Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-08-02
THE VERMONT PHOENIX BRATrLEBoRO
LUCY WEBB HAYES.
The Memorial Service Held suudny
Afternoon.

LUCY WEBB HAYES.
The Memorial Service Held Sunday
Afternoon,
A simple but appropriate service in mem
Dry Of Mrs. Lucy Webb Hayes was held at
the rooms Of the Young Mems Christian
association last Sunday afternoon under
the auspices Of the Brattleboro W. G. T. U.
In opening the service Mrs. Tolles read the
call sent out by Miss Willard for memo
rial meeting, and reading Of the Scriptures
followed, the portion selected being from
the last chapter Of Proverbs Mrs Brown
then read from "Woman in Temperance"
some facts in connection with Mrs. Hayes's
childhood and early life, and alluded 10 her
devotion 10 and work for the soldiers both
during the war and since It's close, men
tioning incidentally the fact that she was
an honorary member of the Society Of the
Army of West Virginia, from which organ
ization she received beautiful medal on
her silver. wedding anniversary, which oc-
CURED only few weeks previous 10 her
death.
Mrs Smithers spoke Of Mrs Hayes as
a home mission worker and read extracts
from two of her annual addresses before
the Woman's Home Missionary society Of
the Methodist church, Of which she had
been president since its organization some
eight years ago These extracts showed,
as perhaps no other words could have done,
Mrs. Hayes deep and practical interest in
the cause Of home missions, and her clear
foresight as to how its needs must be met
Mrs. Frank Wells read graceful origi-
nal poem, portion Of which is given here
with
Let me sketch you simple story
As we pause for a clearer sight
And to speak Of that sweet, brave woman
Whose heart was 50 strong for right.
Nothing grand is the life can show you,
Az the world would count grandeur today;
But never IA truer, stronger life
Went up the heavenly way
Let me speak Of the gay young maiden
In school tasks faithful aud sure,
Ever ready with smile and quick answer,
Her light heart earnest aud pure.
As "A wife and a mother we see her
Strong and true yet unselsh withal,
Ever giving her strength and her labor,
Her heart open Ia charity call,
To the soldiers in camp her bright presence
Brought courage sweet comfort and cheer;
Her hands were ~ tender, ~ busy
As a mother 10 them she was dear.
When called 20 the highest position
This nation can give to her own,
This calm, quiet, WOmanY woman
Came forward and stepped To her throne.
For my boys must keep my home holy,
Pure and sweet must the life still be;
No matter " nations shall cavil-
My duty, . Lord, is ~ Thee.
No stain which my strength eau hinder
Shall touch any pure young life;
No wine shall be brought To- our table
SO spoke this true mother and wife.
Let all honor he given to brave Lucy Hayes.
That mother OF White House fame,
Who lives today enshrined In our hearts
As one who, for homes pure name,
Dared stand Tor the right In the face OF the
world.
Upheld by a God given power
She has left for MS all a. she passed to her home,
Her eNample-a heavenly dover.
The meeting closed with an eloquent
tribute from Mrs Housh, all of which de
serves to be printed Abiding to the pop
ular thought of Mrs Hayes as an unusually
courageous woman, the speaker mentioned
the remarkable fact that all four Of her
great grandfathers served in the Revolu
| tionary war-so that 1.-THE burden bearing
spirit, the pioneer spirit, the patriotic spir-
it, came tn her in direct line Of ancestry. ="
And we do the more honor 10 Mrs Hayes, :"
the address went ON to say, mot because
she is the only woman Of such cardinal vir
tues, but rather because she s a type OF
| perfected womanhoOd, and thus shows what
a woman may be in every station in life
True, she occupied an ideal place there
was home to keep, husband whose heart
trusted in her, opportunities clustering all
about her. One thinks Of her as a strong
steady light, kept burning by close connec
ton with the Divine source of life, and
those around her rejoicing in that light
She made home wherever she went In the
tent in camp, within hospital walls, in the
social surroundings as the wife Of public
man for "A score Of years, there was a sense
of home for all who were near. This
same homelikeness could not help expires
sion IN the home missionary work of later
years aud ia the care for soldiers and their
families. But she had a broad idea of
home. When the mistress of government 5
great dining table, her loyalty to what was
right did not forsake her This trial at the
White House was the greatest probably,
that she ever had But her answer II
deserves to be written in gold and hung
upon the walls of every home i have
young SONS who have never tasted liquor
they shall not receive from my hand, or
with the sanction that its use in our family
would give, their first taste Of what might
prove their ruin. What wish for my own
sous, must do for the sons Of other moth.
ers. We remember how the press raved
over her fanaticism; how they called Pres
ident Hayes weak, aud mOckingly said
that a woman ruled the nation But
there was II positive influence 10 the exam
pie. In illustration Of this last statement
Mrs. Housh told how, ON the occasion Of
President and Mrs. Hayes's visit 10 Louis
vile, Ky, during the exposition, grand
banquet was served at the Gait house, the
leading hotel in the city, and in honor OF
the presence Of Mrs. Hayes not drop OF
wine appeared upon the tables-a thing be
fore unheard Of in the annals Of that fam