The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-07-11
TUESDAY EVENING, JULY IL, 1871.
CORRESPONDENTS.
Letter from "a Lady of Fincastle.
FINCASTLE, June %, 1871

FINCASTLE, June %, 1871.
10 he Editor Of the State Journot;
In reading your comments on the recent
suicide of the unfortunate Carrie Edwards,
| could but pause as you asked the ques-
ton "who are without trouble, ~ alas, who?
Every heart knoweth its own sorrows best,
but how light are very many compared to
hers who, unprepared, launched her SIM
stained soul into the presence of her Maker?
But can we not hope that God more merci-
full than the cold pitiless world, III her last
sad moments, found some cXtenuating
cause for her crime? "One more poor un-
Fortunate" who finds the sorrows of this
life too grievous to be borne, choosing the
untried realities and sufferings of an un-
known world in preference to scorn and I'M
charitableness of this pitiless earth. Had
the kind and merciful Saviour sent re-
cording angel to note the different thoughts
as they presented themselves to the minds
and hearts of your community, as the sad
death of Carrie Edwards was announced,
methinks it would cause the blush to man
tie the cheek of many a fair woman and
brave man as they read with what a pitiless,
unforgiying veil they covered the sins of
this poor fallen woman. My first feelings
were pity and sympathy for the forsaken
and fallen one and loathing and hatred for
her betraycr. BAL
can never understand the justice which
will sink a helpless, ruined woman Though
her first step into the very mre of sin and
infanly, and exempt he, who created in
Gods own image, and regarded as his mas
ter-piece of handiwork, from condemnation
and ignomy so richly deserved but, be-
lieve conscientiously, as ageneral thing, the
female sex is to blame.
Rob woman of her virtue, and what has
she left? an empty casket bcreft of its
brightest, purest gem. DO not understand
me, Mr.. Editor, to censure your sex alone,
God forbid | should ever fail to do Justice to
every one. While to me there is but little
palHation for the sin which woman COM
mits when She resigns life of respectable
ty and honor, she may have to drink the
cup of worin-wocd and gall to its bitter
dregs in privation and poverty, but as she
hugs the angel of innocence to her heart
she can exclaim pure! pure! uncontami-
mated, through all her suflelings, to resign
such life of conscientious rectitude for one
Of shame and infamy, is a mystery not easily
explained, especially when there is nothing
W gam Dut tiitiiS1 w iopSCs y St3 SOuist
we inquire into the first cause which
led to her ruin we would be more
charitable towards her, and regard with
more mercy and pity her condition, than,
censlre and contempt. | can thankfully
say, should ever be permitted to wear q
crown of glory, that the brightest star that
shall deck the diadem, will be that won by
an act of kindness to one Of the most loath-
some and disgusting of my fallen sex.
When gave her nourishment she took my
hand and as the tears courscd their way
down her snnken checks, she exclaimed in
the most hcart-brol<en tone, ooh lady, had
others only have spoken to me before it
was too late as kindly as you have, might
have been better woman, but since my
fall, have only received curses and
abuse" Pause, Mr.. Editor, for mo-
ment, and reflect upon the sayings Of a lost
and ruined woman, "curses and abuse.o
From who? Echo, as deep, dark, and I'M
answerable as the grave, answers, who
Perhaps a kind word, fifty spoken, might
have saved her, and, instead Of being an
outcaSt. iion1ile'r .d io.,.vi>q, .,lio might
be a respectable woman. / care not how
low a woman may sink in the slouglis of
infamy and disgrace, | believe there is still
left i'll the deep recesses of her heart green
spot, and if a kind word is spoken at the
proper time, the gem will spring forth and
bud and blossom; but let her feel the
crushing weight of unkindness and neglect,
and it dies, and she is hopelessly lost,
doubling even the justice of nlerciful
God-preferring the suffermgs of an lul-
known world to the tortures she feels here.
What little effort it costs us to speak a
kind word! How often it recalls memo
ries, which are slumbering in the dim re-
cesses of the past, causing the flush to
deepen ON the check, and the eye to flash
with new brlliancy! 1t may lead them
back to their innocent, happy childhood,
and they, remembering what they once
were, cause them to feel they are not en-
tirely .forsaken, because they were kindly
spoken to. Since the cruel war deprived
me of my husband, and | have incurred
the slowed and lost" | have been left
partly dependent upon my own exertions
for support for my fatherless little ones.
l can plainly see how iceak-mas,led qco-
man, homeless and friendless, would pre-
fer a life of ease and splendor in a giided
palace of prostitution, though for a season,
to one of honest toll consequently, l feel
for an errng sister. Tome, it has ever been a
mystery why my own sex have SO much less
compassion for ruined woman than those
of the opposite. Let the sad intelligence be
announced in crowd of females that Miss
III. c., has been unfortunate in her attach
ment to some one, and in weak unguarted
moment has fallen, will they not with one
accord, hold up their hands in holy horror,
and exclaim, just as ! expected, have been
looking for this !? "She was always iinprll-