The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-06-18

A month ago Sarah Smith returned 10
her old home In New Jersey from visiting
one OF her children in another State. For
many years she and her husband had lived
In the little village of Franklin. They
were poor, not even owning the cottage
they dwelt In, but they so lived that they
earned the re-pect OF their humble neigh
bors. year ago the husband died, leav-
ing little or no provision Tor the support
OF MS widow, then sevcnty-thrce years OF
age; but she had several children living
in different parts of New York and New
jersey. and with them in turn she passed
much OF her time. As often as she could,
she came TO visit the friends who had been
her neighbors while her husband lived.
She so came "A month ago. and after n few
days her sonin-law, Benjamin Robinson
of Raritan, arrived one Saturday TO take
her TO his home. She stan ted with him.
and the two reached Newark, ard there
Robinson went into saloon and got
drunk. His feeble mother could do no.
thing TO restrain him, and soon. I'm the
midst OF street row, he was arrested. and
she was alone and penniless. She bor-
rowed a little money from the man who
sold her son the drink, aud began A weary
trudge back again toward Franklin. Her
route has easily been traced, for she stop
ped frequently on the way 10 make In
quiries, and her sad, old face impressed all
to whom she spoke. At one time she was
sitting by the roadside, when two young
men approached her and asked her il she
needed help. PLEASE raise me on my
feet" said she, .for | am very weak.
and tell me, If you can. by which way
| can reach Franklin They aided
her as they could, and she slowly
tramped on. She was then only a mile
from her home. but she lost the road soon
and kept getting further away. Later she
met party Of workmen returning from
thelr work IN iantacaw, and they pointed
out To her the spires of her distant village,
and walked along by her side until their
roads parted, and tn, giving her word
oil cheer. they stood for a moment watch
ing her as she YEARLY left them. Her
gray hair, looscned by the wind. struggled
from under her hood. Her shawl had fall
len from one shoulder. and her short dress
OF dark stuff was covered with dust. One
OF the men offered his support for bit of
her journey. but she thanked him, saying
that she had but little distance to go and
she would not trouble him. Soon She be-
came too weak To continue, and turning
aside from the highway she passed rude
,,oot'brldge ov,r narrow stream to a
..,"'hS NVVith l-itlu III AtVudCkdflOIk.
Then she climbed TO the summit
oil knoll few DDS away from the beat
en- path, and folding her hood to make a
pillow, Strengthened her dress. and cover
Ing herself with her shawl, she turned her
lace so that she could see, scarcely mile
Instant, the home toward which she had
Deen Journ' ying, aud laid herself down TO
rest or 10 die. She did not move from
mat spot, aud her friends did not miss her,
LOT those In Franklin thought she was
win her daughter I'm Raritan. and her SON.
,n-law, Robinson. supposed she had safe
y returned to Franklin. On Sunday
morning laboIing man strolling through
the woods found her body. Immediately
me Coroner and jury was obtained, who
found simply that Sarah Smith died on
saturday, May |. from cold and expos
ure" Her children gathered and quietly
purled their mother yesterday, decorating
her grave with flowers.
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