“Niagara Falls, May 31,1871. Dear “young Folks”: —

Since the arrival in our home of your June number, the spirit of our only boy, our Charlie, — Charlie T. Ware, aged fourteen, — has left the body which had striven so faithfully to hold it for three long weary months, and has returned to God who gave it. The last number did not make him happy as previous ones had never foiled to do, for his poor head had become so sensitive that we could not read to him of “Jack Hazard and his Fortunes.”

His last effort at composition was what he sent you at our solicitation, the  idea of a true gentleman. He was unaccustomed to expressing himself upon paper, and too honorable to accept the least assistance, but he lived his idea. ‘With malice toward none, with charity for all,’ he ‘did unto others what he wished that they should do to him.’

Last Sabbath when we laid his poor, tired body on the bosom of Mother Earth, his pastor paused in his remarks, and in a voice tremulous with emotion said, “Friends, there lies the body of the best boy I ever knew. I speak what I do know, and mean what I do say.  And every heart in that large assembly thrilled with the echo.

I hardly know why I have written this to you whom it cannot interest; perhaps because he loved you so much, and for that reason you are dearer to me, if possible, than ever.

Charlie’s Sister.”

Reference Data:

Our Young Folks, Vol. 7, by John Townsend Trowbridge, Lucy Larcon and Gail Hamilton, 1871, page 510