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The Tenant was strangely surprized with the Proposal, and indeed was embarass'd with it. As for the Women, they were quite silenc'd. But the good Man told her, that indeed the Proposal she had made of marrying a Child, would take away all the Scandal which he was before concerned about on her Account; but that it would be a sad Blow to her own Relations; and tho' he knew not what to say as to his Child, whom he would be very tender of hurting, seeing she had such kind Thoughts about him, as to Design him her Estate, yet he could not still but beg of her to consider very well before she Disinherited her two Nieces, and, at least, to do something more for them. But, in short, she was immoveable as to that Part; and, after some other Difficulties which the old Tenant started, for he did not seem to come very willingly into it, no not to the last, it was however agreed on, and she was married to the Boy.
According to her Proposal, she put him to School, and had him made a very good Scholar; and she liv'd not only to see him come home from the School, but to be big enough to go 'Prentice, and also to see him come out of his Time; by which time he was about twenty-two Years of Age.
But, as I said, even this unsuitable Match did not prove so satisfactory as might have been expected; for it pleased God this Woman liv'd to such a prodigious Age, that the little Boy was seventy-two Years of Age when he follow'd her to the Church to bury her, and she was One hundred twenty-seven Years old.
This Story I had attested to me by a Person of an unquestion'd Veracity, who told me, hewas
