The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-27
In an Unfortunate Fit Of Downheart'
edness Swallows Laudanum.
GRIEF ADDED TO OESP0NDeNCY
An Accomplished Young Lady Tries
to Commit Suicide -- Timely Ar
rival OF Physicians save Her
Life - She Had Written
Letter To- Her Hostess.
Her sad Story.

Miss Ada Sunman, a pretty and accom-
pllshed young lady. residing at No. ~
north Eighth street, and one OF thu
highest esteemed clerks Of the Cohss
Companys big store, both by employers
aad her fellow employees alike. in an un-
fortunate ht Of dependency, about IL
o'clock last evening, sought to end her
llfes care by taking an overdose Of laad-
anum.
shortly after II o'clock one Of the
guests OF the house. while passing the
door to Miss sunman's apartment heard
a sound as Of distress. and promptly nou-
fed the hostess.
APPARENTLY DYING.
The hostess. an esumabie lady. much
alarmed. responded 90 che summons and
entered Miss Sunmaus room. Her alarm
gave place 10 genuine conservation when
she found the pretty young occupant %
the room apparently In dying condition.
Quietly summ0ning others OF her gem
tlemen guests she dispatched them for
medical aid. A physician IL seems was
nowhere 10 be had at that hour, and as
a last recourse some one sensibly sus-
gested the ambulance physicians. who
came with their usual promputude and
rendered efficient assistance.
Ere they arrived, however. Miss sun
man through the efforts Of one or two OF
the ladies' Of the house had revived 20
semi-consclousness but the physicians
! think that had not medical help been
! sought. the young lady would have sue
! cumbed 20 the draught.
As 10 was 10 required an hours con-
| slant attention before she was pronounc-
ed out OF danger.
Miss sunmans story is peculiarly sad
one
HER STORY.
She Is a native Of Indiana, where a
| little over eighteen months age. her
mother, the only relative she had. met q
terrible death through the careiessness
of a drug clerk who compounded a pre-
! scriptlon for her use
! Although very highly connected in her
! Indiana home. the young lady being b.
| the death Of her mother left resourceless.
save for a superior education and a de-
! termination 20 try asserted her inde-
pendence and quietly took up her burden
| OF life
Eighteen months ago she came to Rich
mond and. although practically unknown.
the brave young lady sought employment.
At times her lifes cross became almost
! too heavy, and with the horror OF her
| mothers fate pressing upon her heavily
was given 10 attacks Of down-hearted-
ness.
She. however. found employment at
| last and entered upon her work with
noble f0rtltudc Her wages az least, fur
nlshed her a living. and for nearly a year
and a half she continued II w,.hout a
complaint or hardly rest from her
| labor.
Her talents in both music and litera-
ture. highly developed az a superior
school, had undoubtedly fitted her for a
| higher plane than that upon which she
was living but it seems that the world.
IN it's prejudice against women. who alone
strive to make their way proved harsh 10
her. and her failure 20 rise 20 the Do-
s.tion she deserves. with the recurrent
| grief for her mother. rather added 10 her
dependency and induced her 10 ner last
nights rash step.
LEFT A LETTER.
She left letter 10 her hostess bidding
her goodbye and thanking her FOR her
many hndnesses. and with the portrait
OF her mother IN her hand swallowed the
drug and calmly awaited the Destroyers
coming