Never was there a more touching, more loving, more solemn epistle
written from a daughter to a mother than that which Agnes Arnold,
while dying, dictated to Sister Mary to be forwarded to her mother
after her death. Sister Mary, in concluding her own letter, in which
that of Agnes was enclosed, writes:
"I assure you again, Mrs. Arnold not merely myself, but no one else
here who has come in contact with your noble and self-sacrificing
daughter, will ever forget her, but will ever hold her memory most
dear. No words would suffice to accurately describe the love and
almost veneration with which we esteemed your sweet, departed
daughter. She was so heroic, yet so quiet and modest; she was so
prompt and decisive, yet so winning and amiable; she was so devoted to
religion, yet never melancholy or austere. Ah, no! she was like God's
own bright blue sky and genial sunbeam. Her very presence in the
chamber of the sick appeared to have an instant and magnetic effect
for the better. She was God's own dear child and handmaiden, and He
has taken her home to himself. I only hope that when I come to die, my
death may be so completely beatific as your daughter's was.
"Just before she passed into immortality she asked me to let her kiss
me. 'Now,' said she, 'if you ever see my dear mother, give her that
kiss, and tell her she was the last one I thought of when I was
dying.' And believe me, Mrs. Arnold, I shall endeavor to fulfil your
daughter's tender request should it be the good will of God for me to
escape from the pestilence which is raging around us. Mr. Harkness's
gold watch I have placed with the Express Company, which will carry it
to you for your disposal.
"Most affectionately, madam, I am ever yours,
Mary."
Agnes' letter, which, as we have said, was enclosed in the above, was
worded as follows:
Shreveport, La., Oct. 2d, 1873.
My Darling, Ever Beloved Mother:
You will notice that this letter is written by another hand than
mine. The reason you will find further on. You will remember when I
left you to come here I told you that I had resigned myself to the
will of Him in whose merciful service I enlisted.
I have devoted myself to the work with my whole soul, my heart being
thoroughly in the good cause. And I believe that I have been the
humble means of saving several lives.
I have not got the fever, but night before last, while nursing a
child, I carelessly fell asleep--being very much wearied--and fell
down stairs. Thank heaven, I saved the little one's life. I struck the
small of my back causing a fracture and some internal injury. The
doctor has done all he could for me, but it will not avail, and I must
go away from you, at least on this earth.
But sweet, good, kind mother, I will meet you again above, in that
better land where there is no sin, no pain, no anguish, but where all
is light and love and immortality. My dear friend and nurse, Sister
Mary, who writes this for me, will see that I am buried beside George,
and mother, this is the great wish of my heart--that if possible, at
some time you will bring our bodies both home and bury us in one
grave. I forgive Sophia the wrong she did me and George freely from my
soul. Sister Mary has a kiss I gave her for you.
Pray do not grieve for me that I am thus passing away; but, in the
future, always be comforted with the knowledge that I shall be waiting
with papa and the others, at heaven's gate, to greet you home when you
follow us from earth.
I would have so much liked to see you, mother dear, before I died; but
it has been ordained otherwise, and God does all things well.
Give my love to all my acquaintances and tell them I thought of all
when dying; and my Bible class scholars, I do not know what to ask you
to say to them. Try and tell them how deeply I love them, and how I
wish to meet them all around the great white throne on high.
And now, mother, you who are dearer to me than all other earthly
treasures, to you I must say--good-by, till we meet again in heaven.
Ever your own loving
Agnes.
[Illustration: "Dear little darling!" said Anges, tenderly, pressing
the infant against her bosom.]