Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1872-03-16
Death Of Mrs. Gen. Paxton.


White.
The character and the death Of this
most eStimable Christian lady deserve
more than passing notice OF those
whose noble traits friends will love TO
cherish i'll memory, and whose example
NAV he held up for the imitation of all
who seek after social and religious excel
lence. Mrs. Paxton was signal instance.
Born in Lexington on October -, 1881,
her entire life was spent here and was
consistent record of unaSsuming and
constant devotion 10 duty in all the To-
lalionS of domestic life From early
childhood she was marked by serious
Aid devout mind and temper; and at the
age of eighteen she became member
of the PryshvteriHu church under tho
pastoratc of the Rev. VIM. :. WhiteD.
ID. Thencctorth she was ''stcadtast, un-
moyeable, always aboun,Nng in the work
of the Lord.
In November, 1853, she was united
in marriage with r. +. Paxton, Esq,
who was afterwards Brigadier General
of "the Stonewall Brigade, and fell glo-
riously in defence OF Virginia, ut the bat
tie of Charlottesville, in 1868. Their
union was of the warmest affection; and
the last words of her lamented husband
were: My dear wife and children"
Well might his thoughts turn in the
moment of supreme agony to tho wife
of his bosom, whose gentle, pious lniiu
encc had pointed him on the way 10
God! After the death of him to whom
she was most tenderly attached, she de-
voted herself unremittingly 10 the care
and education of her three orphan sons,
until the hand of disease prostrated her
upon lingering bed of sickness. Then,
at the house of her widowed sister. Mrs.
Jas. Gardner Paxton, surrounded hy
every care and attention, which love
and affection could bcstow, and tended
to the last by her widowed mother, she
passed the weary months OF her fatal
illness in calm and patient and resi- gned
preparations for her final change.
Consumption, with its slow but Ger
tain progress had fastened upon her, and
her sufferings were great and increasing
to the close. But she uttered no mur-
mur Deeply concerned as she always
was for the welfare of her orphan boys,
she vet committed them with full and
simple confidence TO the care OF their
Heavenly Father; and in this and. all
her uttcrances, profoundly impressed
oven friends who saw her casually only,
with an eXampl ofsuch perfect christian
faith and resignation rs they had scarce
" conceived OF before Among her
last words were Il am passing through
the valley of the shadow of death
Children, live tor this hour And
again and again she repeated the tri
umphant words Of the Apostle! "Who
shall separate us from the love of
Christi SO she passed to that rest
which remaneth for the people of God.
70 those who were privileged to
stand beside her dying bed, it will ever
remain a lesson Of that faith that takos
the sting from death and wins the VIC
tory over the grave. And after the vi
tai spark had fled, the serene and placid
beauty Of her countcnancc, rs clothed in
virgin viii, She Jay Iila blidc in calm
rrposc. only fixed pleasing ami enduring
memories pt "a par. and happy spirit
tuat m wiuglng ,,. .iight to'heaysn had
left It's impress Oh the clement of clay
4 HiNG,LAi FEEAk or \ SICK WmE.
On "Wednesday morning last Mr.
Frederick Hast, residing on Paca street,
IN this city, arose from his bed ut All
early hour, and leaving his wife aud
child III the chamber, proceeded to an
other room To make fire. Hearing tho
cry Of the infant, which is but two
weeks old, he returned to the chamber
to ascertain the cause, when hc per
celyed that his wife was not IN the room,
winch was very strauge,;ls sho was sick,
and had been for the past few weeks
confined to her bed lie at once made
search for her; every nook and corner
about tho house was looked into, and
then the garden, out buildings, aid
adjacent premises were searched, but
no trace of her could be found. The
husband was greatly alarmed, and ran
hither and thither in distracted man
ner seeking the poor woman, who,had
evidently i'll all hour Of temporary To-
sanity, produced by her recent illness,
wandered out Of the house and gone
We knew not where Just as Mr.. Hast
was about to start to his Inother-in.laws
residence, i'll the neighborhood, think
ing perhaps bis wife was there, hs
heard a faint call, and on Fastening TO
the well, few yards distant, discover
ed the head of his wife above the wa
ter. Quickly descending the we'll he
reached the poor woman and supported
her in his arms, and then Justify shout
cd for help. Fortunately his crles were
heard, and the neighbors aroused from
their beds fastened to the spot and
with some difficulty doth husband aud
wife were drawn up from the well, the
woman being almost liieless She was
at once taken 10 her bed and properly
cared for She had been ia the water
up TO her neck for over halt hour, and
it is 4 mystery that she did not drown,
as tho water Ill the well is about eight
feet deep. Strange to relate it was
yesterday said she is none OF the worss
for her long immersion in the cold wa
ter The well is about sixteen feet deep
and about one halt filled with water.