The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-12-14

With . view Of invoking tho exer-
else Of that mercy which has hitherto
marked your Honor's Judicial career,
l beg leave to present, 10 . connect
ed form, . bfief, true and candid &C.
count OF my life, and the facts Of my
case. I propose thus 70 furnish the
reasons for that leniency Of judgment
which it is my privilege to ask, and
your right to extend.
My mother died 10 this city when
I was but . child. Bereh OF her low
ing care, / received from my father
such meagre support and education
O. his limited means afforded. At the
tender age Of i've (now somo fifteen
years ago) was subjected to the
control Of . step-mothsr. While /
do not wish to say aught against her,
it is but too true that she did not
(as, indeed, she could n0D adequate
y fill my own dear mothers place.
During ton years preceding the
date of my great misfortune, ] lived
in my fathers humble home, assist
ing il house hold duties, in the care Of
my little brothers and sisters, and
aiding him as saleswoman. at his
stand" in tho market. From oArly
morn till dark Of nearly every day Of
those ten terrible years-years to
me Of hunger, cold, humiliation and
suffering-I stood faithfully at my
post, endeavoring, ~ became . duti-
ful dang hter, to relieve my father Of
the blight and burden of poverty.
Throughout all this time, and until
the present hour (excepting tho one
sin which caused my fall,) / preserv-
cd my womanly purity and virtue
About two years ago, while engaged
rs have stated, | met gentleman
some seven years my senior, of seem-
ingly good character and habits, who
won my heart. He proposed marri-
age and I accepted.
Pending the time for the happy
consumination of my girlish hopes
and ambition, and confiding in his
love and truth, became a victim to
his lust, and fell, alasl to rise no
moro.
The natural result having soon be-
como apparent, implored him to
restore my good name by making
me his wife. This he repeatedly
promised to do, yet postponed the
ceremony on one pretext or another
until | was near my accouchment
when he ned cha city, and left me
ruined, wretched, and disgraosd.
Can your Honor wonder that then,
/, simple, inexperienced girl, so
foully wronged and betrayed by the
very man to whom had surrendered
body and soul, should despair even
of Gods justice, and long for death,
even a. once longed for the sweet
sound Of my false lovers football :
But hops yet remained. He might
return and wed me, 40 he often
swore to do. This gave me courage,
this saved mo from self slaughter.
But he never camc back, and / was
left alone to bear my great woe, and
hide my shame 40 best / could.
concealed my dishonor from
every one. I had few friends and no
cnp6d..ts my stepmoshe. hagan to
suspect the nature Of my condition.
She accused me Of my error I de.
MED 1t. Instead Of sympathy and
kindly words to win my love and
confidence, received abuse, and was
threatened with violence. Ny mise.
~ was complete l could bear nc
more. / resolved TO leave my faith
er's house, and did 90. / obtained
employment 40 . domestic in tbs
home Of . respectable family Of thil
city, where / remained, doing suct
work ~ / could, until the hour (oncs
looked forward TO - one Of supreme
happiness and joy) whom my chilt
was born. You, cir, you are . hus
band and father, can appreciate FL
better than my poor words can OK
press, the anguish, the agony ofbody
and mind which endured.
Overwhelmed with shame, worl
and exhausted by the loss Of strength
consequent on childbirth, my brAil
distracted and my heart broken,
arose from my bed a fen hours afts
confinement, took my babe In m,
arms to . founding hospital O
O'Fallon street, and besonght th
lady in charge to take and keep
{ for me, offering such compensate
as was able to give. This she n
fused 70 do. l left this institution
still carrying my child. | theme
proceeded TO another, though OF
} dissimilar kind, on Cass avenue, nea
" mile distant, hoping to find q
asylum there for my little one.
Tho gloom Of night had gathere
round me. My steps were slo,
faint and tottering. The stars shol
: bright and true, as of Oh, but l ss
J, them not tho lamps shed their a
customed light in vain the stree
we're filed with happy children
y heard not their happy voices, The
joyous laughter; mothers, holdiI
. smiling babes on their loving breas
touched me, pressed me a. pass