Ury House Museum Stephen Lauf |
Ury House Museum
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Sunday 19 [September 1813]...At dinner I set by the side of Mrs. F. the widow of young Mr. F. late son of M F of Philada.* Her misfortunes are early and singular. She is by birth a Russian, and a native of Moscow. Her Parents died when she was very young leaving an orphan destitute of property. Mrs. Krehmer became her patroness and she was brought up in her family. She is well educated and sensible, and speaks the Russian, German, French and English languages fluently. She is apparently twenty three or four. She was addressed by Young F. to whom she gave her hand. They were married in the spring of the present year. He was two or three years older than his bride. On the day after they espousals she removed to his house. On the morning following poor F. on descending a stone stair case from the chamber of his wife, he fell, and before he was discovered had breathed his last. His fall had not been heard and he had remained a corpse an hour before he was found, casually by one of the servants. What a scene of agony and horror of r the widow Bride. How short the dream of fancied happiness. But one day had she worn the nuptial garment when she was doomed to cover herself with the sable weeds of the widow. She expressed a strong inclination to visit the friends of her late husband in America. I told her they were Quakers and that their manners and mode of life would not please her. She replied, that she was sure, that they were amiable and that was enough.
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