Haverhill, May 22, 1849.
My Dear Daughter Elizabeth;—I can no longer be your FATHER nor provide for your wants in childhood, nor protect you from surrounding dangers therefore I have given you to your father and mother Hoit; they will be kind parents to you and you must be a good and dutiful child to them; always be obedient and good; love them, and improve your mind daily—and read the Bible with great care, you will there learn that God has said he will be a father to the fatherless; with Him your mother now lives, and soon I shall live with Him and her, where we shall die no more. Now, my dear, be a good child, and when you are in the field or in the house, ask God to bless you and save you in Heaven to dwell with your parents.
God loves little children, and you must love Him and ask Him to purify your little heart, and fit it for the kingdom. Always love the truth; be kind and loving to all your playmates, “do unto them as you would have them do unto you.” I should be glad to see you but I cannot; but if you are a good humble little Christian, you will soon come to me, so I must command you to God, praying you will ever trust in his grace and meet your parents in Heaven—there will be no more parting.
And now, my dear, I must bid you farewell, until we meet in heaven.
This is from your poor dying father—FAREWELL! it makes my heart ache to part with you, but oh! do well and it will be well with you when you leave this world. May God be with you, and comfort you all the time, and sanctify this afflicting dispensation to the spiritual good of your brothers and sisters, and finally may all dwell together at last at Christ’s right hand.
CONFESSION OF
MARY RUNKLE,
WHO WAS HUNG FOR MURDER.
Mrs. Mary Runkle was born in the town of Root, Montgomery Co. N. Y., and at the time of her execution was about fifty years of age. She was married to her late husband in her native town, and says she become jealous of him about a year after marriage, since which time a continual series of difficulties have occurred between them.
She acknowledges that she obtained goods upon a forged order, about ten years after her marriage, and says that it was her first crime.
Not long afterward a pedlar passed through the section where she resided, and sold goods on a credit of four or five weeks. Not appearing at the expiration of that time to make his collection, suspicions were aroused, and as the result of enquiry, the pedlar was traced as far as the house of Mr. Runkle, but no further trace of him could be obtained.