As the legend goes, Seba Smith, a humorist and journalist, saw a small article in the New York Observer on February 8, 1840. The article read, "A young woman, whose name is given Miss ------, was frozen to death while riding twenty miles to a ball on the eve of January 1, 1840." Smith was taken with the story and penned the popular poem "Fair Chalotte". Later, the poem was picked up and set to music by William Lorenzo Carter. It is known by different names; Fair Charlotte, Young Charlotte, or the more popular Frozen Charlotte. And sometimes the words are changed, but, this version seems to be the standard:
Young Charlotte (Frozen Charlotte)
Now, Charlotte lived on the mountainside,
In a bleak and dreary spot;
There was no house for miles around,
Except her father's cot.
And yet on many a wintry night,
Young swains were gathered there;
For her father kept a social board,
And she was very fair.
One New Year's Eve as the sun went down,
Far looked her wishful eye
Out from the frosty window pane
As merry sleighs went by.
In a village fifteen miles away,
Was to be a ball that night;
And though the air was heavy and cold,
Her heart was warm and light.
How brightly beamed her laughing eye,
As a well-known voice was heard;
And driving up to the cottage door,
Her lover's sleigh appeared.
"O, daughter dear," her mother cried,
"This blanket 'round you fold;
It is a dreadful night tonight,
You'll catch your death of cold."
"O, nay! O, nay!" young Charlotte cried,
And she laughed like a gypsy queen;
"To ride in blankets muffled up,
I never would be seen.
"My silken cloak is quite enough,
You know 'tis lined throughout;
Besides I have my silken scarf,
To twine my neck about."
Her bonnet and her gloves were on,
She stepped into the sleigh;
Rode swiftly down the mountain side,
And o'er the hills away.
With muffled face and silent lips,
Five miles at length were passed;
When Charles with few and shivering words,
The silence broke at last.
"Such a dreadful night I never saw,
The reins I scarce can hold."
Fair Charlotte shivering faintly said,
"I am exceeding cold."
He cracked his whip, he urged his steed
Much faster than before;
And thus five other dreary miles
In silence were passed o'er.
Said Charles, "How fast the shivering ice
Is gathering on my brow."
And Charlotte still more faintly said,
"I'm growing warmer now."
So on they rode through frosty air
And glittering cold starlight,
Until at last the village lamps
And the ballroom came in sight.
They reached the door and Charles sprang out,
He reached his hand for her;
She sat there like a monument,
That has no power to stir.
He called her once, he called her twice,
She answered not a word;
He asked her for her hand again,
And still she never stirred.
He took her hand in his - O, God!
'Twas cold and hard as stone;
He tore the mantle from her face,
Cold stars upon it shone.
Then quickly to the glowing hall,
Her lifeless form he bore;
Fair Charlotte's eyes were closed in death,
Her voice was heard no more.
And there he sat down by her side,
While bitter tears did flow;
And cried, "My own, my charming bride,
You never more will know."
He twined his arms around her neck,
He kissed her marble brow;
His thoughts flew back to where she said,
"I'm growing warmer now."
He carried her back to the sleigh,
And with her he rode home;
And when he reached the cottage door,
O, how her parents mourned.
Her parents mourned for many a year,
And Charles wept in the gloom;
Till at last her lover died of grief,
And they both lie in one tomb.
At that time up until the 1920s, there was a small type of china doll that was alleged to have taken its name from the poem. You might call her the Ultimate Victorian Inaction Figure as a Frozen Charlotte doll was molded all in one piece, no moving parts. These dolls ranged in height from 1" to 4 1/2" and were priced starting at one cent for the smaller versions. I imagine Lizzie and Emma both played with Frozen Charlotte as she had quite a long life span. Here a few examples of the dolls:
3" Frozen Charlotte circa 1850
circa 1860
You can even order a reproduction Frozen Charlotte that was molded from a doll recovered from the 1856 steamboat Arabia wreck on the Missouri river. Here is the link:
http://www.shop.jnpa.com/Prod-157-1-22/ ... e-Doll.htm
And if you have a taste for the macabre, Mezco, the company that brought us the Living Dead Lizzie doll has their version of Frozen Charlotte.
And last, but not least, we have Charlotte Russe, or Frozen Charlotte dessert:
To make a Frozen Charlotte dessert, line the sides and bottom of a springform cake pan (or other tin mold) with (24) ladyfingers. Soften a teaspoon and a half of unflavored gelatin in a little water. Whip 2 cups of heavy cream until stiff. Put the softened gelatin and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar in a heavy pan and heat carefully until sugar dissolves. Flavor the whipped cream with vanilla or a couple spoonfuls of sherry or rum, then add gelatin mix slowly to cream while continuing to whip with a beater. Fill the lined pan with the cream mixture.
Freeze for several hours until set or overnight. Unmold and thaw slightly if very frozen. Serve with chopped nuts, more whipped cream, cherries, hot fudge sauce or fresh strawberries.
There is also a recipe online for Frozen Charlotte Glacé from the Fannie Farmer cookbook:
http://www.bartleby.com/87/r1421.html
Images from Ohiokids.org, hattonsgallery.com, shopwiki.co.uk
recipe from Imaginemaine.com
