The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-11-21
FAITHFUL AFTER DEATH.
A WOMAN PERFORMS. THE LAST
OFFICES FOR HER HUSBAND.

a Wife and Mother uesitated Not to
Spend Her Strength for the Sake of the
Man She Loved to the Last.
The story of Mrs. y. J. Wenner's life
on Fremont island is about the most
pathetic story ever told on the frontier.
She was born and bred in luxury; she
came to this city bride eleven years
ago. When, five years ago, her husband
decided to move to Fremont island, she
cheerfully gave up her luxurious home
in this city and went with him. OF
course she had no neighbors. With no
one but her husband and her little family
around her, with hired man and girl
to assist, she lived there five years. At
one time she 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 to her house, she taught her chill
dren, she nursed her husband, and in
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 the time, but he had
been long time i'll and she would not
permit the thought of the possibility of
Ills W 0uI0T 0O III WELD
ON until two weeks ago Wednesday,
when her husband had severe hem
orrhage of the lungs. 1t was stopped,
and he said he felt more relieved than
he had for months before.
Of course great prostration always fol-
lows hemorrhage of the lungs, and so
he lay very weak, but cheerful. Thurs
day he wanted the man who had been
fo;E c,,1 30 Ao1r1
the boat, go over to Hooper and get the
mail, as he said he wanted his papers
and magazines The man, however, did
not go until Friday morning. Through
the day Friday Judge Wenner was COM
paratively easy. He asked his wife to
read to him from their favorite books,
and also to repeat to him whole poems
which she knew by heart, and SO the
day and night passed away.
A FEARFUL ORDEAL.
Saturday morning he told her what to
cook for his breakfast, saying he wanted
n good breakfast, but while this was in
preparation she heard the signal which
she had prepared for him to make in case
he needed her. When she got to his side
the fatal hemorrhage was on his lips,
and when she hastened to give him the
01CO1Cln0 IudL WAS always given Illh dU
such time he motioned it away. She
put her arm around his neck, drew his
head on her bosom and asked him if he
loved her; he answered, eyes," and
asked her if she loved him. At her "yes,"
he smiled, and in an instant, without a
spasm, that smile was trans6xed and his
soul had fed.
She was there all alone; with her own
hands she washed and dressed her hus-
bands body, went outside and got the
board herself, and stretched it upon the
chairs beside the bed; the girl had such
n horror Of death that she could not be
induced to come into the room to help
her lay her husband on the plank. She
did it all alone, and when all was com
posed she went to her children, told
them that their father was dead, ex-
planned to them as well as she could
what death meant, took them in and
showed them their fathers face; they
all kissed him, and knelt and prayed be-
side him. The day wore along and "a
great storm came upon the lake, SO that
it was impossible for the man to return.
1t had always been understood that two
signal fires meant that she needed help,
SO as the night came down she went and
lighted those fires and then took up he1
watch beside her dead. At intervals
during the night she would go and re.
plenish the fires, and so the watch went
on till daylight. All that day passed
away. At night she renewed the fires
and finally, at great peril, the mar
reached the island at 10 o'clock at night
PATHETIC BURIAL.
There was no possibility to return tt
get casket, so the poor woman told tn,
man that he must from the boards on th
place make the best box he could. Tn
man helplessly said he could not, but sh
encouraged him and told him she woult
help him. So the box was made. From
the best material she had in the hous
she with her own hands lined the bo:
and fixed pillow for the sleeper's head
That completed, the man dug a grave
The only services for the dead was b.
the wife and little children kneelin
around the coffin before it was movet
from the house and praying. But the
what other service was needed?
AS best they could they got the box t
the grave, the man drove stakes on on
side of the grave and tied ropes to them
and that woman and that man lowere
the body into the grave. Then she wen
back to take care of her children. Th
storm was so furious on the lake that
was week before she could take he
children and leave the island.
What she endured through that Satul
day and Saturday night, that Sunda
and that Sunday night no one knows
and no one can imagine. She did nc
shed tear. She has not shed a tes
since. She says calmly that she neve
anticipated life without her husband
but that now her children need whs
strength she has got. And she speaks
rlnk oh, did r,okIir,cr at oil Oh