The Van Buren press., 1873-10-28
A NOBLE SACRIFICE.
Death Of Miss Matte Stephenson, the
Illinois Heroine.

From the Memphis Avalanche, October 10th.
One Of the most touching Of thou
sand incidents which has stirred the
hearts Of men since the prevailing pesti-
lence beean its reigs, is that ofthe death
of the brave and noble Matte Stephen
son, whose gentle spirit winged its way
heavenward at yesterdays break OF dawn.
1t was only on the previous day that the
story was told in the columns of this
journal Of the way this impulsive girl
came here alone two weeks ago, from
| Towanda, ILL.,, unbeknown to her rela-
tives and friends, to serve the sick and
suffering of our sorely stricken city, pay
ing her own passage by rail Within two
hours after her arrival, in response to
the request of DR.. Blackburn, she was at
the bedside Of Mrs. Adair, on Commerce
street, peculiarly trying case for one SO
young, watching with a woman's un.
fiinchins devotion till the fearful strug-
gle With the monster was over. Then
she went 10 nurse family named Sulli-
van, on Concord street, where she did
patient and faithful service to several
sick persons, even assisting in all sort of
drudscry
Last Monday she was stricken with
the treacherous malady, whose deadly
breath she had inhaled, and was soon
after taken to the infirmary, where she
was cared for, nurscd and watched by
Drs. Luke p Blackburn, w. +. Rogers,
Barnett, OF Vickburg, B. Barbot, Of
New Orleans, and two kind and faithful
nurses. In spite Of tho skill and care
of all Of the above. the fever proved too
much for her frail, unaccllmated form,
and she sank too rest, q martyr to hui
manity's cause, while her pure spirit
passed upward to the regions of eternal
glory.
When it was announced at the How
ard association rooms, on Madison street,
that the little girl was dead, pang OF
sorrow pervaded every heart, and prepa
rations were at once made to follow her
remaias to the crowded city OF the dead
The heroine had arrived here without
a change of garments, and her entire
WARDROBE was on her person, or in lit
tie satchel she brought She declined
any pay for her duty. and refused to &C
cept articles offered in the way Of cloth
Ing. So, writing back home for few
needed articles, box was sent by ex-
press in return, Which only came here
day before yesterday, when she was too
low TO know anything of it. Yesterday,
in presence of one or two persons, Mr..
Langstaif opened the package to find. If
possible. some trace Of the girls history
\ couple of clean, plain calico dresses,
some cuffs. few garments of underwear,
several packages of nick knacks, evi
IDENTIFY put up by tiny hands of loved
kindred for their angel Of mercy, to dis
tribute among the sick, these were all the
box contained. ard they were all careful
ly repacked and laid aside while the by
ISLANDERS shed tcars and turned away in
silence.
A meeting Of the Howarls convened
to arrange the preliminaries. and at 2
clock they were again gathered i'll front
Of the inlrnary on Promenade street.
The mortal remains Of the poor girl had
been laid out in pure white garments and
placed in handsome metallic casket,
mounted by a silver plate, inscribed with
her age ard the name