…We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the afternoon went down to Mr Porter’s, to go to church with their child, who was this day buried, as was also Anne the daughter of Francis Turner, aged 31 years; they were both buried about 5:40. I gave away at Mr Porter’s 2 pairs men’s white kid gloves.
This day amelancholy affair broke out in this neighborhood; viz., Lucy Mott, servant to Mr Jeremiah French, last night absconded herself from her service (privately and quite unknown to anyone in the family) and from many corroborating circumstances there is great probability to think she had committed that rash action of suicide. She went off in her worst apparel, and left behind her all her money, and had taken more than common care in laying up all her clothes and collecting it together in such a manner that it might be the more easy to find by her relations. There is also the greatest reason imaginable to think she was pregnant, for by some reasons given by her mistress it seems plain, and on the 16th ult. she wanted of my wife 2 ounces jalap. But upon her saying we had not such a quantity in the house and telling her she must be either mistaken in the name or quantity, for that must be enough for 20 people to take, she seems greatly confused and pretended it was not to take (but however she by fortune had none) so that I should rather think her intentions might be then rather to destroy the foetus than herself.