The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-10-21
The Death and BurIaI OF Washington
County woman in the South.

Mrs. Mary Jane Reid, vile Of Rev. S. j.
Reid, q lgraduate of Washington, Pa, Fe-
male College, died Of yellow fever, at
Home Lake, Miss, on the 9th instant
No one nursed her but her husband, and
when she died, Mr.. Reid writes: u got q
bucket and washed the black vomit away
rs well as could, and then on the body
only one Of her dresses, and buttoned it
But the bed was saturated, and I could do
no more. wrapped q sheet and my
blanket shawl about her and covered her
with quilt. Oh, it was terrible-alone
with my dead; no words Of sympathy, no
flowers. Nothing but the dreadful yellow
fever.
took all our clothing from the room,
and with my satchel, went 70 the woods.
there made q big fire and aired and
smoked every garment occupying myself
till morning, it being about 8 o'clock when
| left the house. / could not persuade
any one TO 90 to Memphis for coffin, the
fever was SO bad up there, but couple OF
Young men went TO the railroad station
and there made q rough box coffin OF
rough boards Il twas the best could do.
Dear brother, it was most distressing TO
me to have my dear wife, SO badly dressed,
put in so rough casket. II almost broke
my heart, but l tried to take comfort in
the knowledge that her spirit was clad in
white robes, and carried by angels to the
bright world beyond. One night as
knelt by her bed, and prayed for her, she
laid her fevered hand upon my head, and
said that 1--WE had Travelled life's pathway
together so happily, but now We might be
parted" She never thought OF such part
ing as this.
The Doctor came, with his big heart, and
helping hand, accompanied by young
man whom he had persuaded to assist, and
together we put her in the coffin. To
show you how fearful every one Is, may
tell you that when this young man came
into the room he scattered lime all over
thefioor, pulled of his woolen garments,
and lighting pipe, filled the room with
smoke. But for all that We were glad
enough to have his help.
No one could be got to drive the spring
wagon with the coffin, so ] got horse to
ride, and led the horse hitched to the
wagon. Some friends had dug the grave
at Johnston church yard. Three men &C.
companied me; the young man who helped
at the house, the Doctor and Brother
Hutchinson, the good old man l have
told you Of, and he is IS years old. He
told me that he had often thought of me
in my trouble, and that on the night she
died, at midnight, he got up from his bed
and prayed for my wife. remember that
this was the hour when she grew easier,
and breathed more freely.
After the funeral, my dear brother,
came the struggle. Friends who had been
so kind, and had invited US so warmly
when we first came, were all afraid OF me
now. was as If bitten by q mad dog. l
thought NUT 90 mad! did not want to
expose any Of my friends, of course, and
could not go back to fernando, for that
was almost certain death; almost
wished too, had died, and gone with
her. Ny clothing was yet out OF
doors, and I gathered them up, and
spent the night in q corn.crib. After
a prayer for my darling little motherless
Willie, sleep came TO my relief, and did
not awake till good DR.. Shaw came and
babe me 90 to his house. slept that
night In his parlor, and was about TO go
away in the morning, ! knew not where,
but the Doctors wife said no, should not |
be turned out like that, should stay with |
them. So they took most OF the things out |
of the parlor and took the carpet up.
made bed out of some old clothes, and
they told me to stay there until it would
develop il were TO be sick-if ! did, they
would send to Memphis and get me a
nurse. Are these not noble hearts?
So here / am, (instead OF at church, to-
day, in this room. feel as ! have i'm
agined man must feel who Is condemned,
but knows not the hour Of his execution.
/ have written you in broken sentences,
but faintly expressing my great grief. Pray
for me, my dear brother, these may be my
last words 10 Won.