The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-05-02

warm nature, that could not well be
curbed by the restraints protested by
| the people by whom she found herself sur
rounded. few months ago her love for
the society of the younger men of the settle
ment, and inclination to associate as freely
/ as possible with them in public, and honest
| ly, brought upon her the tongue of calumny
at the confessional of the society. Reports
/ about her grew and increased in number.
until at last her mother was told that she
must leave them, as she was becoming en-
| tirely too worldly" There may have been
no sin in this child's heart, but she was &C
cused of il and she must go. She
| must go out into a strange world
of which she knew nothing and
where her young and sensitive nature
might be blasted by the first frost of I'M
Kindness; out into cold world where she
had no friends and no ties of sympathy.
| The mother loved her daughter, and
after all the appeals that she could make for
her proved TO be in vain, she announced her
determination to go with her. The elders
told her that she could soon find good stu
alton in the world for the child, and that
she could then return to them. About three
weeks ago she came to this city, One posted
i in the ways of the Shakers tells us that it is
| likely that all the mother and daughter re-
ceived TO start them in life after
/ IA years of servitude with these peo-
| pie was not to exceed $l5. Their life
/
features-their Inability to find a place
where they could live together permanently
and the whitening answers that the mother
must have received from the Shakers in au-
! thority in answer to her many appeals TO let
her take her child back with them. In this
woman's inner life here there was the des-
/ perate thought that ii would be an abandon
ment OF the only thing she had on earth to
love, to leave the daughter here to tempta-
ton and to the necessities that would force
themselves upon her.
The letters that she wrote appealing for
mercy for her child, and the answers that
came to them, ought to be brought out to
the light of a world that does not know
enough, perhaps, of the practices of a COM
munity that would send helpless young
| girl out into a strange world merely because
she had been suspected. An idea of what
was going on in the minds of these helpless
ones may be cleaned from letter that we
have been permitted to copy, that was writ
| ten the night before the suicide. in the at
mosphere of the full determination to which
| they came TO lay down the burden of life. 1t
| was addressed 10 a young man who knew
these people and had seen them here.
| He had known them at the Shaker set
| Element, and he had been kind TO them as
they had TO him. He had done them some
favors here and they were grateful to him.
On Tuesday afternoon the mother called on
him. He knew that they left the residence
of Mr.. Brickley. No. 235 West Court street
where they had been stopping short time,
and that they we're very respondent. The
mother did not tell him the nature
of the letter she had received from
the elders, but he surmised that she had
made every effort to go back and take her
child with her and that they had failed.
He made every effort to get her to tell him
where they had taken lodgings after leay-
ing the Brickleys, but she would nottell him.
THEIR LAST MESSAGE.
Yesterday afternoon he received the fol-
lowing sad letter:
APRIL "a.
DEAR -: suppose you will be surprised
at receiving letter from me, and still more at
what IL contains. When saw you this after
noon was too full 10 give you satisfaction.
must thank you for your many kindneSses to
me and mine. Ii seems like IL has been my
fate, and Is still to be, an outcast. have al
ways felt that you were my friend, but the
time has come when friendship ceases between
us-you and me-for death will cause separ-
alton. If j could recall the many harsh words
have spoken, and obliterste them from your
memory, IL would be happy moment to me.
But please forgive all. wish / could look
back and think that in neither thought, word
nor deed had / marred your comfort. But
when my spirit Is waited on the other side,
| think of me as one that has always wished you
| well. Had IL been In my power TO do any
thing for you on this earth, how willingly
would have done IL. But have been placed
| In a situation where / could not act my own
will. Let bygones be bygones, and take the
Will for the deed You remarked that you
| were sorry TO see rue so reckless; but IL Is not
| recRlessness that causes me TO do this. The
| song says ''all dark clouds have a silver lin
ing" Mine is so closely enveloped that 1t can
| not be penetrated. The refusal of one thing
and the failure of many things have brought
| all this on. Persons whom / relied upon
/ would not extend the hand of authority
| they promised they would. There is not any
| one who Is really trustworthy. Mortals, oh,
mortals. how weak they are. making such
| only knew one-hali have gone through you
would shed tears Of sympathy. But / do
my my troubles and feel the weight of them. /
| suppose will surprise the folks some little
| when they hear of IL. have nothing to CEN
| sure you for on this earth. only hope you
will take care Of yourself and meet me in
heaven. My last thought will be Of you, for
| how could see her go to ruin, as she certainly
| would IL she staid here. And now last fare
well. For the first time, In reality, say fare
| well SALLIE.
p. ST. trust we viii meet on the other side.
where the reunion will not be broken.
To this was added a scrap in the girls
writing, as follows:
/ can't leave you without saying good-by.
| / thank you for befriending me so often, and
| trust we will meet some time, to part no more.
/ Farewell! IDA MAY.
| This letter establishes the fact that the
mother and daughter fully understood each
die together and so end their troubles on
this earth and go together to that future life
in which they evidently trusted.
The Southern Votes for speaker.