The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-12


pursuit. When lest heard from he was on q large
and FRI sh trail. At OF the Indian encampmeats
their fires were still burning. There were fourteen
Of them consequently The indians must number
over seventy Lieut.. Gibbons is brave, energetic
ard perseyering officer. He viii oveItake the enc
my If possible, and we may expect 70 hear of not
work. His m are well armed and eager for fight.
About the same time the Indians stole cattle near
Fort Chadbous ne.
The SOLDIER sbo. by the Indians seven weeks ago
is recovering He had fourteen arrows in his body.
Eleven penetrated the cavities Of the chest and alb
domep-oDe OF which passed through the body,
wonndipg the right lung. Three struck the head.
-----
The s'steriood OF St; Jo:eph's Convent, Mary
land.
THE EscAPED NOvfcE-LErTER FROM THE MOTHER
SUPERIOR.
ST.. JosErH's, NEAR EMMrTrsBURG
Dec. l, 1854.
As numerous Misrepresentation have appeared
Ia the public prints In relation to Miss Josephine
Bunkley's connection with and departure from our
insulation, have from Q sense Of duty, though
with very great relu tance, concluded to communi-
cate to ycu for publication the following statement
OF facts, exhibiting the exact truth OF the NATTER:
About two years ago, Miss Bunkley, of her own
accord came here and made spiritual retreat that
is, spent some days in meditation and prayer. She
then expressed an ardent desire to become Sister
yet young and convert to the Catholic faith, she
was required to take time for mature c0nsidera-
ticn, and was not received One year after this,
she again applied by letter to be admitted q can
ddRte, and was authorized to come here on trial.
She accordingly entered the novciste, others al
ways do, to try her vocation, perfectly free to leave
us at any hour on any day she might please to &C.
lect, and with the express and often repeated
to stay with US, uuess she did so freely and from
the conviction that she was doing the will Of God,
and seeking her own happiness BY remaining.
During the ten months she was with us she not
L.~k AI,-
be SO, and thus continued to express herself up to
the very eve of her departure. Every one who
knows anything OF us at all knows that she bad
only TO say the word and she could have left Us
any time she PLEASED. Many novices have left us,
after trying their vocation here, who can testify
how readily ard cbeerfuy they were aided by us in
departing. Many who wished to stay have been
induced by US to 20, when We were satisfied that
they were not called by Providence to the hardhps
and sacrifices OF religious life.
The statement put forth that letters written to
Miss Bupkey by her father and others of her family
were withheld from her. returned TO the writer's,
is altogether untrus they we're invariably delivered
to her. Her letters to her family or friends we're
always sent as addressed. On one occasion only,
when, after her many professions of desire to
spend her life as Sister of Charity she spoke, In
letter to her iathsr, of spending six months at st.
Josephs, asked her meaning, and she replied that
sshe did not wish her father to know of her intn.
ton to become Sister, though he suspected It," !
then told Der mot TO deceive her fathers that God
would not bless her undertaking If she did," and
advised her TO write the letter over again. She did
30, and the letter was sent cannot now remem.
Der whether she took the first letter back or left it
with me to be destroy ed. This, presume, is the
incident which has been perverted into . charge
against us that we destroyed her letters to her
father, written to inform him Of her at
st. Joeephs, and desire to leave.
Miss BIS extraordinary mode of leaving our house
was as unnecessary as it was surprising. She could
Of NJ an IF fho dQv and nv fhn
door. There was no occasion to leave at night or
through window; for, though the DOORS as of
every private dwelling, are locked to keep ont in
t s the keys are never removed from them.
observed her going, and no one would have stopped
her even II she had been noticed. l should think
that it is almost superfuoas to add that she was
not pursued after ner departure became known.
Miss B. lett here on Thursday morning, the 9th
ult., before day; en- the morning after / wrote by
mail to her father at Norfolk, informing MIN Of her
departure. On the following Saturday tho over.
seer of cur farm went to Creagerstown arc brought
back note from her asking Tor her trunk clothes,
two watches, and The motley which she had on de-
post with our treasurer, amounting to 50 62h. No
one in the meantime had gone after her. No one
asked her to come back. IL was only oa the Mon
day Of the next week that two of our Sisters went
to Creagersiown, ard. without seeing her. deliver
ed The above named articles and obtained her wit.
ten acknow edgmeDt OF tpeir ieceipt.
There are other insccurs les Asserted or imolied
where, in regard to TINS affair W aich may as well
now notice. orce and for all.
1t is utterly untrue that Miss B. WAS in any man.
ner solicited or suaded to enter our community;
on the contrary she was put OIL for year, when she
first applied. end was afterwards admitted only on
trial at her own earnest solicitation. Is equally
untrue that her trunk clothing, jewelry &c, were
deman ded of hsr when she entered the institution.
They were subject TO her order on any day she might
choose to leave II is also untrue that she ever
expressed to the desire to return home; neither
have heard AT any time, from any one OF cur Sis
tiers, that she ever expressed such desire to her.
It is likewise untrue that she ever, with our know
ledge wrote or desired to write to that effect to her
father any else; ard it is the purest fiction
that she was ever commanded TO take her seat aud
write to her father to sDy other person, under our
dctstion Every Sister and novice mere or elsewhere,
attached to community is not only fee to leave
us, but ID urged by us TO go whenever she may
think it her duty to do so and it is wei known to
the public that. even when the novice becomes
Sister, she takes her VOWS but for single year, and
at its close is free to them not, as she may
Judge proper. Those who have chosen to avail
the mselves of this alternative, have never been i'm.
peded or moestsd III the exercise OF tser free will;
but on the contrary, per, ink and paper to write to
their friends, toe public coach, and money 10 pay
the fare always at the disposal OF any one In
clined to 1ithdras. The members of our society
are indeed told that il they desire be Of our num-
Der, they mus. Keep cur rules, aud in that sense,
give nd their own Will; but whoever wills to leave,
is as free as air.
Miss B. clandestine departure may throw TO-
mantle coloIing sround the matter, but II can In no
way reflect discleditaDy upon this institution, nor
make case cor trsry 10 plain facts. | have been
informed that Miss B. herself, during her stay in
Creagerstown, bo' testimony to the truth of more
than have said here respecting her kind treatment
and freedom from curess or restriction whilst she
resided at st. Jossph's.
One word upon the general question. Our Sisters
have fathers and brothers; We invite them c, come
and examine IL the nd their sisters and aug atsrx
an xous to leave, in the least degree unhappy on
account OF the state OF life they nave adopted. F
theirs and brothers, relations Of ever degree, and
friends DO come: have always been in the habit Of
coming. They have free to their friends who
are members of our community. Ia il not strange,
then that such system as been charged sgainst
us could exist Tor year month"; large num
Der Of our community are scattered over the whole
United States, are constantly travelling from city
to city In public convey ances and are regularly do
ing duty nurses and attendants in the public hos
pitfalls and asyums Of the country: can u be beev-
81 Ia "a md M