The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-12-26
Capt. Fry's Letterto His Brother

GAoA I'LL auU 1e61lug eQlCO'
rial in the Mobile Register of Tuesday
we clip the following passages:
No man has figured in the history oil
q country who in death proved himself
80 worthy to live, as Capt. Joseph Fry.
And yet his death was an epic that the
world could not well have spared. Is
there a boy who reads the language in
which his dying letters are written, in
whose soul vas not kindled a spark
that made it a nobler soul ? Is there a
man who would not wish to die like
him? Fry's letters, then, are an heroic
poem, and in their moral influence in
elevating our humanity, deserve to
stand by the works of genius in song
and story, that tell of, and teach our
youth to emulate, unselfsh courage
ING the highest type of manly fOrti-
tude.
A number Of these letters have been
published, and We have the proud but
melancholy privilege Of printing, for
the first tihe, another one to his broth
er. They are all alike, because all come
from the depths of the same great
heart. In none of them is there the
falntest sign of faltering in his great
purpose to devote his last moments to
an effort to save his fellow victims, and
Al bIE1NICE SOlC+StG VA lIIS SCdl OutS hnO
friends he was about to leave. More
simple eloquence was never poured out
upon paper. Their every line reveals
the tenderness of q woman and the
courage and truth of q man.
And then, how sublimelY his faith and
trust III God shine out above the good
deeds which engaged his latest thoughts
and efforts ! AS we dwell upon the man
ner OF his noble death, We almost feel
that envy rather than pity is his due
Even the bereavcd ones, the Jewels of
his heart in the family circle, must find
some consolation in contemplation of
their relationship to O husband and IA
Their who, in the full tide of vigorous
life, stood erect and robbed death of it's
sting.
The following is the letter alluded to:
La TORNADO, SANTIAGO DE CUBA,)
November 4, 1873.
DEAR WALTON-Day after tomorrow
will be Sis's birthday. It will be rem
dered doubly memorable in after DAYS,
for expect on that day, probably with
in thlrty-six hours, to be shot-as we're
four splendid fellows yesterday morn
ing. The news has been most carefully
kept from me, but / got it nevertheless.
Having good reason to suppose I would
share their fate, and wanting some lit
tie time for preparation, I made a request
to know my fate, and was officially in
formed that | would be tried tomorrow
morning ny court-martiai, with thirtu
Others. Ofcog1rse I know what that
means. as l have already been tried!
Well, am satisfied, and shall sleep up
on It. L feel sorry for the few who
shall weep for me-glad they are so
few; Poor. dear Dita did not have the
Madonna face for nothing. I shall
take communion and be shot in the act,
II they. Will grant my request and if
so, God will have answered INV nraver.
and allowed me to die at that moment
It is a curious circumstance that there
is no priest here who can speak English.
and who can absOlve me, as MANY are
SUSPENDED by the Pope, I believe. But
the Padre says / a confess to God,
make the act of cOntrition and be alb
solved: The officers of the Tornado are
very kind to me. [ am a prisoner in
their Wardroom.
Kiss your wife and children for me.
Good luck to YOU, old fellow. Love to
Tell Bill the memory of his an
gelic goodness to me helps me to trust
in God. Perhaps my fate NAV lead to
extirpate my faults. Tell Sis not to
mourn for me-, for I would rather die
trying to do something than sink like a
dog into the grave, and rather like the
idea of rest which I hope for. I hope
God will not abandon me, and that
friends may pity my poor widow and
fatherless children.
wish I could get General Verona's
lastletter to send to you. If Ihad lived
| would have described him to you;
but now | go to join him.
How this news is to be broken to
poor Agnes / don't know. May God
help her-for He only an.
I wish my friends to be patient and
kind to my poor children. Kiss little
Willie for me, and my poor little Lima
and Annie. Kiss Aggy and Dell. May
God bless my poor boys and raise up
friends for them, who will show them
hon to lire and hoB to die. Tell Tom
goodbye, and tell him to kiss Mary and
his children for me. I don't know what
they'll do with my body. It was never
worth much in life. / do not want a
cent spent upon itin death-itis useless.
Love to my friends.
God bless you, my dear brother. |
hope to be with those who have gone
before, right soon, and am not conscious
of a pang for myself. I feel sorry for
those | know will mourn me sincerely.
Your brother, JOSEPH Fry.
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