The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-19
MINOR MENTION.

THE love of mother was strikinglv illus
trated in this city last week in two instances.
The fellow Ecker, in the enjoyment of good
position and blessed with wife and babe, had
become infatuated by singer at that ques-
tonable place of amusement, the Zoo" that he
took up with her, abandoning his family to do
So ana we'll nigh stripping his wife and starving
her to get the means to squandsr on the frail
woman upon whom he had conferred his ''affec-
tions.' 1t was shameless thing not often sur
passed. Yet when the fellow was brought to
justice and was arraigned on the charge pre-
ferred in such cases. he expressed no contritiou,
but brazeny stood the ordeal that would have
broken down any man possessed of the finer in
stincts of a gentleman. Evidently he would like
to have kept up the disgracefu liaison with the
woman who was little if any better than him.
SELF 1t did not take long for his mother an es-
Unable lady living in another city, to become
acquainted with the facts in the case, when she
at once came to this place to what could be
done toward rescuing her son from the disgrace
into which he had fallen. 1t mattered not what
the world might think of him, he was still her
son, and to her, doubtless, he was in some meas
ure excusable in his weakness. No one may
analyZe the emotions of the mother at such
time, but in everything she cid she proved that
she still hoped for the best, and did all she
could to set the matter right Providing for the
deserted wife and babe. she at once set about
seeing what she could do. toward mitigating the
sentence that had been spoken against her son,
and which doubtless would have been lightened
had he shown the least indication of repentance
1t was a pathetic sight to see her distress,
and to realize that the infatuated man
did not seem to appreciate the depth of shame
into which he had deliberately thrown himself
Then came the mother of tine SHINING woman,
hoping that something might be done to relieve
her of the shame that had come upon her. Like
the mother of the man. she was actuate6 only
with that ineffable tenderness and love that for
gives all things and seeks to rehabilitate the
erring one hoping to save her daughter. The
woman in this instance gave evidence of appre-
ciating the shame she was in, and the two fell
into each others arms and wspt when they met
Here were man and woman grown, stepped in
sin, yet their gray haired mothers cared for them
enough to seek them out and take them to their
hearts, as dear to them as on the day they
were innocent babes it may be their frstborn.
The offense they had committed, aud which
had cut so deeply and cruelty, was as nothing
compared with the love they had for them
There was only one thought--come back; I love
you still; though all the world turn against you.
still do love you and feel that you will yet be
good. Poor boy, blinded by impulses that are
desperately wicked, and erimed by the stain of
sin and transgression, what would you not give
if the court were as gentle and forgivlng as is
your mother? The world of humanity is saved
by the goodness and forgiving gentleness of
mothers love, too often undeserved, too often
sighted and ignored There is not sweeter or
safer love this side of Paradise, no surer haven
of refuge, no better foretaste of heaven.
THE following recently -unearthed letter from
Cotton Mather, gives his very decided opinion
about William Penn and the Quakers, and also
demonstrates that that reverend gentleman was
not prohibitionist. and withal had an eye to
business Yankee thrift had an early example
set for it by ye clergy
SEPTEMBER, 1882.
ITO We Aged and Beloved John Hlgginson:
"There be now at sea shippe flor our friend
Elias Holdcraft. of London. did advise me by
the last packet. that il would sail sometime in
august Cdileu We UelcOm6 Green
master. which has aboard a hundred or more OF
ye heretics and malignants called Quakers
with w. Penn, who is We scamp at ye head of
them. Ye General Court has accordingly given
secret orders to Master Malachi Huxett of
We brig Porpoise. to waylay ye said
Welcome, as near We coast of Cedd as may be-
and make captives of ye Penn and his ungodly
crew. so that We Lord may be gorified and not
Knocked on ye soil of this country with ye
heather worships of these people. Much spoil
can be made by selling sc whole lot to Barbados
where slaves fetch good prices in rumme and
sugar, and wa shall not only do ye Lord great
service by Furnishing We wicked. but shall make
game for his ministers and people.
yours, in ye bowels of Christ
COTTON MATHER"
THE case of Mrs. Martin, of Michigan, who
was SO mysteriously abducted" by two men
while riding in company with her newly-nade
husband. is not as plain as it might be- and her
explanation, now that she has returned, only in
creases the strangeness of the entire thing. She
says the two men who carried her off travelled
for hours without saying a word, and that she
does not know who they were, and that they