Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-01-23
Lettrr from Roston.

HELEN WARDS cAsE-DIPHTHERIA ON THE
ARIsrooRAT1c BACK BAY-A WOMAN WHO CAN
BE LoaIcAL-THE THEATRES" WIDOW DE-
DoTT," "UNoLE JOSH" ETC.
BosToN, Jan. II, 1880.
am sure you will all be as glad to hear, as
l am TO be able TO tell you, that Helen Ward
has been set at liberty, the District Attorney
finding no case against her at the conclusion
of the inquest Since that announcement the
indignation at her arrest is growing stronger,
and there is very general desire TO find out
why she was imprisoned in such indecent and
cruel haste. The sorrow and bereavement
she was suffering was enough without adding
TO her troubles the shame Of arrest and inn
prisonment, n stigma which will blight her
whole life for she cannot forget that she has
been the object of suspicion, and the target
for all ill-natured gossip, and about Sub
ject" which the detectives have been inves-
tigating. Poor child 1t is too late for leg
islation to do her much good but it may pre-
vent 3 similar thing happening again, and as
this is the second time within a year that
young girl has been arrested upon suspicion
ed to hear that a motion had been carried
during the past week in the Legislature, to
examine into Helen Wards case, and find out
by whose agency she was arrested when there
were no grounds of proceeding against her,
and to see what legislation was necessary TO
prevent a recurrence of such fragrant act of
injustice. The Daily Advertiser, in sharp
a1itprioI t1,o a.. 81
suggested, apropos of this case and Mabel
Whitman's, that society should be formed
for the prevention of schargng young girls
with murder 1t certainly seems as though
such society could find enough TO busy
itself about The Commonwealth is good to
her children, though and hope to see some
new provision made for the protection of the
girls in her borders, and think it is in fair
way of being done.
Inauguration day was a sad day for Mayor
Prince and it was a wonder that he could 70
through the exercises with 80 calm demean-
or. The week previous, his only daughter,
Miss Annie Prince, lovely young girl had
died of malignant diphtheria, and his two
sons were at the city Hospital, dangerously
~ WIN Nho hohAS uhthSc. luty are Oul OF
danger now, and unless something new sets
in will both recover. II seems strange, but
it is none the less true, that diphtheria has
been more prevalent and has assumed more
malignant form on the sristocratic Back Bay.
than in almost any other locality. There is
something defective in the system of drain
age, and it is felt on that fiat land, great
nnrtipp - xplieI - 10
very many sensational reports regarding the
drainage of the Mayors house, none of which
were based on fact, and consequently added
annoyance to the grief Of the family. The
inve stigation by the Board of Health set the
matter right, but not until the harm had
been done, aud the reports had gone abroad.
Miss Abby May has answered the criticism
on the women's action at the late municipal
election, in having separate ticket for school
committee, instead Of voting one of the party
tickets already formed. She replies that hav-
ing the privilege Of voting only on one ques-
ton the women could not legally vote q party
ticket, IS they were compelled to make
ticket for themselves which they could vote
1t is very bright article, and listen all We
"AN eaN ANAiA VI AAAb bhhA NoHINu hTt Bulu-
ed by impulse rather than logic-it is logi-
cal entirely so. have this on masculine au-
thority, so please don't doubt my statement
being a woman, of course l shouldn't have
dared to declare it 80 boldly upon my own
conviction merely, but | am supported
by masculine opinion. so am not afraid to
make the assertion, nor to ask you to believe
it.
As far as the theatres are concerned we are
given over to comedy. Think of it Den
man Thompson, Boucicault and Emmett. all at
once, and next week Neil Burgess in Nasby's
play of Widow BedOtt will be added to the
list. Apropos of Mr.. Locke he and the Dai-
ly Advertiser have been having a little mis-
understanding. l seems that in Mr. Lockes
circular is notice of the play, credited to
our highly respectable daily, which never ap-
peared in its columns. short editorial note
called Mr. Lockes attention to the fact, and
he has addressed letter of apology to the
editors, which they published this morning
In his letter, Mr.. Locke disclaims all knowl.
edge of the transaction, his advance agent
being responsible for the occurrence. He
himself is extremely shocked and virtuously
indignant, for he neyer-no, he never would
countenance such proceeding For my own
part l don't know which is the funnier of the
two, the quoted criticism, or the letter of
apology. All this hasn't prevented the Ad-
vertiser from saying good things OF Mr.
Locke and his play, and taken altogether it
is q capital advertisement for Widow Bedott
and from present appearances the Gaiety
will be well patronized during the stay of the
Widow looked in at the Boston last night
on my way up town, to see what manner of
audience was listening to Uncle Josh, " and
/ never saw the honse so full but once or
twice before since / remember it. 1t was
crowded from orchestra to amphitheatre, and
there wasn't even standing room. The quaint
LONELINESS of Uncle Josh has taken hold Of
the hearts of the people, and the most fash
ionable audiences fill the house every night
From literary standpoint the piece doesn't
amount to much, but it is sweet, clean, pure
in sentiment, and the old farmer is as fresh
as one of the daisies on his native Swanzey
hills, and as sturdy as a New Hampshire elm.
don't wonder that people 60 to see it, and
laugh great deal, and cry little, too, over
it. Mr.. Thompson remains here three weeks
longer, then goes out on the New England
circuit. SALLIE JOY WHITE
TIE NoRTH AMERICAN REVIEW first
article in the February number is by Cardinal
Manning, and treats of the relations of the