The Republican journal., 1871-07-06

From the Springfield Republican, June 18th.
One of the subjects talked over by the
clergymcn who met at the Sunday school
convention in Chcopee on Tuesday, was
the case Of Rev +. ID. Daniels, of Palmer.
about n years OF age, who. il half that
is reported be true, is Il black sheep in
the flock, and whose duings have greatly
exercised the denomination at Palmer.
and in this vicinity for some time past.
Mr.. Daniels went TO Palmer in May, 1870,
under an engagement to serve as pastor
of the Baptist church there for one year
lie seemed TO be an earnest man, and an
unusually praycriul and sincere Christian
In October began Il revival, into which he
entered with much feryor. securing aid
from the clcreymen and laymen from this
city and from adjoining towns One Of
the first fruits Of this awakening was Miss
Ella Graves, q pretty girl of pa blonde,
lively, engaging, fond of the company of
the opposite sex, and as it seems, fasci-
mating. A few obsevant members of the
congregation thought at that time that
Rev. Mr.. Daniels showed more tender
Solicitude for her spiritual welfare than
was exactly becoming q pastor and a
married man, but the matter excited no
special comment Miss Graves was bap-
tiscd and became amembcr OF the church,
and the acquaintance ripened fast. In
the winter she began the study Of Latin,
selecting him as her private tutor, and,
rs usual, the first word corrugated was
0916. 1t would appear that the lesson
was learned very thoroughly in the first
person plural, In the winter the teacher
Of the district school, near Mr. Daniels
house, was disabled by sickness, and
Miss Graves was engaged as teacher
for the rest OF the term. What more nat
ural than that she should at first take her
meals nj the Daniels and finally room
there also? 1t was more convenient than
to 90 to her home, half 4 mile away, and
that arrangement, being mutually agree
able, was effected. Miss Graves was thus
II member of the pastors household for
some weeks, and the result his own con-
tession may tell.
On a Friday in February he went to a
Baptist clergyman in an adjoining town,
much exercised in spirit, and said that he
had ceased to have any affection for Mrs.
Daniels, his wife, and passionately loved
another woman, and he asked the prayers
of his brother in the ministry The broth
cr, astonished beyond measure, told him
in substance that if he had come to that,
he was past praying for. The next day
Mr. Daniels returned to Palmer 10 find
his wife corpse, or just becoming one.
Mrs. Daniels, a quiet, diflident and most
estimable woman, who loved her husband
with all the devotion Of her true woman
ly nature. could not be insensble to what
was passing before her eyes Her friends
hal l., IL,
deep trouble, but she bore up under il
alone, making no one her confident. On
Thursday of that week she was noticed to
be vivacious to an extraordinary extent,
and there can e no doubt that her mind
was affected to such degree that she de-
liberately took her own life. Preparing
herself for a death-bed with scrupulous
care, she took in her hand the picture of
her husband, whom she still loved dearer
than herself, and, having told her attend
ant not to wake her under any circum-
stances, swallowed dose of choral hy-
drate sufficient to kill dozen persons,
and slept the sleep Of death. She was
found next day, but just alive, pressing
the picture OF her husband to her heart.
1t was impossible to arouse her, and in a
few hours she was lifeless. Nothing
more patne1lc can be found in the range
of romance than the death of this sorrow
ing, heart-broken woman. 1t was stated
at the time that she died Of an overdose
of choral taken as a medicine, but there
can be no doubt that the overdose was
taken purposely.
The neighbors sympathised with the
pastor in his bereavement, and several
offered to take charge of his little ones, a
boy OF three years and babe; but he
would not consent to part with them.
Yet before their mothers body was cold,
they had been taken by Ella Graves to
her home. The return of the children to
the Graves after the burial of their
mother caused SO much scandal in his
parish that he sent them away But in a
few weeks his intimacy with Miss Graves
was resumed; he made frequent calls at
her house, and the people of Palmer, as
the facts gradually came out, grew so in
dignant that Mr.. Daniels did not preach
the last Sunday of his year, but quietly
left town.
About the 18th of May, unless there is