Page:Autobiography of Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes.djvu/31

Rh Witch, and I have been told she practiced the art of fortune telling to some profit. She certainly never denied it when I, in after years, asked her about it. She thought second sight was inherited by her, and her proficising relative to myself after I had entered the Navy fully confirmed her in it. She often said to my sister, "Did I not tell you what my boy would become?" But my sister often told her I was only a mid in the American Navy & there were no Admirals in this country. She always replied, "Never mind, There will be," and her proficy would come true.

She was of that class of faithful servants who knew hard work and had the energy to continue it. After her 2nd marriage, with White, he became the gardener of Mrs Renwick, the mother of my first wife, [at] Bloomingdale where [the] Whites lived in a cottage and took care of the vegetable garden. Mammy White then assisted to support her family by washing & used to go to the city in her horse & cart on Monday & bring out the clothes and on Saturday she was seen taking them again to the city in their Inspection ordered condition. I believe they remained as Gardener to Mrs Renwick for several years. Most of her children were born there. Her first and oldest boy she named after me, Charles Wilkes White, whom she apprenticed to a glass blower and the last I heard of him he was engaged in his trade near Boston.

Mammy White was extremely fond of Mrs Renwick & her family, especially of her Daughter little Jane then probably about 12 years of age and for whom she had a great liking and often left her to gather all the flowers about her cottage of which both Mr White & herself were very fond, but no one else would they permit to touch them. After Mrs Renwick removed from the country White sickened and subsequently died leaving Mammy White with her large family of five children to work and care for — after this she removed to the Harlem Common in a coarse & solitary shantie surrounded by bare rocks and small growth of scrub ash about half a mile removed from any dwelling. She had her horse cart & cow & a few pigs & a small plot for truck with a hurdle fence around it. A wild situation as I found it on one occasion of a visit and I felt that the impression left on my mind after the visit and chat with her [was] not much surprise that she was regarded as a witch. I thought she rather gave encouragement to it, as she felt it was a great protection to her, she never lost any of her clothes though constantly in the habit of leaving them out all night. She appeared to be well aware of the general opinion concerning her. I must say I was greatly impressed with herself and the whole surroundings, and an indescribable feeling that there might be some reason for the general opinion entertained by the surrounding neighborhood. She looked the gipsy & probably acted as bravely. There was no report to her disadvantage. No one said ought against her honesty and current deportment and she had many friend[s] & good customers in the city. [She] devoted herself to her business with punctuality and was a most excellent laundress.

Shortly after my visit, I received one from her there stopping with my