The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-09-01
A SAD STORY.
4 CHILD'S BODY PACKED WITH
EXCELSIOR.
PEoPLE RIGHTLY INDIGNANT Ar
THIS INmuMANirY, alvKrHE LIT
rLKsrRANaER DECENT BURIAL.

i A blind man with hand organ, ac-
companied BY bis daughter, i fair
haired, delicate lookinggirl, apparently
twelve 10 fourteen years % age, landed
at Mr.. Jacob Deans home, about 4.
mile from town, some days since, whore
the little girl was taken i'll with q dis
ease Of the throat, pronounced BY some
to be diptheria, and BY others qninsy.
Be this as itmay, the child grewsworse.
and in spite OF the efforts made by the
family with whom she was lodging I've
are informed no physician was SUM
Emoned,) she passed to the Leal Land,
after several days sickness.
Four dollars was the limit Of the old
mans purse, and the lastcenth he gave to
Itheundertaker fora rough box in which
he might remove the remains Of his do
ceased child, the one who had led him
perhaps for hundreds Of miles along
| the rough highway, guiding his totter-.
ing feet in the smoothest places, 70 his
/ home and friends, when they could as
sist in giving her respectable burial.
This being accomplished the hearse
i with its precious burden was driven to
the station; and what was the poor
blind mans disappointment when he
, learned the trainmen could not receive
| It'll Tears streamed from his sightiess
eyes, and his aged frame trembIed with
,languish and sorrow. He had used Ill
hismoney; whore could be go,. what
i could he dol
Il Sympathizing citizens at once be-
gan soliciting money 10 buy q coffin
and have d grave dug, and in few
hours enough had been secured to
! give the little girl q decent Christian
/ burial. a colored man dug the grave,
} and two men took the corpse to the
grave. Out Of respect for the dead
] two young gentlemen drove over to
the graveyard and assisted in taking
the coffin % from the hearse. Seeing
no marks on the box they did not
know which way they were laying the
head. and with the corner Of q spade
/ soon loosened the screws, and what
was their horror on raising the lid to
find instead Of the coffin pile Of tex
celsiorn fine shavings used in packing
hardware, glassware, &c., piled in
upon the dead body, which was lying
on its side with the head and neck
twisted out opposition.
i The box was put IN the ground and
covered up, while the two indignant
young men returned to town and re-
lated the condition Of affairs to their
friends, and in a short time another
| paper was IN circulation and another
burial fund was raised. Aneat wooden
coffin nicely trimmed and covered with
enamel goods of a silver gray was se-
cured; and early Sunday morning the
graveyard was visited by number
Of citizens. The corpse was taken
! from the earth, placed beneath the
. shade Of tree and the box opened.
l Nothing was removed except the shaw
! ings from off the face. "a chance was
given for all to see, and every man
9 who beheld the sorry sight uttered an
] expression Of indignation and con-
! tempt. II was decided to haYe a
: preacher and the great Baptist divine,
) DR.. Carter, of North Carolina, SO well
} known in Buckhannon and Upshur
counties, was ushered through the
, crowd. Mark his first words. He
: stood at the head Of the corpse. Moth
ing was visible but the face, and the
scars. the nostrils and partly closed
mouth were filed with fine shavings.
He gazed on the dead face for some
minutes; then looked inquiringly into
the Lying faces about him-the still
ness was painful-His eyes were again
Iriveted upon the dead girl before him,
and when be spoke it was as peal Of
thunder from heaven
ssWea, fit oere the best that could be-
dOne, is all right; but as Il Is, II Is brnt-l
lIal.n
The. corpse was placed in the newly
secured casket, the savings brushed
from the face and neat white shroud,
E(prepared, we are informed, BY MI.
Deans daughters,) and the people
gathered about the grave. A fervent
and very touching prayer was offered