The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-10-16
A SAD NARRATIVE
The Last Of a Once Proud and
Wealthy Family

sole comforter of the first murderer
and came down to be eyer-present
adorning life with heavenly clean
, L in the home of the humble and DroTC
} alike. Yesterday morning two Sis.
| tiers of Mercy might have been seer
in the ladies' waiting-room in the
Rock Island Depot, on their way to
| st. Louis. The face of one of these
holy women would have caused the
Imost heartless wretch living to stop
for an instant at least to look upon
| it's sweetness, its beauty, its benig-
nifty all made heavenly by visible
and speaking expression that told of
a life Of woe and hard trial. This
nun is the last of once proud and
wealthy family, that before the rebel
lion was renowned in the State of
tSouth Carolina for all that went to
distinguish the elite of that proud
State. Her story has few parallels.
When the war broke out the family
consisted Of the father and mother
| four SoaS and two daughters. of
whom this Sister of Mercy was the
youngest, then belonged TO the Epis-
copal Church. but the daughters
were educated at the Acadamy of
the Sacred Heart at Georgetown,
now part OF the City of Washington.
Both were hurriedly brought from
the school when the war broke out
TO bid adleu TO their father and broth
ers, who were Of the first to fall into
line. With them went the betrothed
Of the elder sister and the lover of
the younger, only sons of aneighbor-
ing planter of great wealth and
wierd standing. The care and man
agement of the immense estate
were left to the Overseer and a
small army Of slaves. At the
battle OF Antietam the father
and one of the sons fell, and another
was brought home to die in little
while Of his wounds. MisfortuneS
began to fall fast. The overseer, who
from the start had been unworthy
OF his charge, shortly after the death
OF these three members Of the
family fled, leaving the estate hope
lesSl y entangled and the slaves in a
state Of uncomfortable insubOrdina-
ton The two remaining sons came
home on a summons to attend
THEIR DYING MOTHER.
They found their elder sister broken
in spirit and health, but the younger,
brave and cheerful amid the terri
bic struggle. Before theboys returned
to the field they buried mother, and
sister and one remained to manage
the estate, while the other went
back to fight. La the field he was
attached to the staff ofGeneral Beau
regard, and was killed while, in ODE
dience to order, he was conducting a |
recOnnOltre. Thus Ethere remained
but the younger son and daughter |
Of the family. Sherman'S devaSting |
army was coming, and scarcely a
son Of those left to South Carolina |
failed to shoulder gun to meet HIM,
among them this only protector of
the beautiful and accomplished lady.
who as Sister Of Mercy, was on her
way to st. Louis yesterday. Before
Sherman reached the plantation,
which was now in equally unworthy
hands as trust, the slaves had set
fire to every building, ever so small,
on it, besides numbering the agent.
The young mistress, the day before,
with faithful slave had fed to the
plantation Of her lover, from which
she viewed the flames which wrap
ped her beloved home in ruin. From
this shelter she was obliged to fly on
the approach of the army. for it like
scores Of others, was left in ashes.
She now found herself in the city of
Charleston, a dependent on the
bounty Of others. The terrible car
mage about Atlanta soon followed.
and among the first to fall was her
last brother and the lover of her ell
der sister, who, till now, had gone
through the war unScathed, but
bearing high honor. No one was
eft now but her lover, and he came
back without his left arm. Ruin and
destruction were everywhere. She
was absolutely left without male
relative, and the few remaining of
ler own sex were, like herself. en-
quilted in misery and ruin. In the
course Of time, the One-armed lover
and the brave little remnant of
THE BLIGHTED5 FAMILY
We're married. The young wife in
he meantime barely supported her.
elf by teaching and her accomplish
nentS of the needle. They very
quickly removed to Newly Ork, where
he husband had secured a position l.
n a cotton house. Two handsome
children were born to them, and life
eemed meaSurably bright, when
the Eusbandwas taken sick,
md, after lingering for months, died.
;oOn after his death newborn in
ant died in the hour after its birth.
The mother struggled bravely
through these new miseries, but
When health and activity had come
Jack, not only the past few years of
were gone, but the furni-
ure must go. too, and the apart
lent must be given up. All this
anne to pass. Looking about for
ew anchorage. the widowed mother
herself of an old school
nate IN st. Louis, to whom she COM
her situation. The school
late requested her to come to st.
,OTiS where she would find ann1a