The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-09
TOLD In CONFIDENCE.
An Inmate of the House of the
Good Shepherd Talks.
HER FATHERS ANXIOUS VISIT.
Positive Denial of Any immoral Prac-
tices-A Confidential Talk With
Penitent Girl.

The publication OF the stories concern
ing the House of the Good Shepherd has
caused some anxiety to people having rel
atives there. Among these ara the fathsr
and mother of a girl about Il years or age
who is IN the house. They arrived III Sc
attic yesterday morning very much NoT-
ried at the dangers TO which they feared
the child might be exposed. Fearing, too,
that they might not be able TO see their
child, except in the presence of one or the
sisters, ana so be prevented from free tax
ing they devised little plan. They cut
the affidavit of Amelia Peltier from the
Post-Intellgencer and enclosed IL IN
note folded up small. The note was As
follows:
Dear -: I wish you to read this
and tell me is there any truth in II. do
not be afraid to tell the truth or thihk
you will be punished, for If IL is true l
will take you away at once; but do not
tell falsehood thinking TO get away from
here, because l cannot take you home. L
shall have TO take you TO another home;
so speak the truth for truths sake.
al will stand between you and all harm.
as / have always done; so do not be
afraid. Write your answer on this paper.
When the father and mother arrived at
the House of the Good Shepherd the girl
was seen in the presence of one OF the
sisters. While one parent engaged the SIS
note into the girls hand. The girl read
it unrolested and wrote in pencil at the
bottom:
Dear Ma: 1t is all lies. 1 swear ii"
This she folded and handed to her moth
er, but without any attempt at conceal
ment. The father had requested to be left
alone with his daughter, and to this the
mother superior readily assented. The
father, who was much wrought up, said
to he civ hn a M If
there is anything wrong here, and l will
take you away. Don't think they'll hurt
you. I'll tear down the doors myself"
"As true as there is a God in heaven"
said the girl, Il never saw a wicked thing
in this place. Such things as they tell
about cculd not be without us knowing
1t. 1t is wicked lie."
The girl In question Is not bad girl.
She was led astray, but suffered mental
agony Immediately and confessed to her
mother, begging to be sent away so that
nobody she knew could see her. She is
not, therefore, maynard girl likely to
connive at any immortality, but natural
ly good penitent and stunning that
which caused her so much grief. This
was told by the father to a Post-Intelli-
gencer reporter, and corroborated by the
mother. who added: Our little girl
grieved US very much, but she was very
young and foolish, OF course, yet she
never told us a falsehood."
This is not, of course, conclusive that
some of the charges are not founded on
facts. but this good girls word that there
is nothing immoral in the place is fully
as reliable as a VIGOROUSLY bad girls
word that there is anything immoral.
The chief objection to the House OF
the Good Shepherd is that girls are COM
mtted to an institution not under state
control. They are sent there with the
best of motives, but It seems. after all,
advisable not to impose restraints on per-
sonal liberty, whether ii be to check in
temperance or immortality. Open the doors
of refuge to those seeking to reform; but
let those who want to take the downward
path take il.
There are many little children and many
women who would rejoice at getting
cosy bed. a quiet home and meals three
times a day, even at the cost of labor or
under the restrictions Of discipline. There
is no lack of material for charity. Open
the doors and let the unwilling go.