Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-03-02

ueC!utu tDdJ TIE ASHES ulusl Ieiiidlu III
the retort till next Monday, so that it
may cool beyond any possibility of
cracking when the air is admitted, as it
is badly cracked already. Mr.. Pitman
is to return to Cincinnati tomorrow
morning, and his wife's ashes are to be
sent On to him by express. Experts
say that Mrs. Pitman burned so much
quicker than de Palm because she was
a fresh corpse and he was stale and dry.
TIE PlTMANs' LIFE WORK.
Wherever photography is practiced
the name OF Pitman is a household
word. Mr.. Ben Ptman is brother OF
Isaac Pitman, the inventor of phonog
raphy in England. Mrs. Pitman, or
Miss Jane Bragge, was native OF Bir-
miRgham, England, and was married 10
Mr.. Pitman in that city. Soon after
their marriage they came to this coun-
try, in 1850, Mr.. Pitman desiring to in
troduce his own and his brothers pho
negrapbic works in this country and
also to protect the copyrights, which
were being pirated. He published in
few years more than thirty works on
photography. Mrs. Pitman was almost
as expert short band writer as her
husband, and assisted him greatly in
transcribing bis notes. He was en-
gagged in many OF the leading law cases
ip the country, such as the trial OF the
Lincoln asSassinators. They settled in
Cincinnati, and soon after their arrival
in the country both learned the art OF
engraving on wood to assist them in
their photographic publications, as there
was at that time no means Of transfer
ring Photographic characters to print.
They both soon became proficient in
that art, and few years ago Mr.. Pit
man was appointed professor of wood
carving in the McMicken School of De-
sign, IN Cincinnati He taught classes
in photography, reported many trials
and speeches and published his works,
and out of them all made good income
and prospered A few years ago he
built a peculiar house at "Hlllside,
above the Eastern avenue, in Cincinnati.
1t was something in the style of Swiss
chalet, and the surrounding grounds
were handsomely terraced Mrs. Pit
man was peculiarly apt in transcribing
her husbands short-haud notes. He
says that sometimes, when taken in a
great hurry, he could himself hardly
decipher his characters. She always
read them as easily as ordinary print.
Both also learned to set type TO aid
them in their labors. When Mr.. Pit
man had a long political speech or lee
ture to report in Cincinnati, or else
where, his wife engaged room near
the hall, employed six or seven of the
young ladies composing the phono-
graphic classes and dictated her hus-
bands notes to the seven, giving each
her proper part without confusion or
error. Messengers were employed to
take the copy thus prepared to the
newspaper Offices, aud by this arrange
ment more than half of the speech was
in type by the time the speaker was
done. ....
! Il
maG's death was hereditary. Her gen
eral health was so good that the cancer
was eating its way into life for several
years before she discovered it. When
the discovery was made the physicians
pronounced it impossible TO save her
life. She knew for many months that
her death must be expected soon, but it
die not dampen her naturally hopeful
and bright spirits, and until the two
days before her death, when she was
unconscious, she was as cheerful as
when in perfect health. Mr.. Pitman
says that the disposal of her body after
death was never discussed in the house
hold, but it was understood that she de-
sired 10 be cremated. "Our household"
said Mr.. Pitman, twas always a cheer
tal one. There was never thought OF
gloom. 1t does not seem to me that
she is dead, but that she has gone home.
She was SO much part of myself and
OF our daughter and Of our household
that she can never disappear wholly
from u.s. We knew that she must die,
and now that the time has come there
is no sadness" Mrs. P,man was not q
protesting Christian. She was at one
time Swedenborgian, but subsequent
ly left that faith. Mr.. Pitman says that
she took no thought of any future life.
"She knew" he says, "lhat nothing
dies, and felt confident of life beyond
the grave. She was loving wife, a
tender mother and one of the best Of
women in everyday lie
After Mrs. Pitman's death Mr.. Pit
man determined that there should be
no sign of sorrow and mourning in his
household. al am not heartless man,
be says, 'and how loved my wife no
man can tell, but | felt no sorrow. |
knew that she had gone where our
daughter and | will shortly meet her"
TIE FUNERAL EXERCISES.
The room in which the body was laid
was decorated with British and Arneri-
can flags. Mrs. Pitman was dressed in
white satin, and the inside Of the casket
was lined with delicate blue satin. Hun
dreds OF the most wealthy asd fashion
able citizens of Cincinnati went to Mr.
Pitmau's house to see the body. Yes
terday afternoon the funeral services
were performed. There were no relig
ious exercises whatever. Mrs. Aaron
+. Perry had been invited to deliver en-
address, but she was unable 10 attend,
aud the address was read by another Ia
dy. Mr.. Pitman delivered short ai-