The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-10-19
oNECoUNTRYCU CUSTOM
HOW SYMPATHY WELLS UP WHEN
DEATHS SHADOW pEscENpS.

quiet, peaceful neigh borhood in which he
had grown almost to manhood, where for
miles around the farmers and their fam-
lilies knew him or his parents, Before the
sun set that warm summer day everybody
knew that Thomas Bakers son James was
dead, and that the funeral would occur
two days later at O'Clock p m. How did
Everybody know it2 The clerk in the store
at the Corners told 1t to such farmers, their
wives, sons and daughters as came to
trade, and they passed the word along. II
no one was visible In the fields, they called
in front of each house they passed until the
door opened. II the caller was the farmer
or one of his sons, the message Of death
was delivered in this way:
"fom Bakers boy Jim died yesterday
Funeral day after tomorrow ut 9 o'clock"
If the farmers wife or daughter told the
Isorrowful news, 1t was done in this way, or
about so: Mrs. Thomas Bakers son James
is dead-died ~ o O'Clock this morning. He
will be burieu" day after tomorrow at ..
Mrs. Diedrich will take bunch of sweet
pen blossoms, and am going to send John
ny over to the pond for some lilies. Can't
you take some pansies, phlox and gerani-
umsy heard that Mrs. Brown, Mrs Vim
cent and Mrs. Good are going to take mi
gnonette and goldenrod"
l was nearly half mile away, but
heard Farmer Loehr call to Farmer Holiday
and say: did You know that poor Jim
Baker was deadf Yes, died this morning.
Burial takes place at Q o'clock Wednesday,"
Not less than dozen different persons told
the news to my entertainers pioneers of the
neighborhood. That is the way everybody
for five miles roundabout came to know Of
the sorrow in the home OF generous neigh
Dor Baker.
My friend asked me 4 cared to go to the
funeral. did. The day before had taken
a long ride through the ncighborhood and
had noticed that all the farmers and their
sons and on some farms the wives and
daughters were as busy as beavers in har-
vest fields. The broad brimmed hats all
wore-men, boys and women-the plain
gray, brown or half red wearing apparel
made the women all look alike, and it was
not easy to tell one man from another But
| they were substantial citizens, specimeus
Of the real bone and sinew Of the land.
"They will not look like the same people
when you see them at young Bakers funer-
al" remarked my friend. do you mean
to tell me that those farmers and their fam
lilies in this busy harvest time will stop
work, or more than a few of them, to at
tend a funeralf" Watch and see" was
his lone response to q question he seemed
astonished TO hear propounded.
Soon after l o'clock there were seen little
dust clouds on half dozen roads centering
at the Corners half mile from Bakers
I'VE will go early, SO that you may see our
people under different circumstances-sce
them away from their farms, out Of their
working suits and in their dress up Clothes"
1 Ia.lf l.. i.
services to begin there was a constant con-
ing Of carriages-briRht, clean, modern car
riages-all bearing men with clean shaver
faces, clad in stylish clothes, women in fine
gowns and hats, and children as pretty of
feature and as well dressed as their city
cousins, and they looked and were a great
deal healthier.
For quarter of mile on both sides of
the road teams were hitched to the fences
The house Of mourning was crowded, and
the ample grounds were filled with sym
pathizing neighbors and friends AS far
as the eye could reach-and it could reach
long way in that level tract Of the finest
farming land In Wisconsin-not farmer
or a member of his family or n hired man
could be seen at work that afternoon. AL
work had been suspended that everybody
might go to the funeral
y What a beautiful custom thati A brother
farmer and his family were In sorrow
\ Their neighbors would express their sym.
patty by participating in the last sad rites
by following the silent sleeper to the grave.
This they did, and with warm press OF
the hand, and in many cases choking,
broken word of regret at the loss they had
met with, they lifted a heavy load from
the hearts of the weeping family
The hymns were sung by hurriedly col.
lected choir FROM n couple of farmers, fam
, lilies. l shall never forget the soft, solemn
: sympathetic way in which the possessors
? of those sweet voices rendered the touch
ing hymns. The young minister read tn,
beautiful and impressive Episcopal service
in clear, ringing voice, as though he hat
I done so many times, but that was his first
experience as pastor at n funeral. Severa
t different nationalties were present. Bap
+ lists, Methodists Catholics, Episcopalians
J Congregationnlists Presbyterians and thos
! who belong to no church reverently boweC
their heads when the good man spoke hi
:. message to the King of kings, who look
into hearts instead of church pews when h
seeks to know of and about his people.
O My attention was called to two cluster
{ of men, one under an apple tree and tn
other under II maple In the welcome shnd
= of the latter were dozen or more of gra
- haired men. On their left breasts wer
/, pinned familiar badge. These men hR'
- come from dozen widely separated farm
for the purpose of showing their conrad
in trouble that they were ready with syn
pathy and would BE- glad to aid him In an
e. manner In their power They were soldier
|, comrades of Baker, who had been a her
= In the Thirteenth New York While wa
u not surprised to see this evidence of brotl
q erly loye-of true comradeship-I We
deeply affected by it.
u Under the other tree there was assen
l.. bled delegation of Odd Fellows from IL
10 lodge to which the young mans father b
: longed. There, too, was evidence of trt
fraternity. The fraternal spirit was a
parent on all sides. How beautiful, stron
8. helpful and splendid is the true fratern
@ spirit
10 Do give evidence of weakness when
n say that some of the time was watchir
= that long procession-it was moro than
10 mile long--winding its way to the lit
ST graveyard on the hill overlooking the o
10 mill pond watched through tears' 1t W
We my first ex parience at funeral in the cou
m try. The Impression it made will be la.
ing. at WAS Just an average funeral," w
~ my friends remark on my comment that
w was the most impressive funeral that h
ever attended.--J. A. WatrOus In Milwa
kee Telegraph.
ne --
The Penalty.
- "Hol You say your prayers every mig
IS, and morning, do youst jeerod the bad
~ tie boy. Eyes, and so would you II y