“My darling daughter,—­By the time you read these words, I shall be no longer in the way, to interfere with your perfect freedom of action.  I had but one task left in life—­to make you happy.  Now I find I only stand in the way of that object, no reason remains why I should endure any longer the misfortune of living.

“My child, my child, you must see, when you come to think it over at leisure, that all I ever did was done, up to my lights, to serve and bless you.  I thought, by giving you the father and the birth I did, I was giving you the best any mother on earth had ever yet given her dearest daughter.  I believe it still; but I see I should never succeed in making you feel it.  Accept this reparation.  For all the wrong I may have done, all the mistakes I may have made, I sincerely and earnestly implore your forgiveness.  I could not have had it while I lived; I beseech and pray you to grant me dead what you would never have been able to grant me living.

“My darling, I thought you would grow up to feel as I did; I thought you would thank me for leading you to see such things as the blind world is incapable of seeing.  There I made a mistake; and sorely am I punished for it.  Don’t visit it upon my head in your recollections when I can no longer defend myself.

“I set out in life with the earnest determination to be a martyr to the cause of truth and righteousness, as I myself understood them.  But I didn’t foresee this last pang of martyrdom.  No soul can tell beforehand to what particular cross the blind chances of the universe will finally nail it.  But I am ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is close at hand.  I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith I started in life with.  Nothing now remains for me but the crown of martyrdom.  My darling, it is indeed a very bitter cup to me that you should wish me dead; but ’tis a small thing to die, above all for the sake of those we love.  I die for you gladly, knowing that by doing so I can easily relieve my own dear little girl of one trouble in life, and make her course lie henceforth through smoother waters.  Be happy! be happy!  Good-by, my Dolly!  Your mother’s love go forever through life with you!

“Burn this blurred note the moment you have read it.  I inclose a more formal one, giving reasons for my act on other grounds, to be put in, if need be, at the coroner’s inquest.  Good-night, my heart’s darling.  Your truly devoted and affectionate

Mother.

“Oh, Dolly, my Dolly, you never will know with what love I loved you.”