poor
people, to help them. Has never paid me the fifty dollars, but makes
promises. I was led on to speak of Indian Will. The doctor said the night
of the 16th he thought he heard some one cry out, but thought it some
drunken person, and besides was busy with his studies, and so did not
mind. My wife asked him what he studied. He said a good many different
matters, but that he had given it all up now, and meant to practice.
Shortly after jumped up and went away very sudden."

Here the journal came to an abrupt end. The rest of the book was filled
with accounts relating to the business of a milliner and dressmaker.
Slipped in between its leaves were two letters, written in a cramped,
scratchy hand and rather irregular in spelling. They were directed to
Sophonisba T----, Salem, Massachusetts, and seemed to be from a mother to
her daughter:

"DORCHESTER, May 1, 1786.

"My Dear Child: I take my pen in hand to let you knew that we are all in
good health, and hope you are enjoying the same blessing. James Sumner
is married to Hannah Gardner. Most people think she will have her hands
full with his children. Parson H---- married them. She wore a blue silk
at two dollars the yard. Hepsey Ball is dead. She departed this life on
the 29th of April, at half-past eight in the evening, being quite
resigned and in good hope of her election to grace. She had not much
pain at the last. Doctor Haywood called to see her in the morning, and
she being then, as we thought, asleep, did start up and cry out that
there was a black shadow, not his own, always following after him, which
made me think her light-headed; but her mother says the doctor turned as
pale as a sheet, and made as if to go off again. Your sister Faithful is
at Mr. Trueman's, helping to make up Lorenda's wedding-clothes. I would
not have had her go, but she seemed willing to undertake it. Your loving
mother, ANNA T----."

The second was also addressed to Sophonisba, who on the 3d of June was yet
visiting friends in Salem. After a few details of domestic news, it went
on:

"Doctor Haywood is missing: no one knows where he is gone. He has been
looked for in Boston, but they have found no news of him; only that a
little black boy says he saw a man like him go on board a ship bound for
the East Indies. Now he is gone, they find he owes money to a great many
besides your father. He owes to people in Boston for drugs and
medicines--