The RAID at MARTINS pt3

image by Rebecca Llewellyn

Friday May 8- A restless night on the hard floor was interrupted by a morning shower that caused the roof to leak in a spot just above my head. I rose and dressed and waited for the rain to let up a bit while I made a breakfast from the provisions I had packed in. Nuts, dried cherries, a bit of salted beef, and a small apple. I finally decided that it had no intention to letting up, so I carried my blue box out and down to the fort so that I could demonstrate my trade. I was soaked to the bone by the time I arrived inside the gate.

I got the table dried off and ready just in time for the brief morning storm to give way to a period of clear sky. A goodly number of children stopped by to visit, and I spoke with them about the art and mystery of my profession. I was perplexed by some of their colorful attire and strange mannerisms, but was generally able to present to them in a manner they could understand.

At 10:30 gray skies and the threat of more rain sent me indoors to the land office to visit with mr. Moore where he had set up to bind books. Afterward, I visited the shops set up on the nearby hill. Whilst out, I met Jack Johnson, his friend mr. McBee and his daughter Sarah McBee. Mr. Johnson called out to me from across the fairway, and had with him one of the prints of the broadside I designed for the purpose of promoting the fair at Schoenbrunn Village in October of this year.

The wet weather and mud kept my boots and stockings soaked to the ankle causing a fearsome blister to be raised on the back of my left heel. I finally resolved to go barefoot for a time to allow my boots and stockings to dry out in the mid day sun. I then fetched some straw to use for my bed, as I was determined not to sleep upon the bare floorboards again. I found a quantity of straw and used three boards I found discarded in the cabin to make a rough frame to contain the straw, afterward laying my blankets for later that night.

I spent a good deal of my afternoon and evening at the outpost with mr. Deeds, young mr. Bealer and Capt. Martin.