The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-08-25
A Sad Story.
Mayersville Spectator.

Judge Stafford, the writer OF the follwing
card, IS well-known in Mississippi He wa
at one time leading Republican and editor
of the Pilot, at Jackson, where be lived sew
eral years. Judge Statford's adopted daugh
/ ter was betrayed and taken to den of vice
at st. Louis from where he rescued her, aud
thus portrays the story of her life
/ STEAMER GOLD DUsF,
OFF CAIRO, July %, 1881
Editor Memphis Appeal
For prudential reasons | was advised to
withhold the statement promised your paper
and the public until | got safely away with
my unfortunate daughter. The publicity
given through your paper to the unhappy
story OF the poor orphan girl committed 10
my charge years ago makes it necessary,
for the sake of my sons and their families
and eli others who bear my name or are con-
nected with it by blood, or marriage, 10 give
the true and only relationship she bears TO
the family.
First-She Is waif of the war, born in
wedlock, the pOsthumous child of an honor
able Confederate officer, who was killed in
battle, and her mother surviving her birth
but.a few months. She was one among
hundreds of children thrown upon the char
ity of the people of st. Louis by the calam-
tiles of that ugly war. Families were adopt
ing the children and doing the best they
could for them. Having no girl in our iami-
ly we adopted this one in the Spring of
1861, gave her our name aud the affections
of the whole household. No own daughter
of any household ever had more love and de-
voted affections layished upon her than had
she, and every advantage of education and
moral training we could afford was hers.
She gave promise early of ripening into SUI
perior womanhood. Among her scool!ellows
and the amateur dramatic club Of Green
VILE, under the guidance and management
OF a lady of superior ability, my poor waif
had developed wonderful dramatic talent
which at once made her the unconscious OBJ
Ject ofenyy and Jealousy on the one hand
and the more dangerous batteries and adu-
latlons on the other. What effect all those
influences and surroundings were having on
the mind of my little waif, | was too
busy to consider. And if the matter was
disc used at all in family, the general YER
dict was, Maud will come out right. She |
is too high-spirited and undetermined to be |
permanently injured by the impressions of
her surroundings" Alas for too much faith |
in the strength of mere human intellect |
and the trust We have that our daughters |
and sons will remember and be guided by |
the best lessons they receive under parental
r.,
and the saddest hour of my life, death came
among Us, and the 1st of October, ISIS
that terrible year of the fcver-took from
me the best OF wives, and robbed her of the
tondest OF mothers. Another week added to
the death-roll her foster-aunl, who was al
ways devotedly attached to the child and
thus in few hours of that sickening year,
this tender-reared, doubly-orphaned child
was bereft of all mOtherly and female sup
port and protection, and left to the care of
TWO stricken men-my youngest son and
nyself-who had survived the fever, and
we're scarcely less hel pless than herself; and
devoted as we were, and willing to do, and
lid do all in our power for her, it was only
he best effort of men who can never fill the
place of mother confidential female guide
o q young girl. But in the hour OF fancied
ecurlty, when we are all hoping for the
pest, and trying to do the best for those
committed TO our charge this terrible blow
: struck, and by one fell stroke this ruth
ess destroyer of innocence has stolen into
he fold Of a too confiding house and robbed
devoted father Of the honor of his child,
nd society ofone ofits brightest ornaments. | {
food people of Memphis and Greenville, {
whom | know deeply sympathize with me
Il this hour Of my greatest atfiiction, you ,
Who are at the heads of families fathers and
of the prowling wolves of !
oclety, VINO are Eli ABOUT you, seeking an
pportunity to slake their lustful thirst in
he blood of the failest lambs of your dock | '
ou cannot be too watchfu. 1t is my lamb {
hat is the victim to-day. II may be yours t
Remember your towns and cit ,
IS are full of ell w Meisners''-human ;
ultures unclean birds of prey whose vnl- :
ar beaks masked behind the best APP |
roved society smiles, and who perch them
elves on the most conspicuous seats in your I
churches in the stolen plpmage 8
f birds Of paradise. Bar your doors against '
our innocent daughters down and consign !,
hem to these dens of infamy where they ;
find congeniaI companionship,
nd where they tester and fot ii the EN-
race Of the totally deprayed and irredeem- e
bly, lost: h