Sweet Polly Oliver and the Tomcat Chapter 1
I do not own Hamilton: An American Musical or any of its characters or the song "Sweet Polly Oliver"
The year was 1761.
It was late at night, the stars were out and everyone in Albany, New York was fast asleep. All expect for one. At the Schuyler mansion, also known as the Pastures, located at 32 Catherine Street there was one resident that was slowly making her way around the mansion. She made her way to a certain part of her home, it was a place filled with memorabilia from the previous generations of the Schuyler family. They all had one thing in common: they were prominent in securing the Schuyler legacy.
The little girl around the age of four made her way to the hall that held the portraits of her ancestors and the other pieces of memorabilia. The hall would lead into a room that always had its doors open; it held nothing but the past. Along her way there she made sure to be quick but quiet, she didn't want to wake her family members especially her sisters. If they woke up they wouldn't leave her alone until she told them what she was up to, that was a fact.
After another turn she reached her destination. She slowly walked to the area; she held her breath and her heartbeat increased. It was as if she was worried about not being worthy enough to stand before such prizes despite the fact that she had seen them all before. She gazed long and hard at the reminders of the past. She couldn't believe that she was descended from a family this great. She finally let out the breath she was holding as she made her way through the pieces of history.
Who was this little girl? She is Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, the second and middle daughter of Philip Schuyler and Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler. Dark brown hair fell on her shoulders and soft brown eyes decorated her face. A light blue nightgown was her outfit as she walked through the mansion.
Why was she out and about so late at night? She couldn't sleep, especially not when the words of her father kept repeating in her head.
Philip Schuyler, a man who had made a name for himself over the years had achieved many great accomplishments and he acquired so much. However, despite all of this there was still one thing he had never been able to have. A son. Don't get him wrong he loved and treasured his wife Catherine to no end and over the years she bore him three beautiful daughters but this was a time where only males could secure their legacies.
A woman could have a legacy but hers would most likely not be taken as seriously as a man's legacy or it would soon be forgotten. Poor Eliza Schuyler was born during a patriarchal era. She would not be able to secure her father's legacy even if she could do so much and all because she was a daughter. This was what troubled her and this is what brought upon her restlessness at night. She thought about her father and she thought about his worries about not being able to conceive a son to carry on the Schuyler legacy. She remembered going to her father's office one day in order to give him some flowers she picked from the garden. She had a habit of putting them in his office and it never ceased to make him smile, he enjoyed his middle child's company whenever she did this. But that one day changed everything.
It was the day her relatives came to visit, her father's cousins. They were distant relatives since her father had no actual siblings, that fact alone made the idea of preserving the Schuyler legacy from his side of the family even more vital. Philip Schuyler's father passed away when he was still a young boy and his mother never remarried or had any other children besides him. There was her Uncle Richard, Uncle William, Uncle Gerald and Aunt Hattie. Eliza watched with her sisters, mother and father as they came to the house.
Richard had green eyes and dark brown hair with a moustache; he also walked with a limp. He had to use a cane in order to make walking easier; his limp was due to an injury he sustained during his time in the army. However, despite his limp and his cane he was still a tall and proud man.
William was a short statured man; he wore a thin pair of glasses over his gray eyes and he had short dark hair. The man also had noticeable dimples on each side of his face; they never failed to bring the warmth out of his smiles.
Gerald sported dark brown eyes that matched his hair color, he also wore glasses but they were a little thicker than Theodore's. He was about as tall as Richard but still a little shorter than him. He also never left his home without his family pocket watch, it was his prized possession and he made sure everyone knew it as soon as he walked into the room.
Hattie was a petite woman. She had her dark brown hair tied back into a formal bun; a light dust of freckles decorated her round face. Her eyes resembled those of a doe and they were the same color too.
They had all gathered together to discuss some important business with her father. She remembered the look on her father's face once he saw their carriages pull up to the Schuyler mansion gate. He looked unsure and nervous, something her father rarely showed. In all the time she had known her father he always had a look of pride on his face, especially when he was around his family. But this time was different and that made little Eliza Schuyler even more determined to give him the flowers that day despite the fact that he had requested that no one disturb them while they had their meeting in his office.
She pranced down the hallway with some flowers in her arms. They were lilies, her father's favorite flower. A big smile was on her dirt covered face as she made her way to her father's office. When she was in front of the door she reached out to the door knob and slowly turned it. The door creaked open a little bit and she was about to enter to surprise her father when something stopped her dead in her tracks.
"Philip you have no male heirs, no sons!" she heard her Uncle Gerald exclaim.
Her eyes widen and she immediately stopped pushing the door, there was a little slit for her to see and hear the meeting going on between the Schuyler relatives. But nobody seemed to notice the little four year old as she stood outside the door, listening to their conversation. They were too engrossed in what they were doing to pay any attention to her.
"That means that Angelica is going to have to have to carry on the Schuyler legacy," her Uncle Gerald added. "She will have to marry a man of noble status in order to preserve the bloodline."
"But Gerald you know that she even if she did marry someone of status she would never be able to truly carry on the Schuyler legacy," Aunt Hattie argued.
Hattie Schuyler wasn't related by blood to the family but she was married to Gerald Schuyler, she had to give up her last name when she married Gerald. Her family had been grateful for the marriage since while she may not have been able to continue her legacy with their name she could at least have one with the Schuyler name. It was no secret that if someone managed to marry into the Schuyler family they were set for life, even the men who married into the Schuyler family were considered to be very lucky. But Philip Schuyler was the first in a long line of Schuylers who didn't produce a son from his marriage. The son didn't even have to be the first born in order to carry on the family's legacy.
"Gerald, Hattie," Mr. Schuyler addressed. "I am well aware of my position and of what is to be expected of Angelica. Please do not talk down to me as if I am a child."
While Mr. Schuyler would listen to what his relatives would have to say at the same time he would not tolerate disrespect in his house. He also would not have them talking about his oldest daughter as if she was nothing but a pawn. A pawn that had to marry in order to of use to anybody, he loved his daughter too much to see her like that. As stated before Philip Schuyler always had a face full of pride when it came to his family.
Eliza had never seen her father lash out like that before, it kind of frightened her. But nonetheless she continued to listen to the conversation. She heard her Uncle Theodore clear his throat.
"Philip, forgive them. You know that they did not mean to show any disrespect towards you or your daughter," he stated. "We just want to make sure that your legacy will be remembered for generations after you are gone."
Eliza couldn't but smile at her Uncle Theodore's tone; out of all the uncles she had he was her favorite. He was so kind and gentle and he had a way with words. He was known as the peacemaker in the Schuyler family for this reason. He never cared for violence and he was not a man who proved that he could fight unlike his cousin, Mr. Schuyler. He had made his legacy based on the successful trade business he had and on the business deals he made throughout his life. He was a very intelligent man when it came to numbers and investments. Whenever he came around he always brought a gift for the girls, this time was no different. Earlier today Eliza and her sisters received a new doll from their beloved uncle, the dolls were handcrafted to look like them. The doll's had their features and the girls already adored them. Yes without a doubt Uncle Theodore was their favorite.
Her father spoke once again only this time he used a gentler tone; it was one that she had come to know since he would always use it in front of his wife and children. For Eliza Schuyler it was a tone that was very loving and meaningful.
"With all due respect Theodore my legacy is fine the way is it," Mr. Schuyler argued. "I have lived a good life. I served my nation, I made a name for myself, I have a lovely home, I married the woman I loved and I have three wonderful daughters. As far as I am concerned that is enough to preserve my legacy."
Suddenly a loud and booming voice filled the room and Eliza immediately knew who it belonged to, Richard Schuyler.
"What a bunch of rubbish!" he commented. "Philip you know as well as anyone else how the world works! Children are a part of a parent's legacy which is why you have to raise then right! With what I've seen you've given your daughters too much freedom, how do you expect them to listen to you if you do so!"
Eliza shrunk back a little at the sound of her uncle's voice. Out of all the uncles, no out of all the relatives she had he was her least favorite. He always seemed to have a scowl on his face whenever he went and Eliza always noticed that he had his nose in the air whenever he went out. It like his way of saying that he was better than everyone around him. Much like Mr. Schuyler he had served his nation as well, in fact he served alongside her father but he never reached the credentials her father had during his time in the army. Maybe that's why he never really liked her father; her mother had said the same thing to her and her sisters several times before. She had always said that their Uncle Richard was just jealous of Mr. Schuyler.
"Children are not pawns Richard!" Mr. Schuyler exclaimed. "They are not to be treated as objects! They are living beings that have rights just as much as you and I do!"
"Your disposition about the matter is the reason why we're having this little meeting to begin with Philip! You have no heirs and you don't set boundaries for your daughters! How can you hope to preserve your legacy if you cannot do the simplest of tasks!"
"I have already given you my answer-"
"Your answer is nothing but nonsense Philip; you rely too much on the past to set up the future! A man cannot live on the past alone especially not one with a status such as you! Your accomplishments call for you to carry on your name, if not then they mean nothing and they will be forgotten," Richard stated in a firm voice. "Children are the only way to carry on your accomplishments. It is their duty."
Eliza couldn't believe what she was hearing. The tone of his voice was filled with nothing but indifference and bluntness. She couldn't help but pity her cousins at that moment; she knew that her uncle was not an easy man to deal with. She couldn't imagine being his daughter instead of her father's, in fact she couldn't imagine Richard having daughters in general. She could only imagine how he would have treated them. Indeed, Richard didn't have any daughters, he only had sons. This is only fueled his already large ego.
She tightened her hold on the lilies she held and she did her best not to lean too closely to the door, she may have been a child but she was an expert at what not to do when it came to sneaking around. That was one thing she learned from watching her younger sister Margarita "Peggy" Schuyler. So she stayed hidden, she stayed silent and she listened.
"You are wrong cousin," Mr. Schuyler simply replied. "I will not allow you to talk down to my daughters and do not need a son to carry on my legacy. I have made my decision."
"Philip you can't be serious!" Gerald exclaimed. "I'm sorry but I have to agree with Richard on this matter. If your wife cannot bear you a son within the next year then you might as well focus all of your attention onto Angelica. She will be able to preserve your legacy even if she cannot bear your name."
"I have to side with my husband on this Philip," Nellie added. "The way you want it to be is just not how it's done.
"Gerald and Hattie both speak the truth," Richard stated. "If your wife cannot bear you a son Angelica will have to marry into nobility, as for your other daughters…"
There was a moment of silence between the relatives and that part really caught her attention. She wondered what her uncle was going to stay about her and Peggy. She shivered at the thought of it.
"They won't be able to carry on your name much like Angelica but the least they can do is marry someone of worth as well. Although I highly doubt they could make something of themselves if they wanted to," Richard stated. "You give them too much freedom and you don't discipline them when it is needed. They won't be able to learn anything for the future if you keep treating them like that."
"Now Richard, do not be rude," William argued. "Eliza and Peggy have plenty to offer even if they do not get married. And if they do I'm sure they would make wonderful wives to very lucky men. The same goes for Angelica to. However, I would say that they should make their own choice when it comes to marrying a man instead of marrying just because of status and position. They have a right to marry someone who makes them happy; at least that's how I see it."
Her Uncle Richard looked unamused as he gazed at her Uncle William.
"You mean Elizabeth and Margarita," Richard corrected.
Unlike the rest of the family Richard never addressed Eliza and Peggy by their nicknames. He always referred to them by their full names. It was one of the many things little Eliza didn't like about him. Richard continued with his statement.
"And that William is one of your many mistakes," Richard stated. "You would allow your daughters to marry a man of low status simply because it makes them happy?"
William glared at Richard much to Eliza's shock. Her Uncle William rarely expressed his anger towards people; he was a very relaxed person who always tried to be the one to defuse difficult situations. But much like Mr. Schuyler he wouldn't tolerate disrespect towards his family.
"Do not question the way I raise my children Richard. They are my children, not yours. You may tolerate those kinds of expectations in your household but I do not."
"Yes well I do not have to worry about any of my children making those mistakes because I set up boundaries and I teach them the importance of the Schuyler bloodline," Richard said. "My sons will never disappoint me because I am teaching them how to live up to expectations. Although the same can't be said for your children Philip."
"And what are you trying to imply Richard?" Mr. Schuyler questioned.
Richard stood up from his seat and walked over to his cousin, he used his cane to keep his balance as he did so. It always amazed Eliza how fast the man could walk even with a limp and a cane. Eliza shrunk back a little out of fear. She hoped that there wouldn't be any fights between the two. She didn't want her father to get hurt in anyway. And judging by the way Richard was standing it looked as if he was ready for a fight; he was challenging Mr. Schuyler's authority in his very own house. Only Richard would do something like this. However, Mr. Schuyler looked ready to defend himself he needed to. Richard leaned over the desk Mr. Schuyler was sitting at and looked him straight in the eyes.
"I am implying that you need to be more of an authoritarian figure to your children," he stated. "You are their father not their friend, so act like it."
Eliza quickly covered her mouth so the gasp she was holding wouldn't escape her lips. She couldn't believe that her uncle went that far when it came to insulting her father and them to an extent. She knew that Richard wasn't a fan of them but to think that he actually thought that little of them was so heartbreaking. She pitied herself and her two sisters; her only solstice was that she had not been born as a daughter to Richard Schuyler. In all honesty she was glad she wasn't born as his child in general, whether daughter or son.
She also couldn't imagine her father being like Richard when it came to parenting and raising them. She could only imagine how Angelica, Peggy and her would turn out to be if that was the case. In that moment Eliza truly appreciated the father she had rather than the father she could have had. But the conversation didn't stop there and Eliza continued to listen. It was now her father's turn to speak. Mr. Schuyler stood up from his desk seat and directly glared at his cousin.
"And I will have to agree with William on this matter Richard," Mr. Schuyler replied. "How I raise my children is my business and at least I can take comfort in the fact that my children have my love and that I have theirs."
Richard's face turned a bright red color as his cousin said that but Mr. Schuyler stood his ground. But before things could get even more out of hand Gerald and Hattie quickly came to Richard's defense while Theodore came to Mr. Schuyler's. Thankfully neither of the men resorted to violence and instead took a step back from the desk that was keeping a space between them. Both cousins had relatives on their side but unfortunately it looked like Richard had the last word since he had two while Mr. Schuyler only had one. Eliza watched as her uncle and father composed themselves before staring at each other one more time.
"This matter has not been settled Philip," Richard said. "Next year, on this very day we shall discuss this again. That should give you enough time to decide on what you plan to do, especially if a son has not been brought out of your union with Catherine. In the meantime I suggest you also rethink how you raise your children especially if you want them to bring honor to the Schuyler name."
Mr. Schuyler looked at his cousins and knew that he wasn't going to win. He looked at the cousin who supported him, William. William gave him a small nod as if telling him to go on and accept it. Eliza watched as her father let out a sigh and he rubbed his forehead. He was going to do it, Eliza knew that much.
"My decision will not change Richard; you can give me one hundred years and it will remain the same," Mr. Schuyler replied. "But I will entertain you and the rest of our family if it appeases your anger at the moment."
With that Mr. Schuyler then pulled out a small book from his desk and he picked up a quill pen, he dunked the pen in ink and started to write into it. He wrote down the day and year 1762, one year from day. And so the countdown began. She watched as all of the Schuyler relatives agreed on the date, the look on her father's face devastated her. She saw the look of a man who didn't know what to do and she was right. In that moment Philip Schuyler didn't know what he was going to do and it broke her heart. In all the time she had known her father he had never worn such a look on his face. She couldn't believe that her relatives reduced her father to such a state.
"Well now that the matter is settled why don't we all settle down with a nice warm cup of tea?" William proposed.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea William," Mr. Schuyler replied. "I think we all need to take a moment to calm down."
"A cup of tea sounds nice for right now, don't you agree Gerald?" Hattie asked.
"Yes, maybe some tea will brighten up the mood for us," Gerald responded.
They all looked at the last family member of the group to see how he would respond. Richard let out a sigh and he used his cane to stand properly. He almost looked like a king; Eliza always thought that of her uncle. Sometimes he looked as if he was the leader of a nation rather than just a Schuyler family member. He stroked his moustache and he looked as if he was deep in thought. After a minute of silence he looked at his relatives and nodded his head.
"I agree maybe some tea would be good for right now," Richard agreed.
"I'll have one of the servants prepare some tea then," Mr. Schuyler said as he started to walk towards the door.
Eliza let out a small gasp but thankfully her hand was still covering her mouth. She quickly ran the way she came from with the lilies still in her arms. She couldn't face her father, not now. She couldn't after all that she had heard. She was able to escape her father's gaze since the door blocked his view once he opened it. He didn't even notice that it had already been slightly opened as he did so. She could hear her father call for one of the servants as she finally managed to get away. She knew she was safe.
She stood in a corner of the mansion and she slowly slipped down onto the floor, she hugged her knees to her chest. She didn't even care that the lilies were being squished as she did so. She cried silently and softly, her small shoulders were sagging with sorrow.
She had never felt so helpless before in her life.
They had left later the next day and here she was now. She was standing before a portrait of her father while being surrounded by relics of the past. The portrait was made during his time as a general. He wore the traditional uniform of a general and he stood tall and proud like one too. He looked so young back then, a strong man full of potential and was willing to die for his homeland. That's what she saw as she gazed at the portrait and she couldn't help but think about what her Uncle Richard had said.
He basically said that her and her sisters would not amount to anything if their father didn't raise them like he was raising his children. So far her father's attitude towards them had not changed, he still treated them the same way he had before the Schuyler relatives' arrival at the mansion. He still smiled at them, hugged them, kissed them and played with them whenever he wasn't busy. He also treated her mother the same way too, she could see that there was still so much love in his eyes whenever he looked at his beloved wife. And for that she was grateful but at the same time she just couldn't forget about that day.
She pitied her father and she suddenly found herself worried about something she never thought about before. A legacy, the Schuyler's legacy and her father's legacy. She may have been a child and a really young one at that but it didn't take a genius to see just how popular and well renowned the Schuyler family was. In fact she would recall the times whenever she went out in public with her family. People would always comment how she was lucky to be born into a family such as the Schuyler's.
She always considered herself to be lucky as well since she had her adoring parents and two wonderful sisters both older and younger, one to protect her and one for her to protect. But now she didn't feel so lucky after she learned what actually the cost was to be in a family like this.
What if her father and mother didn't have a son by that date set? What would happen then? Would her family think less of her father? And what about Angelica? Would the burden of carrying on a high profile family fall onto her? Would she even get to live her life the way she wanted to if that was the case? And what about her and Peggy? Would they be looked down upon simply because they were the two youngest of the sisters? Would Angelica become the sole focus of the Schuyler family while she and Peggy were forgotten?
There were so many questions she didn't have the answers to because she didn't know how to answer them.
Richard and his wife Jane Schuyler had five sons: Richard Jr., Henry, Arthur, Joseph and Louis.
William and his wife Lucille Schuyler had one son and two daughters: Collin, Rosemary and Isabelle.
Gerald and Hattie Schuyler had three sons and one daughter: Victor, Emmett, Jonas and Madeline.
And Phillip and Catherine Schuyler had three daughters: Angelica, Elizabeth and Margarita.
Every relative present in the office room that day would have a way to continue their legacy but not Mr. Schuyler
"Oh Father, I'm so sorry," she quietly apologized.
She was apologizing for all of the trouble her father was going through at the moment. And the worse part about it was that she couldn't do anything about it. Her father had done so much for her and her sisters and mother and yet she couldn't repay him. She was helpless. She looked at the other portraits around her father's. There was one of her mother, one of her and her sisters and one with all of them together as a family. But there was another portrait that caught her eye; it was her father's parents… her paternal grandparents.
Johannes and Cornelia Schuyler.
She never met her grandfather Johannes since he passed away when her father was still young but she had the privilege of knowing her grandmother for a little while. Unfortunately she had passed away not too long after she had turned four years old. Angelica was five while Peggy was only two when it happened. It was a sad day for everyone especially for her father. After all her grandmother raised her father all by herself after the passing of his father. She was the only parent he had left and he had to say goodbye to her as well.
However, he was thankful that she lived long enough to see him succeed and have a family of his own. Cornelia adored her grandchildren especially when her father was her only child, that would make her and her sisters her only grandchildren before her passing.
But then she remembered that there might be another face in the family real soon if her father went along with his relatives' plan. She might have another little sibling soon, more specifically a little brother. She wondered how her grandmother would have felt about this situation. She realized that it probably wasn't a coincidence that her father and her uncles and aunt had this meeting not too long after her grandmother's passing.
She smiled as she recalled the memories of her grandmother. Cornelia spent her last years living in the Schuyler mansion alongside her son, her daughter-in-law, her granddaughters and the maids and butlers. Because of this she had a hand in helping raise Angelica, Eliza and Peggy even if it was for a short while.
Little Eliza remembered how her grandmother would always spend her time with them. She would play dolls and house with them. She would dressed them up in the colorful dresses she would buy for them along with bright hair ribbons. She would even sneak desserts to them before dinner much to her mother's amusement and her father's annoyance. And she would tell her and her sisters stories right before they went to bed. When she did so she would gather them around the parlor and she would tell them stories about their grandfather, of their father and of her.
She would also sometimes make up stories about them too. She would always put them in scenarios where they were all grown up and starting their own lives. And then there were times where she would sing them old songs she used to hear during her childhood. Even though they were still young they took to heart all of the things she would teach them.
Eliza loved her grandmother very dearly and she was heartbroken to hear that she had passed away in her sleep. It took the Schuyler family a long time to get over her death, even now it was still a difficult subject to bring up.
"Oh grandmother I miss you so much," Eliza whispered as she stared at the picture. "I wish you were here."
She really wished that her grandmother was here; maybe she could help her father. Maybe she could have put an end to all of this and tell the others that her father was fine the way he was. She knew that her grandmother would defend her father, her mother and her granddaughters until the very end. She would put her Uncle Richard in his place. She knew that for a fact. Cornelia Schuyler might have been a single mother and a widow but she was no pushover.
That's what she loved most about her grandmother; she hoped to be just like her when she was older. She let out a small sigh and she took one last look at the portrait before looking at the other objects around her. She saw some busts of her ancestors, old swords, unloaded rifles and guns, antique belongings and military possessions that belonged to her father.
The one object that really catches her attention is her father's army uniform. It was hung in a cabinet with its doors opened and there was a glass window placed in the opening area so that the uniform would forever be protected. She admired how the uniform looked in its place and placed a small hand on the glass.
She wasn't tall enough to see it in all of its glory so she looked around the room and saw a small stool that the maids would use when it came to cleaning in high places. She walked over to it and she quietly pulled it in front of the cabinet. She carefully climbed onto the top until he was about the height of its collar. She smiled a little as she pictured her father wearing the uniform back in his military days. She also remembered that this was the same uniform he had been wearing in the portrait.
Little Eliza focused on the uniform some more before the window's reflection caught her attention. She saw that the reflection of her head was standing on top of the collar; it looked as if she was wearing the uniform. She reached out to the uniform once again and placed her hand on the glass. She couldn't believe what she was looking at and she found herself entranced by the sight of it. Minutes went by and she just stared at her reflection.
That was when she remembered that she couldn't stay here for long and that she had to get back to her room before her sisters noticed that she was missing. She quickly placed the stool away back in its place and she quietly made her way back to the room she shared with her sisters. Once she reached the door of the door she slowly opened it and entered inside.
To her surprise and her relief her sisters were still asleep in their beds while hers still remained empty. She softly closed the door and walked over to her bed. She got under the covers and pulled them over herself. As soon as her head laid on the pillow she let out a small sigh over not getting caught. For a four year old she was really getting good at sneaking around without getting caught.
Her grandmother would have been very proud. And speaking of her grandmother she thought about her again. The one main thing she missed about Cornelia was her singing. Nowadays in order to go to sleep Eliza would remember the lyrics to her favorite song that her grandmother would sing to her and her sisters. It was called Sweet Polly Oliver. She recalled the words and hummed the tune.
As sweet Polly Oliver lay musing in bed,
A sudden strange fancy came into her head.
"Nor father nor mother shall make me false prove!
I'll 'list for a soldier and follow my love!"
So early next morning she softly arose,
And dressed herself up in her dead brother's clothes;
She cut her hair close and she stained her face brown,
And went for a soldier to fair London Town.
Then up spoke the sergeant one day at his drill,
"Now who's good at nursing? A captain lies ill!"
"I'm ready," says Polly, to nurse him she's gone,
And finds 'tis her true love all wasted and wan.
The first week the doctor kept shaking his head;
"No nursing, young fellow, can save him," he said,
But when Polly Oliver has nursed back his life,
He cried, "You have cherished as if you were his wife!"
On then Polly Oliver she burst into tears,
And told the good doctor her hopes and her fears,
And very soon after, for better or for worse,
The Captain took joyfully his pretty soldier nurse!
She smiled as she pictured her grandmother singing to her once again. She really liked that song because it showed her just how dedicated a woman could be and how far she was willing to go in order to be with the one she loved. But then she remembered why she had been missing her grandmother so much lately and that was because of her father's dilemma. Her grandmother would have been able to help him because she would have been on his side and everybody in the Schuyler family respected Cornelia Schuyler.
She wished her Uncle Richard knew the song because maybe he wouldn't think so lowly of her and her sisters if he did. Maybe he could see that they could be just as important in securing the Schuyler legacy in their own way. But he was stubborn and she knew that he would never listen to her or anybody else that wasn't himself. It seemed pointless. Her father would have to have a son if he wanted this dilemma to end; she didn't understand why he hadn't done so already if it was that important.
She wondered what exactly her father's son would do; she wondered what he would be like. She recalled her father saying one time that he had succeeded his father's position in the military. The Schuyler family had a long history of being involved with the army. Her grandfather had served in the position of a general just like her father. Her father trained throughout his childhood, youth and adult years until he managed to reach that very same position.
The army was always looking for Schuyler members to join when it was possible but it looked like it would have to end with her father. Everyone knew that the army didn't expect women into its ranks, if any woman even tried to they would automatically face some sort of punishment and they were to be exiled by their family if they had any.
She wondered if her father's son would do just that. Would he serve in the military and take her grandfather's and father's place? Would he make her father proud? Would her uncles and aunt be satisfied with the results? What would happen to Angelica, Peggy and her? She let out another sigh. Well she guessed she would find out within the next year, if her father was meant to have a son with her mother then so be it. If she was going to have a younger brother soon then that was fine with her, she would love her possible future brother and she would make sure that he made their father proud. She loved her father and she would help him.
But what if there was no son produced by the end of next year? What would her relatives think of her father? Would he be shunned for not having a way to secure his legacy? Then an idea hit her, she remembered the song and she remembered the lyrics.
Sweet Polly Oliver became a man, maybe not for the reasons she was thinking about but nevertheless she did so and she joined the army. She thought about her reflection and how it looked like she was wearing the uniform of her father. When she looked at that reflection she felt a sense of completeness. She felt like it was right.
Determination filled her eyes and she felt her heart beat faster, she clutched onto the sheets tightly as she made her decision. She may have only been a young child but she knew the importance of family and of a legacy. She pleaded with her deceased grandmother and grandfather to guide her on this decision, she also pleaded with her ancestors.
"If Father has no son by then," she whispered. "I will become a one."
She would make her father proud by doing what had never been done before. She would become a boy and one day become a man. She would secure her father's legacy by taking over his position. She would become his successor.
Elizabeth Schuyler would become Sweet Polly Oliver.
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