The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1885-03-27
The Funeral Service OF Miss Mat
tie Hawthorn.
Editor DEMocRAT-srAR:

AC MMa@N tnOIus
Editor DEMocRAT-SfAR:
1t was my sad privilege to be
present last Friday, in Mobile, at
the most touchingly impressive SER
vices 1 have ever attended-tlle
burial of u young friend Miss
Matte Hawthorn, the niece aud
adopted daughter of u fellow
t%ownsman, j. T.. Maybury, Esq ,
and l have thought that an account
OF the same, however defective,
would prove interesting TO her host
of friends PmOng sour readers.
Some eve weeks ago while visit
ing her sister she a taken VIC
lently i'll with symptoms of pncu-
monia, but lately had improved so
much that her amt proposed to
bring her home on Thursday, bat
on Wednesday night, without warn
ing or pain, u spasm OF the heart
carried her off so suddenly that her
friends thought she had only faint
ed, and could not realize that she
was dead for some considerable in.
terval. | saw her on Friday morn.
ming before she was placed in her
coffin, arrayed in pure white, the
shadow of a smile of the most per-
feet peace and contentment resting
OH her lovely features whose beau
ty was only etherialiZed and inten-
sitied by her long Illness. Her
hands, which no earthly sculptor
could ever hope to initiate, crossed
her breast and clasping II little
sprig of pure white blossoms, none
of the horror which usually attends
the presence of death cOnld be re-
and the Involuntary excla-
nation OF every spectator was:
g How beautiful u
After short services ut the house
the remains, encased in a rosewood
with silver mountings of
most chaste aud elegant descrirS
ton, were conveyed 10 the Franklin
street Methodist church, aud as the
procession passed up the aisle, the
strains of her Mvorite hymn "Near-
er my God to thee,' swelled up from
The grand organ under the skillful
touch of a lady who had been her
musical ~instructress. The services
conducted by the Rev. DR.. Craw-
ford, were sOlemnly impressive, and
he vocal and instrumental music
jy the choir was beautiful ; aud as
he minister spoke OF the lovely
life and character OF the young
'riend who had just past away, the
congregation, composed mann
y OF young people, and most OF
hem, | was told, her school mates
md former associates, seemed one
mass Of SOrrowiug human
ty. AT the ecu etery the services
we're again short, and after the cot
in had been lowered into the vault
md the slab cemented down it was
literally concealed from view by
lie masses and piles Of flowers, in
he shape OF wrPathrs, and crosses,
lud pillows, and harps, and every
conceivable form of floral design
which her friends had laid the
yhoIe city under contribution tor
o shower on her grave. The very
dement's appeared 10 contribute to
he solemn grandeur of the occa-
ion, making the whole programme
'erfect according to her0ft express
Il wish while in life, of how she
to die aud I've buried.
The verdict of all who knew the
eparted can be well expressed in
he language OF 4 ~flvorite poet:
Go! fair example of untainted youth,
{ modest wisdom, and pacific truth, I
omposed in sufferings, and in joy sedate,
God without noise, without pretentions I
great, ,
nst of thy word. in every thought SIN /
cere,
Tho knew no wish but what the world
might hear;
f softest manners, unaffected mind,
over of peace. and friend of human X ind; ,
o live! Tor Heavens eternal year is ,
thine,
and exalt thy mortal to divine. Z
: Yet take these tears, mOrtality's relief, I
nd till we share your joys forgive our |
grief. G. I. /. ,
Scranton, March %, 1885. !
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