Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-09-05
FAITHFUL AFTER DEATH
A WOMAN PERFORMS THE LAST
OFFICES FOR HER HUSBAND

spend Her Strength for the Sake OF the
Man she Loved to the Last.
The story of Mrs U. 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 husoan0
decided to move to Fremont island, sne
cheerfuily gave up her luxurious home
in this city and went with him. Ot
course she had no neighbors. With no
one but her husband and her little family
around her, with hired man and giri
TO assist, she lived there five years. AT
one time she was there two years and a
nalf 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 nus
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
his diving to enter her mind. So it went
on until two weeks ago "Wednesday
when her husband had n severe hem
orrhage of the lungs. 1t was stopped
and he said he felt moro relieved than
he had for months before.
OF course great prostration always fol
lows hemorrhage of the lungs, and SO
ne lay very weak, but cheerful. Thurs
day he wanted the man who had been
their faithful employee so long to take
the boat, go over to Hooper and get the
mail, as lie 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.
FEARFUL ORDEAL.
Saturday morning he told her what to
cook for his breakfast, saying he wanted
good breakfast, hut 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
medicine that was always given him al
/ 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. Yes" and
asked her if she loved him. At her Eyes,
he smiled, and in an instant, without 9
spasm, that smile was transfixed and his
soul had fed.
She was there all alone; with her OWL
hands she washed and dressed her hus
bands body, went outside and got the
board herself, and stretched it upon thu
chairs beside the bed; the girl had sucl
horror of death that she could not b,
induced to come into the room to he'll
her lay her husband on the plank. Sh,
did it all alone, and when all was com
posed she went to her children, tolC
them that their father was dead, ex
planned to them as well as she coulj
what death meant, took them in ant
showed them their fathers face; they
all kissed him, and knelt and prayed be
side him. The day wore along and
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 anC
lighted those fires and then took up he
watch beside her dead. At interval
during the night she would 60 and re
plenish the fires, and so the watch wen
on till daylight. All that day passe,
away. At night she renewed the fires
and finally, at great peril, the MAJ
reached the island at 10 o'clock at night
PATHETIC BURIAL.
| There was no possibility to return t
get casket, so the poor woman told th
man that he must from the boards on tn
place make the best box he could Til
man helplessly said he could not, but sh
encouraged him and told him she woul
nelp him. So the box was made. Fror
the best material she had in the nous
she with her own hands lined the DO
and fixed pillow for the sleeper's head
That completed, the man dug grave
/ The only services foI the dead was b
, the wife and little children kneelin
around the coffin before it was move
from the house and praying. But the
what other service was needed?
: AS best they could they got the box I
, the grave, the man drove stakes on on
side of the grave and tied ropes to then.
! and that woman and that man lowere
the body into the grave. Then she wen
back to take care of her children. Tn
storm was so furious on the lake that
was Il week before she could take he
children and leave the island
What she endured through that Satul
day and Saturday night, that Snnda
= and that Sunday night no one know,
and no one can imagine. She did nc
shed tear. She has not shed tea
since. She says calmly that she neye
anticipated life without her HUSBAND
] but that now her children need wha
S strength she has got. And she speaks {
; what she did as nothing at all. Sh
{ says it was pleasure to her to do til
r last office: it is very much sweeter fe
p her to think of than it would be to thin
that it was performed by some one VIII
might have been less tender in his touc
than she.
And that was by little woman VIII
i never knew what work was or what is,
lation meant, who knew nothing at n
about the rougher side of life until sh
gave her heart up to her husband an
I thenceforth lived only for him.--Sa
I Lake Tribune.
e Truck Loads of Money.
= Did you ever see more money than yc
!, could carry? Compnra tivaIx- fa,,, ,,oo.x.