OCR Text |
Show LETTER FROM DAVID SMITH. We were lately permitted to read a letter from David Smith, son of the prophet Joseph, directed to a friend of his now residing in Salt Lake. For reasons which most of our readers will readily appreciate, we were deeply interested in a perusal and examination of the letter. It was dated "Convalescent Cottage, Insane Asylum, near Plano, Ill. [Illinois]," and bore a recent date. The hand writing was neat and very legible, and the language elegant and tasteful. The letter bore unmistakable traces, however, of the mental unsoundness of the writer, as occasionally words would be curiously transposed, and in two or three instances, words having no relevancy whatever to the subject of the paragraph in which they appeared, were inserted. For the most part, however, the epistle was coherent grammatically, and plainly expressive of the sentiments of friendship and esteem which the writer entertained for the recipient. Reference was made to friends of the writer in Utah, to the ?? of Salt Lake City, and to other subjects, denoting that his memory was good, or at least that he still recalled many of the incidents of his visit to Utah, about eight years ago. He refered [referred] to the present surroundings, grounds &c., of the asylum, and of his contentment there. We are informed that he is steadily improving, and that his mind is growing stronger. We have read many letters written by people who considered themselves not only sane but smart, that were not by any means as creditable as was this one. |