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The New Hampshire Gazette
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
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An elderly woman in Frederick Town, Maryland's poor-house has fasted for eight days, standing motionless in profound melancholy, shedding tears when spoken to. She recognizes her daughter but resists consolation. On July 6, 1797, she finally drank water and ate bread after crowds visit to see her.
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Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Frederick town (Md.) to his friend in this city, dated July 6, 1797.
"There is an old lady at the poor-house of this county, who has now lived eight days without taking any kind of nourishment; during that time she has stood fixed in one posture; she only raises her hand now and then to drive the flies from her face, and sheds tears when urged to set down or is spoke to. She held her head inclined forward, with her eyes cast down." I would challenge all the limners and statuaries to exhibit so expressive a picture of sorrow. Time has been planting wrinkles on her brow, and age has veiled with hoary hairs her temples; and a mere skeleton as far as skin and bones can constitute one; a deep hollow in her cheeks; and a wanness in her features, which is copiously bedewed with trickling streams of tears; and eyes fastened down on the pot, are the striking outlines of this real Niobe. She has not laid down to sleep these eight days, but stood still in one place night and day.
She evidently labours under a profound melancholy, which is aggravated by being forced from home among strangers, in whose presence she has discovered a shy timidity these four years.' Since she has been here, she has not spoken more than three or four sentences: one--when she told the keeper of the poor that the young woman who came with her was her daughter I tried all in my power to make her answer some questions I put to her. Several Divines applied religious consolation, and entreated her to disclose her distress, but all in vain; yet to-day her daughter returned, and she appeared desirous of throwing her arms around her neck, and wished to go away with her.
"From her conduct it is plain she understands every thing that is spoken to her.-She was always subject to despondency, but these last four years she never would eat in the day time; the victuals being placed in her room, at midnight she would rise and eat them. The inhabitants of the town go to the poor-house in crowds to see her.' To day, I have been told; she drank a quart of water, and eat a little corn bread. She had been fasting in a similar way for eleven days, some years since, and I believe she will get over it this time."
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Where did it happen?
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Frederick Town (Md.)
Event Date
July 6, 1797
Outcome
she drank a quart of water and ate a little corn bread on july 6; previously fasted 11 days some years ago and recovered.
Event Details
An old lady at the county poor-house has fasted for eight days, standing fixed in one posture, raising her hand occasionally to drive flies, shedding tears when urged to sit or spoken to, with head inclined forward and eyes cast down. She labours under profound melancholy aggravated by displacement among strangers, showing shy timidity for four years. She has spoken only three or four sentences since arrival, identifying her daughter to the keeper. Efforts by the writer and divines to console or question her failed, but she desired to embrace her returning daughter and leave. She understands speech, has history of despondency, ate only at midnight for four years. Crowds from town visit to see her.