Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-29
IN MEMORWAM-

1t is known that among the lost by the de-
plorabIe disaster to the steamer United States
was Mrs LOUISA JANE HAYS, wife of G. M.
lays, ESQ., Of this city, and sister to Gen. Thos.
Smiley. The desceased was the youngest
child of Mrs. Araminta f. Smiley, and was born
in Davidson county in April. 1924. Besides her
husband, mother and brother, MIRA. Hays leaves
three sisters, Mrs. Catharine Bugg. Mrs. Emily
Brunson and Miss Mary Ann Smiley. and two
children. Capt. Thos S. Hays. and Mrs. Anna
Murphy, to mourn her departure One who al
ways know and always loved her writes as fol-
lows:
Take, holy earth, all that our soul holds dear,
Take that blest gilt that Heaven in kindness
To memory's EOunt we'll bear with tender caro-
The lovely form which bowed to kiss the wave.
Weeks of painfully anxious suspense have
come and gone, and upon to the winter wind is
borne the sad tidings that Lou HAYS. the cher
ished and beloved wife, the Obedent daughter.
the devoted mother, the afieetiOnate sister, and
the constant friend OF our girlhood has faded for
ever from our sight like beautiful dream. On
the bosom of the Ohio there was q fearful storm
of raging clements and in its wild fury her gen
tie spirit fed from earth TO its home of blissful
eternity. Again are the words Of prophecy Veri-
fied-"One shall be left and the other taken
To us the departed was peculiarly dear. With
her memory are connected many happy asso-
iresideAwatGhing the dying embers as they fade
into grey ashes, We see her as she appeared to
us in ''life's first morn, in all the beautiful and
gentle virtues of blushing wOmanhOOd. The
genial. happy smile and kindly words, dispensed
alike graciOusly to rich and poor, marked her
course of young and later life and made her the
loved friend of all who knew her: Again, IN
memory we see her wearing wreathe of orange
blossoms and registering her Vows at the mar
riage altar How July her heart sanctioned
what her lips uttered, the taithth fulhlment OF
l. vufFa faatg a1FN ha
memory of a suffering little martyr. who, with
arms entwined about her meek utters the sweet
word, mother" How patiently and tenderly
for months and years did she Wateh over that
diving child never growing weary but constantly
petitioning the most High to spare her darling.
1t was only then, when the low, soft moan of
the little sufferer almost rent her heart IN twain
re missed her glad smile. lime, which sottens
all earthly sorrow, threw its mellow shade over
her great bereavement. and once more she found
life precious in the cOmpanionship Of the treas
ures still left her.
A few short months ago she cOnfidei her first
born to the fond care of not her, whose home is in
a distant city, and it was while returning Fl ON
visit TO this loved daughter and her husband
that death claimed her for his own.
70 the aged mother of Mrs Hays, whose earth
ly pilgrimage is well nigh ended, this deep af
Fiction comes with paralysing force. To her she
was as THE staff 81 life" Her glad voice had the
power to mitigate much of the sorrow of that
veneTated mother. whose every want seemed
anticipated by the dutiful and ahectonate
daughter. But she sOTrOws not as those without
hope. The consultations Of the Christian religion
are hers Remembering that she too must soon
cross the silent river dividing time from eter-
nifty, she is sustained by the cOnsoling hope of
meeting in heaven those she loved and lost on
earth.
If human sympathy could bind up the broken,
desOlate hearts of the bereaved, surely their
night of darkness would soon be gone. But hu-
man consolation can never lessen sorrow like
theirs, however acceptable as an offering OF
cherished friendship to the departed. May each
one of us bear record pure as hers. and,
whether in the glory Of w0manhO0d or the ma
turity of later years, may we be ready to say
1t is far better to depart and be with Christ
E.