The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1874-12-09
Hon, John Curtis and Ills Wife.

We turned aside from our path
for space to visit an object Of some
curiosity, which is ono of the "lions''
Of the E.stern Shore. This il n,
ancient vault belonging to mcmbc,
Of the "'Curtis" family, n brauct OF
the same stock with which Washing.
ton iatermurried. IL lies upon tinc
old fal instead, locking out upon tho
buy, aud occupies tho centre of Il
largo field, the only prominent obj .ct
| sheltered by some old trees. The
vault is Of white marble, elabo.
iately carved in London, in site
Of partial dilapidation. The curious
about it consists in its inscription,
" hich runs thus
"Ubder this marble tomb lies the
body Of tho Hon. John Curtis, Esq
of the city of williamsburg and
parish of Burton formerly of Hun
= cr's parish, on the Eastern Shore OF
V irginia, and county of "Northamp,
~ u aged sevouty-one years, ana
get Hped but seren gears, which was
t he time he kept bachelors home
It Arlington, on tho Eastern Shore
o Virginia."
The inscription, we are told BY
another, on the opposite side, W as
put on that tomb By his own positive
order. The g,s! Of it, us our lady
rcu'ers will he pleased to perceive :,
consists in the lines We have itaiicixcd ;
the force of which will he bettor felt,
and understood from the. additional
fact, which does hot appear, that
this bachelor, who lived only in his
bachelor condition, was actually mar
lied three times. His experience, if
we arc to believe his opituph, was
greatly adverse to the idea of any
happiness in the marriage state yet
how strange that he should have ven
tured thrice upon it Tho natural
conclusion is, that the Hon. John
Curtis was singularly, just and con.
scientious man, who unwilling to do
the acx any wrong by n premature
Jndgn ent, gave them full and fair
trial, at the expense Of his own hap-
piness, and pronounce judgment
only after repeated experime nts.
Tradition has preserved somo uneo
dotes of the sort Of experience which
he enjoyed in the marriage state,
Que of which I will relate. 1t ap-
pears that he was driving out in his
ancient coach with one of his wives
(and, to do him justice, We must as.
sure the reader that he had but one
at time), and in the neighborhood
OF the very spot upon which we our
selves arc now standing-Capc
Charles-a m ,trimonial discussion
eIsued between the pair, warmed as
they proceeded. Tho lord grew
angry, the ludy vociferatcI.
cit was Il diamond," sli one.
"And l insist" Guoth the other,
that it was club.n
''You will drive me mad !" cried
j John Curtis.
Il should call this admirable
driving ~ retorted the wife.
"By------ !" he exclaimed, "if
you say another word | will dive
down into the sc,. -
They were even then upon the
beach.
"Another word - screamed tho
lady. "Drive where you please"
she added ; into the seal can 20
as deep rs you dare 60 any day !"
He became furious, took her ut her
word, anc drove the horses and
chariot into the ocean. They began
to swim. Hc held in, looked iuto
her face and she laughed in his.
"Why do you stop Z" she demand
cd, exultantly, uot whit alarmed.
/" You are a devil !" lie exclaimed,
finging the horses about, and making
for the shorc with all cx petition.
"Pooh ! Pooh ~ laughed his to. :
menter. Learn from tins there is o
place where you dare 60 where /
dare not accompany you ~
"Even to HI ~ he roarrd.
"The only ex,eption," she answo. =.
ed, with chuckle-"Thcrc, my dear,
| lenve YOU"
She had conquered lie never
drove in at Cape Charles again,
but gronned with the recollection of
seven years. bachelors life at Arl.
Brooklyn SIN.
An Admlrcr of StoncwaIl jackson.
The following is from George Cary
Nrylestnn,a Na RahoI,, RooolIoc