Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1892-08-26
Mrs. POTTER mnNMAN.

MIS-. Mary L. ilnWan, WHO ulSu At
Waterbury, where her grandson, Porter
H. Dale, resides, was almost the last Of
her generation. She died at the age o.
&c years, being almos; the last OF those
who started with her i'll life
As Mary p. Wilder, and daughter of
Abel Wilder, she was relative of Mar
shall p. Wilder, so well known in New
England, and with many of the family
now living in Vermont; and rs the wife
of the late Porter Human she had still
more numerous relationship with the
very first settlers of the good old town OF
Derby, So rich in traditions filled with
the interest. romance and adventures OF
first class frontier lie.
Although we are still near the begin
ming of our New England communities
vet thcirCharnctcriStiC features are grow
ing more and more obscure to the ewes of
those now living. Very few who possess
the training traditions and customs OF
our first settlers remain to us. Those OF
us who first saw the ight shining through
the wide spreading branching of trees
that surrounded the clearing look
through the holy memories OF childhood
upon those grand devoted, kind and
genial men and women who link us to
the very beginning of New England com
munitcs with a reverence like that which
antiquity awakcns in the minds of far
off generations.
AS the mind of the child through
mystery and the livelicst imagnations
sees most wildly the wonders which
burst upon it's sensitive vision, SO do we
Older children see through the mystery Of
an ancestral death the virtues which have
filled and adorned the lives OF the fathers
and mothers who cleared the way and
laid the foundations of happy, cultivated
communities If they were clothed upon
with rugged IDEAS and auStcrc manners
they were dressed in very reliable and
comfortable homcSpun fabrics, and which
covered as kindly true and devoted hearts
as ever beat i'll the bosom of man or
women Very few Of them remain who
were made heroic by necessities incident
to pioneer life. Good qualities are now
less stable, more cultivated, less uncom-
promising, but perhaps more abundant
and charitable than i'll the oldcn time of
the fathers
As we look back through the lights
and shadows OF the past it sometimes
seems that the sun shines brighter and
more cheerful into the settlers little clear
+ ing than anywhere else, and that the
recollection of its scenes are among the
most pleasing But of all the delicate,
tender and interesting recOllcctions OF
lie none are more SO than the childlikc
memories OF a rural home; and the good
Christian grandmother whose form and
being is softly melting into pleasant ira
dition is the most cherished of all the
qucenly memorials of that home.
In such times and circumstances Mrs,
Human lived. She was a fit type OF
that grand old school OF matrons i'll the
plain and homely days, when genial skies
lit up the forest born hopes and JOYS OF
their early lives. In that train moving
along i'll the course of woman's destiny
we see her
"Toiling. rejoicing, Borrowing.
Onward through lite she goes:
Each morning sees some task begin.
= Each evening secs II close;
e Something attempted. something done,
Has earned nights rcpose."
Born and reared amid prudiSh, severe
' rigid and scctarian influences theynever
interrupted her in the exercise OF Scntr
mcnts and charities of the broadcst hu
mainly. Unexccllcd in wifely and moth
erly offices OF good to all, as severe as
virtue itself, and vet as rclcnting as be
nevolcucc she filled larger space in do
= nestle life than usually falls to the lot o
any woman. Well may all women o
t whom she was known thank her for the
t lessons of fidelity to litc's relations which
t she has taught them. Life had no pur
$ poses that she was not stcadtast in. and
t eternity has no promises so rich as to b,
} beyond the hope, expectation and conso
# lation of her living friends. In her going
r there was an exhibition of reconciliation
k conquerng death far exceeding any vic
d tory over fear won by hcroism born o
|, passion, or hope of personal glory.
: She was unpretending in department
II but severe in the exercise of all the vir
d tues. Asa member of the Congregations
n Church she rigidIy adhered to its disci
r plIne, and worked untiringly for its in
interests, living i'll Il faith as constant
c and immortal as the soul itself. Worn
), and weary with long and faithful toll
Z she has gone to that quiet, peaceful rest
Il which all mankind dread yet covet. In
s her tired moments she said at is well.
t Perhaps she saw but one or two of her
l. old time grlsh friends rocking in tired
;, sleepy age, waiting only for the Masters
n kind good words Come in and Rest"
t Those of us who reason must not weep
II But when the neighbors came and went
II in the hush and stiffness of the curtaiued
d room May and December met age and
l. childhood embraced; the light of morn.
V ing and evening blended and shonc about
# the old life and the new, and now the
:. little link is almost broken and she must
needs weep.
g Come let us go. We can only hope
&, that she who wears the kind, good Chris,