The Portland daily press., 1874-03-26
The Close Of a Beautiful Life.


In the quiet village of Dover, Me-, on the
morning of the 23d of March, as sweet spirit
passed from earth las ever dwelt in mortal form,
| Mrs. Phoebe Cummings Bailey was the daugh-
ter of Rev. Abraham Cummings a Baptist cler-
| gyman, who was noted throughout the State OF
| Maine more than half century ago, for his
| fervid eloquence and earnest piety. She was
| born in Freeport in 1888, but became, at an ear
| ly age. resident of the pastoral village then
known as North Yarmouth, cow called Var
mouth, a charm ing town near Portland, whose
shores are washed by the tides that ebb and
flow in Casco Bay and Royal River-where
many vessels are built and manned by her own
sons who Ego down to the sea in ships and dc
business in great waters whose fertile
fields reward the thrifty husbandman with con-
tentment-whose salubrious air promotes lon
gevity-and where time-honored academy has
held high repute for several generations, as an
educator of the young men of the State.
VI her youth, scarcely contemporary re-
mains to bear testimony, but such memorials
as have been preserved attest that she was rich
ly endowed with moral and personal graces.
She was married at the age of twenty, and her
"S0Su iiC, WhiSii idoUCu ciSutctu years, was
marked by the domestic happiness which
springs from the skllful housewifery, the gentle
kindness, the uncouded cheerfulness with
which loving woman sanctifes and blesses
home. A group of children clustered around
the family hearth, and her wealth of tenderness
found new outlets in her welcome of maternal
responsibilities.
While she was still in her prime the great
sorrow fell upon her, which tested to the ut
most her capacity to bear suffering and her
courage to endure it, Her husband died,
leaving her with slender means and seven
children to care for The sublime resignation
with which she bole this terrible affection, the
marvellous capacity which she displayed in
bravely undertaking the new burdens imposed
upon her, the unrepining patience, the unfal-
tering faith, the hopeful energy with which
she took up her heavy cross, gave evidence of a
strength of character, firmness of purpose,
| strikingly in contrast with the meek and unas-
| suming dependence of her nature Her won
derful frugality, her dextrous aptness, her un-
wearied industry, carried her triumphantly
through that trying period of straitened cir
cumstances, and enabled her to provide her
fatherless offspring with home to which her
provident wisdom always gave comfort and her
sunny smile brightness.
Happily, the twilight and evening of her long
life have been passed in peaceful serenity. Her
children requiting in such measure as they
could the affection she ever bestowed so lavish
ly on them, have welcomed her to their hearts
and homes, and in their society she has found
the rest and tranquility BETTING her years. Her
grandchildren have gathered around her, with
admfring reverence, and paid the grateful trib-
ute of their homage to her inestimable worth.
Her friends and neighbors have been glad to
| catch the inspiration of her genial presence
| and mark the faultless purity of her nature.
But at all times and under all circumstances,
| as well in the sunshine of prosperity as under
the shadows of adversely she has been the same
| genial, amiable, self denying, perfect being
caring constantly for the welfare of others,
| never thinking of herself. Her happiness was
derived from making others happy. She had
compassion for the erring, generous sympathy
for the sorrowing, kind words for every one
She never spoke harshly of fellow creature,
but often when sharp censures have been ut
tered in her presence she has interposed with a
palliating suggestion.
Notwithstanding the adulation of which she
was the constant object, her humility suffered
no abatement at any moment of her life. 1t
seemed almost incredible that one so guileless
and sanity could be unconscious of the merits
which shone so conspicuously to all other eyes,
but there could be no doubt of the entire sin
cerity with which she deprecated her own i'm
projections Her piety was of such an exalted
type that she would have deemed it grievous
sin to question her own sinfulness.
The ending of her life was in harmony with
the whole course Of it. She quietly fell asleep
in death. without pain, without suffering. with
out misgiving. Her placid face, in that last
| sleep, bore the expression of one in tranquil
slumber. Her precious dust reposes in the
family burial ground at Yarmouth, and her
sanctifled spirit has found that eternal rest for
which her whole life was preparation.
On her mothers side she was a great great
granddaughter of John Alden and Priscilla bis
wife, of the Mayfower. She lived to see three
generations of her descendants. Children and
grandchildren gathered at Yarmouth on Tues
day to perfbrm the last sad offices, on which
occasion the following appropriate verses were
read as part of the exercises:
GRANDMOTHER.
just as the sun rose blushing red
Over the hill-tops, somebody said,
In broken accents of mourning woe,
Sobbing aloud, but sobbing low.