The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-07-28

of Shifts. If You think proper to order three or
four. 1 should be glad" Two months later, on
June II, he wrote again to Knox IF the Shifts
which you informed me should be made for
Captain Molly are done. should be glad to have
them Sent as she complains much for want of
them" Whether not Captain Molly ever got
her "Shifts" is unknown, for there is no further
reference to the matter does her name again
appear in the records after 1889.
In contrast to the militant spirit of captain
Molly" both in war and In peace, was the spirit
of another woman whose name is written high
in the annals of West Point. She was Miss
Susan Warner. the daughter of New York
city attorney, who upon retiring from practice
in the metropolis made his home Constitution
island in the Hudson river opposite West Point.
He was accompanied there by his two daugh-
tiers, Anna and Susan. and every Sunday after
for years Miss Susan conducted Bible
class for the cadets at the military academy.
Had she lived she would have found among the
names of the general officers in the World war
many who had attended her classes. frail,
small woman who stir chung to the poke bonnet
and the silk dress of the Civil war period she
was rowed across from her island home and
carried in military conveyance to the hall set
apart for her In of the academic buildings.
She came to be regarded almost a part of
the teaching corps of the institution and on her
death she was buried with military honors be-
side the cadet monument in the West Point
cemetery. Her sister. Anna, following her wishes,
gave Constitution island to the United States gov
eminent. and their home there is preserved as
q memorial
But Miss Susan's connection with West Point
was not her only claim to fame. Under the pen
name of Elizabeth Wetherell, she wrote two
books, "The Wide. Wide World" published in
1851, and "Queechy," published in 1852, which
attained wide popularity. OF THE Wide, Wide
World" it has been said that lit was the NEST
popular novel ever written by American with
the single exception of Mrs. Stoves famous
story Uncle Toms Cabin" It attracted as much
attention in England as in America and it was
translated into French German and Swedish.
However Miss Susan was Indifferent to this
fame for 1t is recorded that she 'never liked"
her book. "The Wide. Wide World" Perhaps
she unconsciously anticipated the criticism that
followed its publication. A French critic marv-
eled at Americas reception of three-volume
novel devoted ito the history of the moral prog
ress of a girl of thirteen" An American critic
described 1t as having little story not semb-
lance of melodrama. and declared that it's sue
cess was purely artistic" It is one of the liter
airy traditions of New York that after the read
ers for George P. Putnam had advised against
II, he was persuaded by his mother, who read
the manuscript to publish it
Long before Miss Susan became the Sunday
school teacher for the cadets there was another
woman who had an important place in cadet
life at the academy. She was Miss Blanche
Berard, who was postmaster there for half
century. Appointed by President Polk in 1S47,
Miss Berard held her position there until 1897
and few of the cadets. perhaps, realized that
back Of her pleasant smile. she passed out
their mail to them. there was the bitter memory
of a tragedy In her life. AS young girl Miss