Sturbridge, Mass. Population 2000 plus 1....An Early 19th Century International Story Part 2

L. Valentín Story/Photos
Jan 25, 2018
4 min read

Judge Knight's life was just about to change, he had a difficult decision to make! "Why don't you take Luis Angel as your helper at your store... how do you say in English, apprentice... right?" Said Mr. San Miguel

Judge Knight's glass came flying across their table and Sancho Panza, Mr. San Miguel's monkey jumped and began enjoying the delicious porter that had spilled all over their table. "I will pay you an apprenticeship fee for him to spend time learning the retail business back at your village." Judge Knight was still shocked by the proposition and the humorous monkey salvaging the ale from the table, "We both can get something out of this" said Mr. San Miguel with his thick Spanish accent. "You get some help at the store and take advantage of Luis Angel's wine and olive oil knowledge, as he learns about the culture of New England. This will help me expand my export business here. This could be a great contract between us" Mr. San Miguel said to Judge Knight. Luis Angel was completely taken by his boss' plans, scared and excited, "¡Ay, Dios mío!,"

could this be the new camino I have been dreaming of?"

"Sleep on it tonight and let's have breakfast tomorrow morning." Judge Knight walked to his room needing to sleep and process this very unique and unexpected evening with the Spaniards!

"I can get an apprentice, get paid for it and have someone that knows these two new products." thought Judge Knight as he woke early on his hotel bed. "I just can't go wrong with this deal." Judge Knight sat down and immediately wrote a letter to his beloved Susan about the details of this once in a life time opportunity. He went to the postmaster at the hotel and sent the letter with the speediest possible delivery service available.

Mrs. Knight couldn't wait for her husband's arrival, although she was a little nervous about the new addition to the household. She had made accommodations for Judge Knight's new apprentice and was hopeful that this would be a good decision for their business. " An extra hand would be great around here" she thought while she swept the store before opening time.

Emma had taken over many of the chores required around the house since her mother had been busy working at the store.

Normally Mr. Knight had his friend Mr. Ezekiel Webb work at the store during his absence, but Mr. Webb was away traveling in the West. Emma was finally back to herself after being sick for almost a year from working at the Lowell Mills. She had been attending the Hartford Female Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut but in a rebellious act quit the seminary to pursue her writing and work at the Lowell Mills. She was 19 years of age and a very talented writer. She had an appetite for knowledge and a desire to see the world, unsheltered by her parents and formal schooling . Emma was involved with a group of individuals including a reverend who started a monthly periodical called Lowell Offerings. It was a collection of contributed works of poetry and fiction by the female textile workers. She left the mills before this project was up and running, but that's for another day to tell.

Judge Knight and his new apprentice arrived home just before dinnertime and Mr. Luis Angel was ready to experience his first rural New England meal of his lifetime. Mrs. Knight and Emma looked at their new guest with curiosity as they never seen someone like him before. He was tall and slender, darker skin and long curly hair. He was dressed like no apprentice Emma had ever seen before. He spoke with a deep voice revealing his Spanish accent, "Good day ladies". "Good Day Mr. Luis Angel, please be so kind as to sit for some dinner" said Mrs. Knight. " I think this is going to be a great arrangement, I can see it working well" said Judge Knight to himself. This would be first of many meals they would have together, the Knights and their new Caribbean apprentice.

Emma was drinking her cider, she closed her eyes for a moment and once again her sense of curiosity and adventure began to take over. This interesting stranger from a far away foreign land somehow re-ignited all that creativity that Emma had been missing since the Seminary. In this instance thousands of words and thoughts saturated Emma's mind as they were ready to come to life, exist.

That evening she wrote:

As I walk on those yesterday’s moments tracks of a lonely unknown memory images of an explorer, a seeker of life inhabits the strings of my imagination

Words unique to my soul project a sense of belonging attraction to a sunbeam of discovery that does not want to wait any longer

footsteps I must follow guided only by an internal pulse flight plan-less it is but still my earth covered feet will reach my journey’s end