The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-08-14
Obituary.

VDltUATIs
DIED AT her home in east Rondell township,
Brown county, Dakota, July 81, 1885, of in
anition, Mrs. Mary L. Harper.
The deceased was born at 0deil, Livingston
county, Iii January 10, 1862 grew from child
hood to womaahood in the southeastern part of
Minnesota and came TO Dakota in the first
months of 1882. She was universal favorite with
the teachers and companions OF her youth, large
ly on account of the amiability of her DISPOSE
ton. The same elements that characterized her
as child clung to her as woman and made her
Triends or ali with whom she nai 20 90; anu tne
respect entertained for herself, and sympathy for
her family by that community in which all
her married life was passed, was amply attested
by the wide spre1a sstteEa9nce at her obsequies
on the I'd inst. She left the home of her youth
to avail herself OK the generosity of the govern
ment to 3 new one from the public domain, and
having made claim to quarter section of land,
was welded to a most estimable ung msn,
Edwin NJ Harper. Thus united they entered
upon the interesting enterprise Of developing
their joined acres. The zeal she manifested to
convert them from a natural condition into
agencies to administer to their needs and wants
was well worthy the emulation of any woman
old or young Railroads and villages having
preceded any large settlements here, robbed
pioneering of many of its hardships. And yet
it has not been without its brfvations, especial
ly to young women.
The conduct of a home in sparsely peopied
region isolates her far more than the operation
of fern does man. She always considered
the development of this section into abiding
places for ar intelligent community, in the few
years that have elapsed since its settlement, a
marvel, and had too much sense to expect in
so brief time the comforts and luxuries ine-
dent to regions on which had been lavished a
quarter or half century Of toll. Probably no one
ever heard her complain of the priyations here
For SO young woman she was pre-eminently a
house wife. She evinced the prevailing refine
ment of her sex in having her dwelling place
tastily arranged, and yet she was willing to make
her desire for the beautiful secondary to the
practical. In every worldly point of view che
wss prosperous, and her happiness was COM
plete in that
"The time of roses came ega.a;
And one had bloomed within the home,--
| Bloomed in a burst of midday pain,
I, And plumed its life in fair expanse,
Beneath loves nursing sun and rain"
'sMary consigned il to her breast;
And though she knew It took its hue
From her, il seemed the Lords bequest,--
Soil sparkling with the heavenly dew,
| And still with heavenly beauty Graped."
Soon after she took upon herself the sacred
vows of marriage, she publicly entered into COW
enant relation with the great bridegroom of the
church, and united with the M. e. arga-
nization in the village where most of her life
had been spent. She thus declared her faith in
Christ as the one altogether needful to sustain
her in the tolls and troubles Of life and conduct
her through the dark valley and shadow Of death.
And while the young husband mourns her de-
parture with sorrow the writer from similar
llty of circumstances can keenly sympathize
with, yet
ssThat tits a common grief
Bripgeth but slight relief;
Ours is the bitterest loss,
| Ours is the heaviest cross
/ And forever the cry will be
"Would God had died for thee,
0 Absolom, my son!'' 4,
And still theirs is consolation in the belief
ssThat somehow, somewhere meet we must,
BEYOND the shadows of the tomb,
i On yonder chores bride is watching until
/ he comes"