Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-11

This remarkable letter was written
to his mother by Maine young man,
Alden Doughty of Greenwood, on his
death bed, under date of Jan. 10th,
from Rye, Colorado:
Tear Mother.-You won't enjoy getting
this little note at All. for can only tell
YOU of hard luck. For the. last few DAYS
have been having another series IF bleed
inSs and it ended ~ Wednesday night
with q very Tad enc. 1t didn't ico:s pos
sible that | could ever come out Of 1t, bat
it stopped bleeding just in time l am
awfully weak now ana canrot move my
self at all. Am lying on my back. bolster
ed uE with pillows and have to ne lifted
from one position to aEother I can hard
~ write.
Now mother, hope You will take this
in 4 common sense way. l presume III"
end is not far away but am not fussing
sensible YOU will not. I have been look
ing and planning Tor just this thing for
wears.
| have left instructions here about my
affairs NJ. NJ. Meredith will straiehten
ont and settle up things. ! have asked to
be buried here in the little grounds called
Erookside and for small slab to mark
the spot If ycu choose to. You might
have a little slab set up in our lot telling
name and dates and where Hurled.
am having my books ard some loose
manuSc!lpt sent nome Give tie DOCKS 10
the children, keep the manuscripts. They
are the most of what ! had looked up
about our ancestry. You may not under
stand any of them lat someone may he
taking mp the work and can use them. /
am also sending YOU my ring. Can't write
any moro. l have every care possible and
do not lack for a single thing. l got
your last letter with the five dollars.
Lots of love to all the folks and friends
and especially you and father. Alden.
I hope there will lie enough OF my in
snrarce left TO ever things m with you
all and dear Ed. Good-bve
Alden Doughty needs no other tribute
than can be read from his own brave
words. yet this brief record of his life
may be interesting. Alden Doughty of
Greenv God, born 1876, died 1908, grad
uated from Hebron Academy in the
class of 1886 working his own way,
and FROM Colby college in the class of
1900. Two years later. threatened with
consumption, he went to Colorado.
W here he remained up to the day OF
his death, Jan. IL, 1905 His brief life
in the world between leaving college
and going to fight the fatal disease
was characterized by earnestness,
honest devotion and conservation To
the faithful performance of his duty,
as was manifest in his school and
college life. Away from home, away
from many of his friends for six yealS
he lived in Colorado. He found
there many friends. He built himself
4 little home; he worked to make his
home complete up to within two OF three
days of his death; he never gave up;
he was always heroic, always brave,
always trustful, always faithful and
all this, too, knowing his true condi-
ton, hut knowing only this duty-to
work until his Master called. The Phi
Delta Theta boys in Pueblo with char
acteristic good fellowship had raised 4
fund whereby Mr.. Doughty was to
have ten dollars in cash each month. He
had himself organized and completed a
business by which he soon would have
been able to pay his own way more
easily in the world if he could have
lived. But the final summons came
and found him ready.
The reported discovery Of rich |