Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-02-12
Story Of the Girl who was Burned to
Death in Cincinnati.
HER SECOND BURIAL

HER SECOND BURIAL
We never READ story more sad than that
Of Josephine Ellison. "A few months ago,
she was beautiful, lovely girl, the pet Of
an honorable family in Missouri village
a wretch seduced her, and persuaded her
to elope with him to Cincinnati, where he
soon deserted her. After vainly seeking
Other modes Of life, she entered house Of
sin. But her soul revolted at the Memphi-
an darkness Of such life. She was too
disconsolate to please her visitors, too cheer
less to make friends with her heartless COM
panions. At length, lastnight, she unbur-
thened her heart to one of the inmates of
the house, who sympathized with her. By
her advice, she resolved to return to her
deserted home, bow for repentance before
her outraged parents, and atone by life Of
merit for months of shame An omnibus
driver was directed to call for her, and he.
trunk left at the Office: nv T.uat night the
house t .ccl. Ere Ere from heater in the cellar
All the inmates escaped but one. In the
morning the fremen took from the ruins
the charred body Of Josephine Ellison
just as she was being borne away an omni-
bus was driven up, with her neatly lettered
trunk on board-but the contemplated pas
senger had taken another journey. jose
phine was buried in the city lot. An time
rant minister performed the service. Four
protested followers of that Jesus who said
to the weeping Magdalen, .'Woman, thy
sins are forgiven thee" were asked to do it
but refused. They felt, II am boiler than
thou art" The night after the burial tho
police caught three men coming from the
graveyard, carrying heavy bag, and pur-
sued them. They dropped the bag and
ran. On being taken to the the office Of
the Mayor, it was found to contain the
blackened remains Of the lost pariah, to
whom, even in death, repose was denied
The resnrrectionists were arrested.
Several Of the frail sisters Of the unfortu-
nate girl, says the Cincinnati Enquirer,
having determined, as has been stated, to
bury the girl second SINE, the Rev. G. T.
Flanders, of the First Universalist church,
in true Christian spirit, offered to preach
the funeral service, which took place at that
editice. on Plum street: Although no pub
lie notice had been given of the event, the
church was ne arly full before the appointed
time, and when the hour arrived it was
difficult to obtain a seat. The company, as
may be supposed, was miscellaneous and
singular in its haracter-composed of true
Christian men and women, idlers, courte-
sans, gamblers, gentlemen, profigates and
philanthropists, all deeply impressed with
the solemnity of the occasion. 70 judge
of the services by hurried glance, stran-
ger might have thought it a fashionable
wedding, perhaps, as he perceived carriage
after carriage drive up and deliver their ell
egantly dressed inmates in front of the edi-
fee. Observation, however, discovered by
the sad faces, and the sorrowing eyes, that
it was no occasion ofjoy. The Rev. Mr..
Flanders sermon was eloquent and touch
ing, from its simple truthfulness, and sank
into every heart. God, he said was all
love; that he had destined every human
creature for Heaven, and none had reason
to despair. He alluded to the antecedents
of the poor girl, and to the miserable life
she must have led since her false step had
brought inefable affection to her SOUL AS
he spoke, many persons wept, and we saw
strong men bend their heads to hide the
startling tears; while the poor women, to
whom his words were alive with truth, sob
bed like children. We have rarely Witness
ed more impressive scene. All appeared
to be held in sympathy, and the erring
daughters of shame to be re-created for the
time, and to have repented of their sins. "
Their hearts were purified, doubtless, in
that hour, and the tablets of their souls
washed clean with atoning grief Alas if
some good angel should have held them in
this mood, and spoken in voice not to be
disobeyed: go back no more!" Those
women doomed to life of misery and reck-
less gaiety, were spectacle and study, as
their tears ran through their delicately-
gloved and richly -jeweled fingers, and their
breasts heaved with the first genuine and
sacred emotions they hab known for months
it may be for years. Some of them were
gaily attired, and their cheeks blazed with
rouge, and some looked sin stepped and
hardened but the most of them were plain
ly attired, and their features bore the sub
dued expression that sorrow ever yields.-
A number were young and very handsome,
and he who had been ignorant of their pro-
fession would not have dreamed of their
frailty The coffin, of solid rosewood, with
silver mountings, was exposed near the al
tar, and the undertaken removed the lid,
that those who wished might gaze upon the
dead. Many Of the vulgarly curious rush
ed forward, but the lorettes moved not
They only wept the more, and in few mo-
ments followed the corpse silently and with
new gushing tears. The coffin was placed
in the splendid hearse, and as the inanimate
clay of another Marie du Plessis moved for
ward to its second tomb, the crowd started
tor minute and separated. The sexton
closed the doors of the church. The sun
looked down brightly upon cottage, and
even upon the coffin Of the poor girl-be-
trayed, burned, dead. buried and exhumed
and the funeral Of the poor lorette was
over.
EASTER. Roman Catholic and Epis-
copal readers will be interested in learning
that Easter, which will be on the Oath Of
April this year, last fell on that day in
1871, and will not fall on the same date
again until 2,011. Since the introduction
of the Gregorian Almanac this has only
been the case in the years 1889, 1907 and
1791- The period in which Eastear can