The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-10-30
DRATH OF MRS. RAPP.

Last week we reported that Mr.. and
Mrs. Rapp had arrived In this city.
In this much we anticipated their ar
rival, and wrote the notice that the
lady might see that she was welcome
to Roseburg, and that In the home Of
her husband there were friends who
were glad to have her come and be
one with them.
But while we were writing the 'sper-
sonal' Mrs. Anna NJ. Rapp was dying
in Portland, and her husband and
daughter were at her bedside watch
Ing the passing of an angelic soul to
Heaven. The lady died October 22d,
1880, and was buried in the Masonic
cemetry, East Portland. Her age was
about thirty years, and her parents
and other relatives reside now in Ell
lenville, N. Y, in which place she
was born. Ten years ago she and
Mr.. Rapp were married, and four and
one-half yeaIs ago the birth of
daughter came as blessing to .
happy union. Six months ago Mr..
Rapp left for the Pacific coast. A few
weeks ago Mrs. Rapp started 10 join
her husband in Roseburg, and he
left a short time after to meet
herin San Francisco. But the meet
ing on his part was sad one. He
found his wife in the last stages of
consumption, and knew she could not
long survive. He hurried to Oregon,
hoping here to find relief and health |
for her; but, alas, the party NO sooner
reached the State than the last spark
of life fed, and the lady died a day or
two after her arrival in Portland.
Those who knew Mrs. Rapp while
living respected her as q true wife, q
loving mother and sympathizing
friend. Those who knew her ut home
thought Of her as the impersonation
of good qualities and as one whose
acts in the daily,walk of life were to be
accepted as shining examples worthy
vi CLhuAobiVus hC4 Auoohuu auu VI
phaned child have the sympathy
of all eur people, and that sympathy
is SO large that there is enough to ex-
tend across the continent to the aged
couple (the deceased lady's father and
mother) to whom this article will con-
vey the saddest announcement they
ever received. We are sad thinking It
has become necessary with as to an
nounce a mournful fact But the sor-
rOw-stricken should remember that
there is Divinity who shapes our ends
and that though afflicted by the hand
Of Providence, it must be left to our
God to determine which is for the best.
Often men would rather die than wit
ness the death of their offspring or
The last and expiring struggles of their
wives. This will apply with double
force to the mother and wife; for the
world knows women love more strong
y than men. And who can gainsay,
hat by her good deeds the deceased
bad won fond place In the heart of
ner Father in the skies and He called
ner to His home in Heaven that she
might not live on earth to witness in
anguish the passing away to the other
md better world of those whom she
owed better than herself in the per-
IONS of her husband and her child
Their times will come as did hers. In
he future the tangled vines of the
wild rose, the innocent blossoms of /
The pure. white lilly and the brilliant
lues of the pansy will be found upon
heir graves. But in heaven she will
De before them, and If God has made &
t possible that an angel can help those
owed best while on this earth across
he dark river to the land of eternal
brightness, then when her relatives
,ome to the borders of the land of the
1lest, they will find that angel in the
,ne who was called first. Seriously we
nave thought, more times than one,
hatsome people die that they may not
weep at the death of those whom they
owed best, and that they go before that
hey may become guides to our God
md our Father in Heaven. In this
much we are consoled in our greatest
sorrow, and such consolation should
cause us to go down to the grave with.
put fear OF trembling, since we would
expect only to meet loving one on
the other side. In this particuler case
it must be that the deceased has be-
come a great angel, Upon whose wings
will be safely carried the souls of ali
whom she so dearly loved.