Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-11-20
FAITHFUL AFTER DEATH.
A WOMAN Performs THE LAST
OFFICES roR Her HUSBAND.


spend her strength for N. sake 81 the
NAn she Lsved To the Last.
The story Of Mrs U. J. wonners life
on Fremont island "a about the most
pathetic story ever told on the frontier
She was born aud bred In luxury. she
came TO this city a bride eleven years
ago. When. five years ago. her husband
decided TO move 10 Fremont island, she
cheerfnlly gave up her luxurious home
In this city and went with him. OF
course She had no neiEhbors. With no
one but her husband and her little family
around her. with hired man and girl
10 assist, she lived there Eve years At
one time sho was there two years and ~
half without leaving the island.
When, two years ago, her husband be-
came too weak to ride on horseback. she
looked after the stock herself. she at.
tended 10 her house, she taught her chill.
drcu. she nursed her husband. and Ia
these occupations she was busy every
moment Of her time. She says she was
happy and we DO not doubt It. Her hus.
band was failing all tho time. but be had
been n long time III aud she would not
permit the thought Of the possibility Of
bis dying 10 enter her mind. 70 IL went
on until two weeks ago Wednesday,
when her husband had severe hem.
orrhGle Of the lungs. It was stopped.
and lie said he felt more relieved than
he had for months before.
OF coursc great prostration always foi.
lows a hemorrhage Of the lungs. aud 10
he lay very weak, but cheerful Thurs.
day he wanted the man who had been
their faithful employee 20 long to take
the boat, 10 over to Hooper aud get the
mail, ~ he said hs wanted his papers
and magazines. The man. however, did
no, 20 until Friday morning. Through
tho day Friday Judge wennsr was com.
paratsvcly easy. lilo asked his wife 10
read to him from their favorite books,
aud also to repeat TO him whole poems
which abe knew by heart, aud 40 the
day and night passed away.
4 FyARfuL ORDEAL
Saturday morning he told her what TO
cook for his breakfast. saying he wanted
u good breakfast. but while this was In
preparation she heard the signal which
she had prepared for him 10 make In CASE
he needed her. When she got 10 his side
tho fatal hcmouhAgo was on his lps.
and when she FASTENED 10 give him tho
medicine that was always given him at
such a time he motiuned Il away. She
put hor arm around his neck, drew his
head on her bosom aud asked him II he
loved heri he answered, YES" and
asked her II she loved him. Al her Eyes"
he smiled. aud In an instant, without n
spaSin. that smile was transfixcd aud hi.
soul had fed.
She was there all alone, with her own
hands she washed and dressed her hns.
bands body. went outside and got tho
board herself, and stretched Il upon the
chairs beside the bed: the girl had such
horror of death that shs could not be-
induced TO come into the room 10 help
her lay her husband on the plank. She
did IL all alone, aud when all was CON.
posed she won't 10 her children. told
them that their father was dead, ex.
planned TO them As well ~ she could
what death meant, took them In aud
showed them their fathers face; they
all kissed him. and knelt and prayed he.
side him. The day wore along aud
great storm came upon the lake,.so that
II was impossible for the man 10 return.
II had always been understood that two
signal fires meant that abe needed help
40 as tho night came down she went and
lighted those fires and then took up her
watch beside her dead. At intervals
during tho night she would go aud re-
plenish the fires, and 40 the watch won't
on till daylight, All that day passed
away. Al night she renewed the fires.
and finally, at great peril, the man
reached the island at 10 o'clock ut night.
PATHETIC BURIAL
Their. was no possibility TO return 20
get casket, so the poor woman told the
man that he must from the boards ON the
place make the best box he could. The
man helplessly said h. could not, but she
encouraged him aud told him she would
help him. No the box was made. From
the best material she had In the house
sho with her own hands lined the box
and hSed pillow for the -leeper's head.
That completed, the man dug grave.
The only services for the dead was by
the wifo and little children kuoeling
around the coffin before II was moved
from the house aud praying. But then
what other service was needed
As best they could they got tho box TO
the grave, the man drove stakes ON one
side OF the grave and tied ropes to them,
and that woman and that man lowered
tho body into the grave. Then she went
back to take care OF her children. The
storm was 80 furious ON the lake that II
was week before she could take her
children and leave the island.
What she endured through that satur.
day and Saturday night, that Sunday
aud that Sunday night no one knows,
and no one can imagine. She did not
shed tear. She has not shed tear
since, She says calmly that She never
anticipated life without her husband,
but that new her children need what
strength she has got. Aud she speaks Of
what she did "a nothing at all. She
says IL was n pleasure 10 her TO do the
last office; II Is very much sweeter for
her 10 think OF than II would be 10 think
that II WINS performed by some one VIII,
might have been less tender In his touch
than she.
And that was by little woman who
never knew what work was or what iso.
lation meant, who knew nothing at all
] about the rougher side Of life until she
gave her heart I'M To her husband md