Federal Work Clothes

It's never too late to blog, right? (Right?!) I finally got around to making a decent Federal working outfit last fall to wear in the kitchen at Locust Grove. I did all of the stitching on the short gown and petticoat by hand. 

Short Gown- Fig Leaf Patterns 219 

For the short gown, I used the Fig Leaf Patterns 219. This was another bit from my Jane Austen Festival haul last summer.

Like a lot of Mackenzie's patterns, this one actually comes with a couple of variations, both of which were part of the DAR Fashionable Tyrant exhibit. Since this outfit was designed for getting really dirty and sweaty in the kitchen, I went for the simpler, unlined option (the other one is a bit fancier and more substantial with a collar). 

I did add about an inch to the bottom. The original from the DAR exhibit had a VERY short skirt, which I did not think would be flattering on me. However looking around it seems like these came in a variety of lengths. You can see one example from St. Louis by Anna Maria Von Phul here 

As well as this rather interesting Danish example here

The Story of a Fallen Girl..., 1808 

Brian had apparently been hauling this striped cotton around for years, just looking for its purpose. And this was it! 

Brian sketched the line for the drawstring casing on me with a fabric marking pen. (The pattern does come with lines you can use if you don't want to DIY it).

 I used 1 inch twill tape to create the casing on the inside. 

The reinforcing piece on the neck will look strange when you cut it out, but when you go to put it together it actually will fit into place fine. 

**I accidentally inverted the pleat here. It worked out fine, but don't work off this image for it.

Petticoat- Past Patterns 037

For the petticoat, I relied on the research in  Past Patterns 037 High-Waisted Petticoat pattern.  This is based on an original from the period. As with all of Saundra Altman's patterns, this comes with a wonderful booklet full of her research and observations. I didn't actually need the pattern to cut it out, but just reading Sandra's research is VERY helpful.

I made this out of some wool suiting from Fashion Fabrics Club. I chose wool because it is more flame retardant than cotton, and I am often wearing this near the fire in the kitchen at Locust Grove. The weave is open enough that it breathes pretty well in cool to moderately warm weather. We will see how it does in the summer, but then again past a certain point there's not a lot that can keep you perfectly comfortable next to a fire in a Kentucky July.

For petticoat straps, I used more 1 inch twill tape from William Booth, Draper. I have found the best thing is cut them pretty long, then pin them in place to try it on. From there, you want to readjust the front and back on each side of your body. Between shoulders and bust, most women have at least some asymmetry, and you want to be sure that these are fit well so that you can move with ease, but they wont' come off your shoulders. I frequently find that they end up at an angle in the front.


All topped off with a cap I designed myself, and a pair of boots from Taylor Rose Historical Outfitters. This has been a very comfortable outfit, which allows me to move and work with ease in the kitchen!

The Box

In Lark Rise to Candleford Flora Thompson describes a common scene from the hamlet in England where she grew up

"A familiar sight at Lark Rise was that of a younger girl - any young girl between ten and thirteen- pushing one of the two perambulators in the hamlet round the Rise with a smallish-sized, oak clothes box with black handles lashed to the seat..... 

She had been to the Rectory for THE BOX , which appeared almost simultaneously with every new baby, and a grueling time she would have had pushing her load the mile and a half, keeping it from slipping from its narrow perch. But, very soon, such small drawbacks would be forgotten in the pleasure of seeing it unpacked. It contained half a dozen of everything- tiny shirts, swathes, long flannel barrows, nighties and napkins, made, kept in repair, and lent for every confinement by the clergymen's daughter. In addition to the loaned clothes, it would contain, as a gift, packets of tea and sugar and a tin of patent groats for making gruel. "

The ritual which Flora Thompson describes in the 1880's was an old one, going back at least as far as the beginning of the nineteenth century. We can find evidence of it in several sewing manuals from the period. These manuals, geared towards middle and upper class women, provided advice on charitable sewing for the deserving poor in their neighborhoods.

The Ladies Economical Assistant, published in England in 1808 said that "There is not, perhaps, any act of charity more truly beneficial to the poor than the custom of lending a box of linen to lying-in women, for the month of f their confinement."  In 1838, The Workwoman's Guide continued the same tradition, stating that "Linen is often lent by ladies to the poor, at their confinements, in bags, boxes, or baskets ...." which is followed by a precise inventory of recommended items to include.

The author of this work gives more detail on the box itself, saying that "....the most convenient kind of basket for containing these articles of clothing, is a light wicker-work one, about 20 inches long, 12 inches wide, and 20 inches high...it should have two handles, sufficiently high to allow of the lid opening easily."

These boxes contained clothes for the new mothers as well. The suggested inventory from The Workwoman's Guide is specifically divided between items for mother and baby, even suggesting the addition of a few books for the mother to read during her confinement. It would be tempting to think that for these women, the period of confinement provided a rare opportunity for some rest; however Thompson remembers the mothers in her hamlet taking pride in returning to their household work as quickly as possible. In any case, the authors of these manuals attempted to think equally of the comfort and needs of these poor women and their infants.

'Poor Yet Rich' Theresa Schwartze

The loaning of 'The Box' was supposed to be an orderly, well regulated affair, at least according to the manuals. The Ladies Economical Assistant has a great deal of advice on the handling of this loan, insisting that the box must be returned at the end of a month.  "I would strongly recommend' writes the author 'that no part of the contents of the box should be parted with on any account; otherwise, before the things are replaced they are probably wanted, and thus great disappointment is occasioned to whose who look upon this help as so material a comfort."For those women who required further assistance, she provides the following advice to her readers "receiving the box, with the contents well washed, and agreeing with the inventory (which should always be sent with the things,) a present of a few articles of an infant's dress may be given to deserving families, if an extension of the charity be thought proper." 

Thompson tells us that these rules were understood in the Hamlet, at least in theory. "The boxes were supposed to be returned at the end of the month" says Thompson "with the clothes freshly laundered." But of course reality does not always correspond nicely with an advice manual, and extensions were regularly given when no one else in the hamlet had recently had a child. Thus 'THE BOX' might actually stay with a single family for six or seven weeks, allowing them to avoid ever having to lay out the time and money for clothes which their children would only wear at the very beginning of their lives. And the Rector's daughter did, in fact, also make several permanent presents of infants clothing upon the THE BOX's return.

Outline for a gown for poor infants from the Workwoman's Guide 

In the Lark Rise hamlet, this institution was so popular that the Rector's daughter actually had to maintain an auxiliary box for times when the first one was in use. She also maintained two christening gowns to be used when the time came.

The Rector's daughter, Miss Ellison, gives a picture of one of the women who was doing all this charitable sewing. Thompson says "Such a life as hers must have been is almost unimaginable now. Between playing the harmonium in church, teaching in Sunday school, ordering her father's meals and overseeing the maids, she must have spent hours doing needlework." And of course 'The Box' was not the only bit of charitable sewing she was doing 'Course, unattractive needlework, too, cross-over shawls and flannel petticoats for the old women, flannel shirts and long, thick knitted stockings for the old men, these, as well as the babies print frocks, were all made by her own hands."

"Young Woman Sewing, The Artist's Sister Anna Hammerchøi," by Vilhelm Hammerchøi,  1887

Sadly, for all of her trouble, Miss Ellison was not well loved or the recipient of much gratitude in the hamlet. "She got little credit for this." Says Thompson "The mothers, like the children, looked upon the small garments, both loaned and given, as a provision of nature. Indeed, they were rather inclined to criticize."

So far Lark Rise is the latest evidence I have seen of this tradition.  Thompson writes about her 1880's childhood as a time when a great deal of change was still coming to her hamlet, where she and her siblings were the last generation to experience many decades, or even centuries, old rhythms of life growing up. This was a tradition which made sense before inexpensive, ready-made clothing was widely available for infants. When the amount of time and effort it would take to make and maintain such clothing was much better done once by one wealthier person with leisure time, than repeated by a whole village of mothers who had little in the way of either time or money for materials.

However I would be very interested to see if and how long this tradition may have continued in other places. If you have seen any other examples of 'The Box' please let me know in the comments below! Many thanks to my friend Eleanor Rust for bringing Lark Rise to Candleford to my attention!

Home Organization with the Workwoman's Guide

Winter Break is finally here, and for this teacher that means time for a little household tidying! All of my recent projects, while delightful, have definitely left a mess in our cutting room dining room, so that was where I started. This included all kinds of small bits of fabric for potential caps and other projects.

Organizing lots of little bits of things is always difficult for me. Luckily, The Workwoman's Guide has the following suggestion

"A rag bag is a desirable thing to have hung up in some conspicuous part of the house, into which all odd bits, and even shreds, of calico, print, linen, muslin, & c should be put: as they are useful to come in when a gusset or chin stay, or other small article is wanting. Those bits too small for this purpose may still be used by school children, for practicing stitches; or, at all events, may be disposed of to the rag merchants, and thus prove of some value at last...."


Obviously I could not go any further with cleaning until I made a rag bag!

She goes on to say that

"Another family bag, for the purpose of containing stray tapes, or shoe strings, hooks, eyes, odd buttons, pieces of silk , or bits of ribbon, may be kept with advantage; especially where there is a large family of children, whose demands for these small articles are daily and constant."

Since I do, in fact, have stray ribbons and pieces of tape about the place, this seemed like a good idea as well. She also suggests a small bag to be kept in your work-box for these things, which I also want to do, since those and thread are usually what causes a mess there. 

The Guide is full of this strong desire for what the author considers 'economy' and efficiency. Today, we might think of it as 'sustainability', but whatever you call it, I think she has a few lessons to teach us about it.  I usually put bits of fabric which are big enough under the sink to use as cleaning rags. Some of these will still doubtless end up here, but this will keep them clean in case I want to use them for caps or some other small thing. And I did add some pieces which I would normally have just tossed, but which really will be good for chin stays for infants caps or other similar projects in the future. 

We have come to think of large-scale industrial production as being more efficient, but it is marvelous how the home economy described in the Guide finds a use for every last piece of material. 

Unfortunately I don't think I'm going to have a value or use for those little tiny scraps the author would have given to the rag and bone man. It's a shame, as I really hate to throw things away. It's really an excellent example of how wasteful we have become compared to our ancestors who used everything. 

The Workwoman's Guide - A gown for infants of the 'lower classes'

"Another Infant's Flannel Gown"

So I am sewing my way through the Workwoman's Guide. As detailed in my last post, I've been making-up some sewing which will be appropriate to send to some of my friends at the Dickens Fair to work on in character.

I had a lot of fun with the caps in my last post, but I wanted to move onto something bigger that people could really show off as part of a gig at Dickens. But I also wanted to keep it pretty simple, so anyone could easily pick it up and work on it. I found the perfect option among the various instructions for making gowns for infants:

"This shape is the one generally used by the lower classes , not only for flannels, but for print gowns and petticoats; and is preferred to others on account of the ease with which it is cut out, and also because there is much less needle-work in the making up: there is, however, some waste, which is an objection. The gown is 13 nails long , but as there should be no seam on the shoulder, the two breadths must be cut in one length of 26 nails, which is 1 yard 10 nails. Double it in two, so as to be 13 nails long, and then fold it in half very evenly down the middle, so as to make the four selvages lie exactly one upon the other, and pin them firmly down to keep the folds in place; then, after measuring three nails from the selvages at the top (see A S), to determine the length of the sleeves, cut out the part S C D, to form the neck of the gown. Observe that the part from S to C is nail deep, which should be nicely rounded off, and from C to D, the bosom is cut straight along...."

This was nice and straightforward. It does not explicitly say how wide the breadth should be, but going off the sketch, the folded over fabric is 7 Nails (3+ 4), so the full breadth  would be 14 Nails (31.5 inches). This was the smallest breadth listed among the other gown variations, and my understanding is that that was a common width of fabric in the period.

This was pretty easy and fun to sketch out. I felt a bit like the mice from Cinderlla with my chalk and pattern book! The only thing that seems a bit odd to me are the sleeves, though I followed the directions clearly. 

To me  they look a bit skinny, especially relative to the body of the gown. To be fair this was designed for poor Victorian infants, who may have been undernourished, certainly compared to modern infants. However were I to make this again I think I would add a half inch to the sleeve measurement and adjust the curve in the arm accordingly. 

Can you count the cats in this picture? 

Next up, construction!

"The gown is next shaped at the side; and to do so properly, put in a pin at S, and fold it in a regular slope down to the bottom of the gown. Measure down the slope from the top, S, the distance of 2 nails, and put in a pin as a guide; cut off from the bottom upwards to T, and rounding it off at the corner, slope along T K for the sleeve, allowing 1 1/2 nail width for the wrist . In making it up, the seams should be joined with a mantua-maker's hem and a band should be sewn on the inside of the front, to be 6 nails in length, and about 1 1/2 nail below the neck. Cut a button-hole in the gown at each end of the band, draw with a bodkin a piece of tape through one hole, and fasten it down at the other extremity of the band; do the same with the other button-hole, so that on pulling the tapes, the gown will be drawn up, and neatly fulled in the front."

I used some 5/8 inch twill tape to create this band on the inside.

I used 1/4 inch twill tape to pull it up, and did the button-holes with a waxed linen thread.

This was quite fun to 'neatly full' in the front, however it left the actual neck large and floppy. There are no instructions whatever here about finishing the neck, but there is a line in the plate which looks like a drawstring casing.

So I turned the neck under to create the casing, and made two more buttonholes in the front for a drawstring. I used more 1/4 twill tape for the string. All the tape you see here came from William Booth, Draper at the Sign of the Unicorn. 

This allows you to draw up the neck to match the middle, so I have to assume it is supposed to happen, it just somehow didn't make it into the actual written directions.

So, having gone through two of these projects now, my big takeaway is that you definitely need to compare the plate and directions, and use your best judgement. 

Now, to get it all packed up and in the mail for the final two weeks of Dickens! 

The Workwoman's Guide- Caps for Poor Infants

For those of you who are not familiar, the Workwoman's Guide was first published in England in 1838 by 'A Lady'. Geared towards Middle Class and wealthy women, the Guide includes sewing and cutting instructions for many different garments, including those which might be worn within their own home. It also lays out clear instructions for making clothes for the poor to wear.

I have long been wanting to get my hands dirty, so to speak, and recreate some of these garments. I finally found my excuse as the time rolls around once again for the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco. Dickens is a wonderful Victorian Christmas extravaganza, where visitors will meet characters from Charles Dickens novels as well as historical characters such as Queen Victoria and Dickens himself.

Queen Victoria and her ladies 

These include ladies of quality, as well as many of what the Victorians called the 'deserving' (and 'undeserving') poor.  The perfect people to be creating and receiving some of these garments! And since I cannot attend myself this year,  I decided to put some projects together to send out to some of my friends there to work on in character.

The Guide is organized by chapter with accompanying image plates. Each chapter is broken up by garment type, and then into variations on that type. These are clearly delineated based on whether they are for wealthy or the poor. There is a whole section in Chapter three on making caps for infants and young children, which including several variations based on age of the child and income level.
For my first project, I chose to make caps for poor infants, from Plate 2 Fig 12 & 13. The description is as follows

"This is much used by the poor, and is easily made and as easily washed. Take of the material a piece 6 nails down the selvage, and 3 1/2 nails wide. Double it, letting D be the double part. Sew up the back from A to C, leaving a hole or button-hole at the top, C; make a runner all round the front and behind, at half a nail's distance from edge, which is hemmed with a very narrow hem to form a frill: also, lay in a runner from E to F: next, sew a bobbin at B, letting one end of the string hang outside, and the other, being pulled through the seam, remains inside the cap. The end is carried up and brought out through the hole at C.....when worn the tapes, at being tied together at B, draw the cap up into shape, and if neatly arranged and pulled out with the fingers, it looks very neat and pretty....some put a loop of bobbin inside at B, which, on being brought out through C, fastens to a button at B, on the outside."

According to the Guide, a 'nail' is 2 1/4 inches, so 6 nails by 3 1/2 nails is 13.5 inches by just under 8 inches.

The illustrations on the accompanying plate look as follows

There were a few things that confused me with these instructions. First of all, how to make the runner? Also, the illustration clearly has a strap (which, interestingly, is placed differently in Figure 13 than it is in Figure 12), yet the instructions include no mention of such a strap.

I made a couple of prototypes just folding the fabric and stitching in a channel, but I wasn't satisfied with the shape it gave.

But then I looked back at some of the earlier sections in the chapter. An earlier set of instructions for

"Child's Flannel Cap" contained the following instructions

"Two runners, or string cases.... are then made by hemming neatly two bits of soft tape or sarsenet inside....."

Here then was the solution! It appears that this Lady did not feel the need to repeat anything which would work generally for all variations within the same garment group. Having already defined how to make a runner for a cap once, why take up more space doing so again?

I used tape for the runners on my next attempt and was quite pleased with the results.

Next was the chin-strap issue. Another cap variation , for a "Foundling Cap", contained the following instructions

"A chin-stay is three nails long, ** and half a nail wide.....The chin-stay should be neatly sewn up the whole length, with a small button-hole at one end; they are generally sewn on at the left corner of the cap, and the button on the right." 

 This pattern also included the following option

"Some persons prefer having two buttons sewn on the cap, one at each ear, and the stay made with two button-holes, so as to be easily changed and washed, without changing the cap also, as babies are apt to wet them, which makes them hard and rough to the chin."

I have got enough experience with infants to see the wisdom in this. And anyway, when it comes to Victorian baby clothes, the more button-holes and buttons the more fun! So on this cap I added the double button holes.

  

Getting good shots of this without an actual Victorian infant to put it on was somewhat challenging.

Brian also gave me some lovely vintage ceramic buttons to add a nice little touch.

I'm quite pleased with this cap. However I will say that as cute as I think it is, the runner does not create nearly the amount of ruffle shown in the illustration in the plate. Having gone through several variations on how to do this, I feel confident saying that it's just going to- which is fine. I just need to keep in mind for future projects that the plate is a rough guide, may romanticize the finished product a bit.


So, big takeaways from my first foray into the Workwoman's Guide

• Read the whole section for the type of garment, not just the variation you are making
• It may not look exactly like the plate (and that's ok). 

I will be packing several finished caps up this week along with cut out pieces to work on new ones. I hope to make some more garments to send out as well before the run is over. Hopefully we will see some pictures of them in action soon!

New Cotton Spencer

Of course, one of the best parts of the Jane Austen Festival is the shopping! 

Honestly, I think I did a pretty good job of holding back this year, all things considered. But one thing I was really after was some fabric for a new spencer. Since so much of my living history time is spent in very warm conditions, I really wanted some light cotton. The only other one I have is cotton velvet, and I just didn't have the heart to even try putting it on this summer. 

I think it shows how the further I go the less I feel like I have to prove. My first Jane Austen was like 'I WILL WEAR THIS THING ALL DAY TO SHOW OF WHAT I AM MADE'. This year I kind of looked at it in the closet for a second in the morning and thought 'wow, that looks unpleasant, I'm not gonna do that'.

My main inspiration piece was this one from Gennessee Country Village, graphed out on 19thus.org

(back view)

I found some lovely cotton from Regency Revisited which really reminded me of the print on this short gown 

For the body pieces on this I used a pattern that was draped on me at a Burnley & Trowbridge  pelisse workshop in 2015. The sleeves I had drafted for another project last summer, and the collar I pulled from the Period Impressions spencer pattern.

My main goal with this project, other than making something that won't kill me in the heat, was to not obsess over details and crank something out. I've gotten VERY into period hand- construction details the last couple years, and in general I am prone to obsess over every little detail as I go. For the most part I really enjoy that, but it's also starting to feel like everything I do takes forever. So for the most part I tried to forgo all the period topstitching techniques  and actually let myself crank this one out.

There were a couple of exceptions to this. I pinned the bust darts in place and topstitched them down by hand.

This is a wonderful fitting technique I learned at the same B & T workshop which saves SO MUCH TIME I used to spend stitching a dart on the inside, trying it on to fit, restitching, etc. To help with the fitting I actually sewed hook and eye tape down the front before I fit the darts.

This way I had the front fastened exactly as it will be when I fit the darts, instead of trying to approximate that fit with pins.

From there I added a waistband which I sewed on by machine and finished by hand. 

Unfortunately when all was said and done, it was fitting kind of loosely on the bottom. I had hoped that the waistband would take care of this but it didn't, so, with Brian's help, I added a pleat in the back. 

The finished result is cool and comfortable, I am very happy to say.

Photos by Brian Cushing.

Bonnet by Lynn McMasters 

Jane Austen Festival 2017

I think this was my favorite year for the Jane Austen Festival yet. For once, the July weather in Kentucky was (relatively) obliging, at least enough so to allow a certain degree of comfort and gentility. I was quite pleased with how our set-up came together. What I'm calling 'The Parlour' is shaping up as a comfortable and social atmosphere, the 'Meryton' to Lady Caroline's 'Rosings'. We've created a really love place that is focused on interaction with the visitors while providing respite and relaxation for the event participants and organizers.

There was some lovely cards and conversation

Mr. Armitage came to visit the parlour

Photo by Janet Abell

As well as some genuinely delightful visitors.

This little lady had the most delightful manners, she obviously took after her lovely and refined parents. 

Photo courtesy of Historic Locust Grove

Several of whom we introduced to the game of whist. I have come to really love period card games, they are such a wonderful way to give someone a really hands on, interactive experience - and the folks who come to Jane Austen are always ready with the kind of wit and conversation that these games are really made to facilitate!

Photo by Asha Ananda

And then there was the duel, where so many of the living history performance techniques I have talked about on this blog came very nicely into play.

For this year's scenario we took an episode out of Locust Grove's history which blended well into Jane Austen.

In 1822 Ann Croghan, daughter of William and Lucy Croghan, the owners of Locust Grove, was married to Thomas Sidney Jesup, the Quartermaster General of the United States Army. This was an advantageous match for her, to say the least. While Ann had grown up in one of the wealthiest houses in Kentucky, she would now move to Washington City and move among the leaders of the nation. However all was not smooth on the way to the alter.

On August 6th, 1821, her brother in law George Hancock wrote to Jesup

"...You must have been impressed with the belief that Miss A [Ann Croghan] was engaged to D. [Davis] and as you have asked me as a man of Honor to state whether this is true, I will as such state what I know to be true. First I most positively say that she never was engaged to him, & that she never intended marrying him......"

Mrs. Jesup after her marriage

Original portrait is on display at Locust grove, photo by Fox & Rose Photography

Later that month, on August 28th, Hancock again wrote to Jesup


"....I this morning received your letter of the 20th inst. your having heard that Miss C  was to be married to Mr. B is another instance of the disposition of mankind to circulate reports, that have not the smallest grain for their origin--previous to my leaving Louisville I had a conversation with miss C. & the subject of my letter was to known to her’ and had she been engaged she would not have subjected me to the unpleasant result of such a fact...."

Thomas Jesup by Charles Bird King

Marrying Jessup was more than a romantic match for Ann, it set her up for a life of comfort and status, all of which this gossip was endangering. And as a woman, she was in a difficult position. A male relative had to intervene to help smooth over the situation with her intended. As it was, Jesup believed her brother in law, and the other suitors withdrew, but what if things hadn't worked out so smoothly? Our scenario then was that Brian, who loves to be the villain, had endangered Brandon's sister's intended marriage by spreading rumors that he himself was engaged to said sister.

We also tried to change things up a little to incorporate some of the research we had done into dueling recently. For starters, we let the seconds handle most of the negotiations. They also marked out the agreed upon space between duelists- going back to back may look great in the movies, but it was not dueling procedure in the 19th century.

Mr. Phipps, as second, hands his principal his weapon

Photo courtesy of Historic Locust Grove

The thing about street theater is, it has to read from far away. If you think like a film actor and get up in each other's faces, it just gets lost more than a few feet away, and you won't attract any attention. You also want to work very hard to bring the crowd to where you want them. In this case, our players began with a 'preshow' scene at the top of the circle drive in front of the house. The duelists met with their seconds, aired their grievances to the crowd, then parted, each going the opposite way around the circle drive. As they went, they continued to air their grievances to anyone they could find, drawing the crowd with them as they reached the dueling ground, where grievances were once again aired for the assembled crowd.

At the same time, several of our usual Locust Grove players moved through the festival, drawing focus to the duel and moving the crowd towards the appointed place 'Oh my goodness, have you heard, the gentlemen are going to duel! OVER THERE!!' 

I enjoyed going up to several of the gentlemen and saying "Sir, you look as though you are a man of the world, will you please attend this dreadful event and be sure that all is carried out above board and honorably according to the Code Duelo?'

And of course, duels are practically made for cheating out to an audience!

Photo courtesy of Historic Locust Grove

 On Sunday, the duel directly followed Brian's Dressing Mr. Darcy talk. This presented an intriguing challenge/opportunity- how to move him from the main tent to the dueling ground, keeping his audience with us as we went, rather than creating chaos and losing them.

Brandon and his second approached from the entrance to the tent. Brandon stayed back several feet, doing a lovely job of projecting physically to gain focus. Dave, his second, stayed at the edge of the tent, challenging Brian and his second who stayed on the stage. This way the dialogue literally happened over the heads of the assembled audience in the tent, so that they could see and hear it all clearly.

I was beyond proud and pleased when several of our other seasoned interpreters instinctively appeared to help move the crowd from there. We had two of us each on either side of the exit then motioning and moving the crowd the way we wanted them to go.

What you can't tell is that they are perfectly station to guide folks coming out of the presentation tent the way we wanted them to go. I didn't even ask them, they've just developed the sense and appeared where they were needed. *sniff* IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL! 

We also didn't have one of the duelists die on Saturday. Instead, one of our principles took a hit, and honor was satisfied, resolving the matter. Duels make for naturally great theater, but one of the sticky bits is what to do with an actor who has 'died' in front of a large audience who, generally, refuse to leave until he gets up. But the reality is that duels did not always end in death- in fact, many never occurred at all, if the seconds were skilled enough negotiators to bring the matter to a close without violence.

I am a little troubled by how unconcerned his second is....

Photo courtesy of Historic Locust Grove

However Brian just loves to take a hit, so, on Sunday, down he went. Luckily the solution presented itself in the form of several willing and burly sailors from the Acasta who hauled him off.

Not before picking him clean, of course!

Photos courtesy of Historic Locust Grove

Btw, there is another interesting etiquette tidbit from the Ann Croghan saga which Austen fans will appreciate- in his first letter, Hancock assured Jesup of the reason he and Ann had yet not been officially engaged

"At the time you addressed her I know that she intended to have you, and the morning you addressed her at Mrs Prestons that she had determined to engage herself, but was advised by a Female Friend first to consult her Father, & she determined not to encourage you until she had & supposed that she would in a short time see you in Washington, when if her father consented she would engage herself"