Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-11-01
AN AsroNrsnrsa mEmoRrAl.
Tribute OF Deacon Pratt's Widow to II
Memory,

Memory.
The story OF the queerest tribute To
the dead on record comes from Lambert
Vile, N. j., says the Philadelphia
"Times." Near that town lives Mrs.
Elisha Pratt, widow OF Deacon Pratt.
who was famous as a farmer. u GENIAL
soul and an ardent Methodist. He WAS
particularly fond Of tickling his appetite,
and was deemed Considerable Of an epi-
cure. His wife was an excellent cook.
and her dinners were rare exhibitions OF
,ulinafy skill for 4 rural nei4 4hborhood.
About year ago number of ministers
we're on their way " the camp meeting
1t Ocean Grove. There were Just a
! lozen Of hem. Deacon Pratt had them
all stop overnight 0J his farmhouse and
rave them a rousing dinner early in the
evening. 1t was y dinner modelled ON
Re New England plan, as Pratt came
rom Vermont and 50 did his wife.
There was everything conceivable to eat
md plenty of reasonably hard cider To
rink. The deacon was in the best Of
lumor, and partoo6 even more heartily
han usual of tie food. His wife, ec-
| ,ustomed as she was 10 her husbands
arge appetite, was astonished at the
amount he consumed, and made men
al inventory OF the various articles and
The next afternoon Deacon Elisha
lratt died of cholera morbus. The ply
'lcian said the dinner knocked HIM ont.
ae funeral was the largest the neigh
'orhood ever knew. Eight of the twelve
ergymen present at the dinner acted as
all bearers aud the other four ofltciated
It the church AID by the grave.
The widow was inconsulable for n
rhile and talked about the tribute she
ropnsed having prepared in memory Of
,4t husband. Everybody supposed sh"
vas going to erect handsome mont
ucut and the nakers OF tombstones SEM
n'bids. But ,hey were all mistaken.
hrs. Pratt th4 in view the most re-
arkable %Nd yet suggestive OF meme
ads Sts nad the work done quietly in
Philadelphia, and it required some weeks
u finish it.
Wnen It arrived at the farm aud some
IT the widows intimate friends were in
lted to call and see the Tribute, they
ere at first hslounded and then shocked
nd finally they lclt u disposition lC
Uugh that was controlled with difficulty.
IN the table in the parlor stood a large
lass case. On top OF the case was a
mall arch made of solid silver. Sur
counting the arch was the figure in si-
or of an angel blowing a trumpet. In
lie the arch and suspended from its cen
cr was tablet of white marble, on
laich was inscribed the following words
u deep, black letters:
"This Il What the Deacon Died Of"
But it was underneath the glass case
hat the great surprise awaited the spec
ators. There on plates ranged in the
,rder they were served, were exact du-
iicates in wax and some In glace shape,
II the various articles of food the dea-
'on had eaten at the dinner the evening
l'fore he died, and also exact duplicates
u quantity and size of the amounts he
lad consumed. There was large plate
)f soup, big slice OF meat, heaping
.ide dishes full of vegetables, three Gu
'umbers, huge slices of pie, quarter of
/ watermelon, two plates Of ice cream,
mall cup of coffee and three gobets OF
'id"r. They were perfect pieces of work
TX as well as perfect presentations
~ at had passed down the deacon's
,OaJ at the dinner. The whole thing
ad cost several hundred dollars.
The neighbors naturally ridiculed the
tribute at first, but they all respected the
widow, and when they found that she
vas really in earnest in her grief and in
lcr regard for the wax memorial, they
estrained their mirth and said little
bout it outside.