Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-09-27

Upon the RedRwa-NOne of Hes
DauShterS Per Aitted 1o FArIfei.
pate In IL Under any CireumstAn.
San Francisco Alta.l
The following letter is copied
from the original letter in Mrs.
Sherman's handwriting, which we
have seen:
FoRT LEAvENwoRTH. KANSAS, I Il
si August 81, 1877. ! /
Ny DEAR Mr. RULoFsoN II
have read your book, "lhe Dance
of Death" and ] must say | admire
your courage, and believe you have
shown sas much heroism as any
crowned martyr in your defence Of
virtue, and your denunciation of
what is calculated to drive it from
the hearts and minds of fashionable
women. | have always given this
miserable dance a silent cOndemna-
ton by refusing to allow any of my
daughters to participate in it under
any circumstances but have
avoided the evil as something at
the sight of which my soul revolt
ed, without being able to say any
thing against it, either from expe-
rience or any absolute knowledge
of its most direct and pernicions
effects.
You have had experience of the
dance itself, and you have evidently
had evidence of its most fatal re-
suits. From the published letter
of Father Accolti, lately sent to me,
infer that you are suffering the
consequence of your heroism. /
trust you will not be cast down, nor
allow yourself to suffer any pain,
whatever may be said Of you. ANY
thing less than your bold declara-
ton would have failed to produce
any effect.
Now it must come. Women of
virtue or self respect will now blush
to have the dance named to them.
An amusement which leads in any
case to such results as you have
pointed out should be forever dis
countenanced. Even if they should
continue it for while in order to
assert their own innocence and
their non-concurrence in your
views, they will only be too glad to
let it die out.
| am rejoiced that you have
spoken boldly, and told all you
know about it. The advocates of
this dance have had their own way
long enough-absorbing all enter
tainments; sneering upon and ridi-
culing those who quietly declined
to participate; openly and constant
ly insinuating of those who decline
it that they are, therefore, evil
minded, ETC., or quoting impudently
and insinuatingly their only weapon,
"Honi soft qui NAL y pense," and
then thorowing themselves in mems
arms to prove their own purity of
mind! | never would have imag-
ined the half which you declare to
be true, but | believe every WORD
you write, as it explains many
things which | have observed with
out attempting to understand. One
thing alone which | shall mention !:
| have observed that those who
enjoy this dance enjoy no other
that they are exhausted and miser-
able after indulging in it, and at
the end Of "the season" they are
"broken down" in health. All who
have participated in it must feel
| greatly mortified and humiliated on
reading your book, and many will
be angry and bitterly denounce you;
therefore, | say, | admire your
courage, your hercism in defense of
virtue, which is IN danger of being
entirely lost to society by reason Of
this bold dance. Let them suffer
notification They have been ridi.
culing and scorning and sighting
every modest and obedient girl who
failed to participate with them for
these many years. | am sorry you
could not give the name of the lady
of whom you quote against the
dance because the others will be
accused; and ladies whose families
for generations have strictly avoided
such dances would be sorry to be
supposed to have any experience,
even at the price Of being CON
sidered eminent and renowned"
l respect the lady as do you for
being willing to denounce this from
her own experience.
If consistent with your obliga-
tions toward her, would be glad
to know her name, which, Of course,
| would not even mention without
your consent. Should you find the
newspapers "hounding" the wrong
person for this good lady, please
give her name to the public if she
is willing; at least describe her so
that she cannot be confoundcd with
others.
| have as yet received only the
copy you sent, not the ones
ordered With oreat admiration