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History of Orange County
Towns of Goshen, Hamptonburgh and Chester
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The descendents of Sarah, the maid of Wawayanda, like the stately primeval trees of the forest, are found every where in the county, adorning the variegated walks of life, while the virtuous conduct and industrious habits of the early settlers generally, their good sound sense and native integrity, are still observable and prominent in the long and numerous line of their descendents. But we forbear, and the reader will please to finish the picture, by the introduction of such figures as may suit his pencil.
Denn's Excuse.
We remarked in an early part of this article, that we were uninformed of the reason why Christopher and Madam Denn did not accompany Sarah to make the settlement, and how they could consent to send her alone to do it, under all the circumstances of the case. Denn's intention as expressed on the ferry stairs at parting was, that he would proceed and join her whenever the workmen should complete the cabin, return to the city and inform him of it. Why we do not know, but this settlement and departure from the city was a kind of secret affair. Perhaps it was, that Denn being in failing circumstances, the articles of outfit might have been liable to seizure and his person not safe from arrest when out of the city. It is possible, that in as much as they had been persons of some wealth and distinction, they could not sacrifice their pride and feelings to perform so humble and undignified an act. We fear, if the truth could be known, that the whole transaction was so contrived, hastened, managed and executed, as to excite no suspicions in the minds of his friends and creditors, if it should happen to leak out that he was about to leave the city. This is our suspicion, inferred from the whole transaction, though we do not wish to he censorious, or cast a shade upon his conduct and want of feeling, in exposing an orphan girl under his authority and protection, to the dangers of such a mission.
But let him speak for himself, we will not condemn without a hearing, for his statement is calculated to leave an agreeable impression of his conduct and intention. He informed Sarah, that when be committed her with the cattle, Indians and household goods to the boat, he thought but little more of her than he did of them-that he was elated with the hopeful nature of the expedition and speedy accomplishment of a settlement, of which he had no doubt, from her known character for energy, obedience and execution, if her health should be spared and no accident intervened to prevent her-that it was with such hopes and feelings excited by the prospect, he and Madam Denn returned from the dock to their dwelling. It was then dark and on lighting candles and looking round the room all was lonely and silent. Sarah, the only cricket that played and chirped on the hearth stone was gone, her innocent life perhaps sacrificed at his bidding, to save himself from executing so mean an office.- His conscience told him he had practised a fraud upon her, and that he and Madam Denn ought to have accompanied her, shared the dangers of the river and forest, assumed the control and responsibility of the affair. That they were smitten with remorse for what they had done, and that night, before they retired to rest, determined to make immediate amends for their past conduct, by joining her soon as possible on the patent. If his representations are entitled to credit, he informed her that the night she left, his sleep was disturbed and uneasy, being broken in upon by horrible dreams of accidents on the water and in the wilderness, that he had lost his character as a humane and prudent man, and gained that of a savage and brutal murderer.