While one might be tempted to think of our frontier women as having lived a life replete with naught but the tedium and drudgery associated with the labors of farming, such was not always necessarily the case.  Consider the unique experience of Nelly Malholen.

The date was 11 December 1743. Nicholas Dupui had just opened his doors to customers a day earlier, with a host of 14 area men having thronged into his establishment to partake of rum and to select assorted items from his vast collection of merchandise.  Truly, a grand opening event.

But today, the day right after the Grand Opening, the store would admit entry to but a single customer who would garner all of Nicholas Dupui's attention -- young Miss Nelly Malholen. 

Nelly would wind up buying 6 ½ yds. of callicoe, 3 yds. of linen, a lace, 1 & ¾ yds. of check linen, 14 yds. of callamancoe, and to demonstrate her frugality:  "the Remains of a pair of Stockins". 

The total bill came to 4 pounds, 10 shillings, and 3 pence, which Nicholas Dupui then discounted down to 3 pounds and 12 shillings.  Not a bad deal... and payment was tendered the very same day.  But not by Miss Malholen.  Instead, the Malhalon account was settled by Nicholas Depui himself who logged a matching credit of 3 pounds and 12 shillings into her account.  For Nelly, this was a day of free shopping on the frontier!

So what was the occasion that had prompted this private viewing and the inordinate largesse on the part of Nicholas Dupui?  What's the backstory that we're missing?

We note that one genealogical researcher posits the fact that Dupui's wife, Wentjen Heyitje (Roosa) Dupuy, had passed away a full year earlier on 24 December, 1742.  If true, it might lead one to conclude that with a requisite period of mourning having been completed, Nicholas Dupui was likely once again on the prowl. 

Whatever the case may have been, what we learn from this episode is that gift-giving played a major role in colonial society.  Gifts were offered to Indians, to friends, and to women.  It was these moments of charity and kindness that then, like now, served to break up the drudgery of the day.