Transcribe Arink, Ellen M. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1855-12-01)

yours published, one written to Dr. Dewey I believe, I regret that I have not yet seen it, I shall do so soon however. By the way, leaving yourself for an instant have you learned that Dr D's oldest daugh ter, Sophia, is insane, and at present an inmate of the Utica Asylum? or do you not care about it, or have you never heard of such a being? She had a severe fever during the close of the sum- mer, while visiting "East", which affected her brain strangely even after health ap- peared to be recovered - said in a fitful period of discouragement, under pretense of taking a walk one day, she left her father's house, and directing her steps northward, walked, till she reached the Lake, and then deliberately went in! The sudden chill it appears, caused a sufficient return of reason & self-conscious- ness to convince her that such a ^made of^ procedure was unwise, and with garments all dripping with the flood, she sought