The cost of a Smile—

Being an Acount, from t Original Manuscript, of the Trial of Dr. Timothy Huchisson, for irreverent conduct in the House of God, on a Sab^th day in t year 1738.

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The facts wh. I now am about to relate, occurred in a town, in my own native state—Conn—1738.

To be frank!

The scene of my ballad is Lebanon Crank

And its curious incidents lucidly show,

That a hundred, & forty and two years ago;

When the Pastor beloved of ts. Lebanon flock;

Was t Rev^d & grave Eleazar Wheelock.

That excellent Teacher,

And eloquent Preacher,

Who, hav'g instructed t people in knowledge

Was afterwards President of Dartmouth Col^g

'Twas improper to smile,

In the pew or t aisle,

Or within any distance less than a mile of t Church.

Reports very serious, indeed very trying

For many a week thro' t place had been flying—

Concern'g one H. a youthful physician

Who held in t town, an honord position.

Complaint had been made, by some in t Chh.

That young Dr. H. had been found in t lurch.

And so far gone astray, that he needed t birch;

So that good Pastor Wheelock his duty saw clear,

And t derelict Dr. was calld to appear,

And show reason, why he, ad antequam morem,

Had thus set at naught t great law of decorum:

That a man must not smile

In t pew or t aisle

Or at any distance less than a mile of t Chh.

Thus t day for t trial was set,

And t Chh. & t Council together had met.

The Dr. was there—And stern in t chair

Sat good Pastor Wheelock. The court crier reads,

And frankly, not guilty, t prisoner pleads,

Wherefore, certain members be'g call'd testified,

To t facts wh. t Dr. thus plead'g denied;

The first was John English, accord'g to law,

Who solemnly swore to t smile that he saw; /

 

It was on t twenty & first of last May.

In t afternoon of t Sabbath day,

I saw D^r. Huchisson in t act of a smile,

And t same he continued for some little while

Three or four minuets think it might be,

At M^r Wheelock he look'd I did see

Thus John—Then Abigail E.—Testifies

To facts wh. she saw with no little surprise

And with her own eyes.

It was on t twenty & first of last May,

In t afternoon of t Sabbath day

Look for a while at some one in t gallery then visibly smile

That I saw D^r Huchisson visibly smile

The testimony next given in; concerning young Timothy Huchissons sin

And t same he continued for some little while

Ebenezer deposes whose surname is Wright

And the witness depos'd still further & said,

& throws on the fact of smiling more light

That t D^r's face grew exceed'gly red:

It was on t twenty & first of last may in t

The while M^r Wheelock was preach'g; until

His eye caught t eye of Jediah Bill.

And while he was look'g direct at Jediah,

I saw his face turn just as red as t fire;

Wh. made u think Sir, He was look'g at Bill,

Qoth t Court. Why I tho't & I think so still.

They turn'd each to each; till tr eyes met at least

When t smile of t D^r was somewhat increas'd; /

 

The next wit^s call'd was one Miss Mary Clark

Order, hold! Let t house be quiet & hark;

It was on the twenty & first of last May

In the afternoon of t Sabbath Day,

D^r Huchisson stood his hand to his face

Hiding it all, except a small space

Round his eyes; but wh. of t matter I saw,

That he laugh'd, the conclusion I surely did draw

He turn'd his head & his shoulders shd say,

So that he look'd towards t front gallery:

And yet, I cannot say he moved a foot,

Tho' still I tho't he look'd at Martha Root;

As if he wanted her to laugh or smile—

I turn'd my eyes that way, for some while,

In t front gallery she was in her place,

But she held down her head, I cld'nt see her face,

His look that way was not a transient glance,

But one of prolonged continuance.

And he did turn his eyes unto her place,

As if he'd have her look him in t face.

Next, Abigail Clark was call'd to t stand,

And quickly did she obey t command.

It was on the twenty & first of May,

In the afternoon of t Sabbath day— /

 

He ought come and make confession

But as they could not all agree

Nor to compel nor set him free

They adjourn at length the meeting

Have a little friendly greeting

Then they part once again to meet

And try the matter to complete

 

Awhile the case it did remain

In January came up again

The Chh, Council moderator

All were now again together

The Doctor too was on the spot

To wipe away the dreaded blot.

And as some members were agriev'd

More Testimony was receiv'd—

 

Noah Dewey at length arose

And did some other things disclose

'Twas on the twenty first of May

In the After-noon of the Sabbath day

I saw T. Huch-son stand upright

Having his arms up folded quite

And his face as it had been wont /

 

Turn'd to the gallery in front

And tho' he did not look on me

Yet he smiled or laugh'd I see

And his face as friend Wright had said

Appear'd to me to be very red

So that I tho't indeed at first

He was just a going to burst

Into a ha, ha laugh the which

I tho't would be of law a breach

And I was just going to tell

Two that sat by me mark him well

So that we might his case present

According to the law's intent

And thus might bring him face to face

Before Chief justice of the place

When Lo! at once his face so red

He cover'd o'er & bow'd his head

I think the time I saw him laugh

Not two minuets; say one & half—

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