December 28 Tuesday — In Redding, Conn, Sam wrote to Harriet E. Whitmore.
She is out of it all, dear Mrs. Whitmore—the first kindness that has come to her from the Source of All Kindness in sixteen years. She & I had a long & loving chat the night before the blow fell, & she gave me a commission for you. I said I would write you my side of that matter, & I proceeded to map it out, but she stopped me & asked me not to write in that heated vein—& not to try to write at all, because I would not be able to keep my temper. She told me to ask you to come down here & let me state the case orally. I promised at once. She had been shamefully & criminally abused for three years, through the plots & lies & malignities of that unspeakable person; & when I got her home again months ago I was resolved that I would not say no to any request of hers while my life should continue. I wish, from the bottom of my unforgiving heart, that that person.
But no, I promised my poor wronged child, & I will not finish that sentence.
After a few weeks I shall ask you & Mr, Whitmore to visit me, & then I will tell you my side. Doubtless all Hartford has listened to the other side—& believed it. I judge so because in to-day’s & yesterday’s avalanche of sympathizing letters & telegrams Hartford is substantially unrepresented. There was a time when this would have profoundly distressed me, but nothing can distress me any more, now. / Sincerely Yours / .., [MTP]. Note: Sam referred to his side of the Lyon-Ashcroft matter.
More letters and telegrams of condolence were sent by:
| Lilian W. Aldrich William H. Allen & Mrs. William Allen (telegram) John D, Archbold Julia Langdon Barber David Bispham George de Forest Brush Robert J, Collier & Sarah S, Collier (telegram) Mrs. Abe Curry & Vera Cowan Elizabeth B, Custer Marion S, Gaillard Dorothea Gilder | Orlando E. Hart Frank Jenkins Grace E. King Amelia M. Kramer Emily L. Langdon Charles T. Lark Elizabeth Robins George W. Smith Mary F.J. Smith Percy Spalding George H. Yost Gerald H. Thayer [MTP]. |