The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-31
A SAD FUNERAL.
Poverty, Sorrow, Sickness, DoaN,-A Wall
of Heart Rending Griet.
fDetrpit L'r5n praae

Poverty, Sorrow, Sickness, DoaH.-A Wall
of Heart -Rending Grec
Detroit Free Press
1t was here in Detroit at one of the
city hospitals that / saw the saddest
funeral ceremony | ever witnessed,
1t was that of a woman who had
literally died by inches. Poverty, sor-
row, and sickness had been her onstsnt
companions for years, and when at last
on a hospital bed she drew her last
breath it seemed as if there could be
nothing left to feel the pang of dissoIu-
ton nothing but skin and bone
She had teen Wen cared for in her
last sickness 10y those who gave thoir
time and service to the work of charity,
but it is doubtful ii she knew it. Her
mind lived in the past, and she mur
INJURED in delirium Of a happy homo,
and seemed to be always caressing
little child, Now sh2 would talk to it
in sweet mother-tongue, using the
fond, endearng language Of love to
call It to her again; she seemed to
dread some terrible fate for it, and be-
sougb5 God to take it, even to take it
away from the evil to come. Always it
was the child that was present with her
so that pain WIS naught--th the child that
she continually aidre sed as Darling
Emma ana she died with that name
on her lins.
This was all there was of the dead
womans history. The pail Of a dsr1
past bad fallen upon her. 1t was only
knownthat the child about whom ala
had raIcd and prayed wds still alive
and somewhere in the city. But 50 iar
all search had failed to nd her.
The brief funeral ceremonies at thu
expense o, the city, 70, hers WIS a ram.
per Durid-were held in the large p.r-
lor of the hospital A young clefEyu nj
who had iust entered upon his Worg.
the assistants of the hospital, the un f-
taker, hat in hand, and one or tvs
strangers, were all who were rr,sa
Tie dead woman lay in a higly W..
nished pine conn, from which the nt.aj
shells We're already falling in shower
OF tawdry splendor, so imparfectiy Gpre
they fastened on. Her face was co
posed and peaceful Life and dean
had done their worst battle VAS
now over
In the COLL and silence the vol oa
th young minister cultured and tune
ful, sounded like a strain of music Al
heads bowed as he rec.tod;
adl The rysurt "a. aa aal The life,
There was a scream--a vail Of heagt
rending grief, and lhe service was in
terrupted, as a woman. young an hs
gard, rushed into the room ana th~
herself on the colin; sac was dress +.
gaily in silk attire A long fcatn
dangled from a gaudy lat -e,cryth aa
about her bespoke death sadder lhu
that in the coin.
Mother, mother" she moaned. "wh4
did you not let ME know Oh.
would have come to You enl
wor1ed my fingers 10 the bone to save
you! Oh mother, mother come bacl
to me just to say you forgive me-
Moth4r it is your own little mmy. q
you hear ne it is EmmyI Oh, m}
cod / am too late She will n5y-l
speak tome again"
iitying friends drew the fren'
woman away. III a moment size la
dashed them aside, and leaning ~
over the dead mother She pressed 1I
lips one-twice -trri-e to the cod III
ot the dead Then she clasp6l he
hands aud lifted her eyes to heaven
, While her lips seemed to be recording
vow. The winTy sun Shone ont at Tia
moment from the western sky, an
touched with golden finger the sad, sac
enc Of death in life, and life in dcatl
and tho minister resumed the seryic,
J where he had been interrupted.
am Tie resurrection and the lie