staying here with me. I was scared, I thought he was gonna kill us. Benjemin and his friends looked around the house trying to find Anna and Samantha. They couldn't find them, I was the only person who knew where they were and I wasn't going to tell them, I would get hurt them seeing them get hurt. So after they were done looking around the house. They grabbed me and asked me where they were. Benjamin needed to see Anna and his baby Samantha.

     I wouldn't tell them. But all of a sudden the door opened and I turned around and it was Henry my husband and Samuel Adams. Benjamin and his friends let me go and Henry asked him what was going on why did you grab my wife. Then Benjamin told me to tell Anna and Samantha he was sorry. Him and his friends ran out the door and jumped on there horses. I had this big huge smile on my face but I was also scared. I ran up to Henry and gave him a big kiss and asked him why he was home so early and he said I couldn't be away from you that long Im sorry but what was going on between you and that man. Then Anna and Samantha popped out and said “Sorry that was my baby's father he was looking for me and Victoria helped me out and let me stay here with her Im sorry for the trouble I think its time for us to go now. “I interrupted her and asked her if she wanted to stay for dinner and told her she could stay here if she wanted to. But she said I think we should leacve we have done enough here but if you insist I think I can stay for one more night.”

December 19, 1773
     When I opened my door I found a letter on the doorstep it said to Anna and Samantha. “So I went inside and gave it to Anna so she read it out loud. It was from Benjamin who said he was going leave them alone if that's what they really wanted. He was going away for good and he did not know where he's going. So if you want to see him or anything you can find him down by the wharf now hope to hear from her and Im sorry.
After she was done reading her note out loud she decided its time for her to go home to her house since she doesn't have to worry about Benjamin. So she packed her belongings and grabbed the baby and she left. Now its just me and Henry once again happier than ever.

Epilogue

The Boston Tea Party did not stop the British. In 1774, they passed several harsh laws, Which were called the Intolerable Acts. The colonists became angry and its caused them to form the first continental congress. These men met and eventually decided to go to war against the British and their rule over the colonies.

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