Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда

           ShehadattendedStephenJackson’sschooloppositetheCourt-HouseParade;andhadbeendiligentlyinstructedbyhermother,beforethelatter’sdeathofsmallpoxin1757,inalltheartsandrefinementsofdomesticlife.Asamplerofhers,workedin1753attheageofnine,maystillbefoundintheroomsoftheRhodeIslandHistoricalSociety.Afterhermother’sdeathshehadkeptthehouse,aidedonlybyoneoldblackwoman.HerargumentswithherfatherconcerningtheproposedCurwenmarriagemusthavebeenpainfulindeed;butofthesewehavenorecord.CertainitisthatherengagementtoyoungEzraWeeden,secondmateoftheCrawfordpacketEnterprise,wasdutifullybrokenoff,andthatherunionwithJosephCurwentookplaceontheseventhofMarch,1763,intheBaptistchurch,inthepresenceofthemostdistinguishedassemblageswhichthetowncouldboast;theceremonybeingperformedbytheyoungerSamuelWinsor.TheGazettementionedtheeventverybriefly.andinmostsurvivingcopiestheiteminquestionseemstobecutortornout.Wardfoundasingleintactcopyaftermuchsearchinthearchivesofaprivatecollectorofnote,observingwithamusementthemeaninglessurbanityofthelanguage:

           ’Mondayeveninglast,Mr.JosephCurwen,ofthisTown,Merchant,wasmarriedtoMissElizaTillinghast,DaughterofCapt.DuteeTillinghast,ayoungLadywhohasrealMerit,addedtoabeautifulPerson,togracetheconnubialStateandperpetuateitsFelicity.