St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-01
IN MEMORIAM.
Written for the Globe. !


For nearly forty years Mrs. Ignatius
Donnelly has been one of the foremost
women of the state, and so admirably
has she filled her position in thorough
nobility OF character. that it is with a
strange personal loss we say to each
other she is no more. In the early
pioneer time, when she came from Phil
adelphia to the lonely remoteness of a
Minnesota hamlet on the bank of the
Mississippi, to begin the world, she
took hold of life with earnest. willing
hands. as it the work was what she
most yearned to do. And yet it was
hard, not alone in its newness and its
hardShips. but in the separation from
kindred. from congenial associations.
aud from the advantages of metropol-
itan life, which she cherished as one
gifted to enjoy them all with deep
hearted appreciation. As singer she
was joy to the cultivated here
in st. Paul about twenty years ago.
Possessing a rich coniIalto voice trained
in The best Italian school, ample. in
tense and dramatic, and powerfully
moving in church music, it was rev.
citation OF the ardent soul in vocal eX-
preston. The memory of her 80 Cor
Amoris' is an elevation of the heart
even as remembrance, and the pnras-
ing OF some passages in certain Gloria
Will hereafter bring her to mind when
other reminders lessen in viyidness.
Lessen in vividness! 1t does not seem
possible that the ordinary touch of OBJ
itrin
diminish the spell OF Mrs. DonueIly's
transcendent loyalty to friendship. and
to every ennoblihg interest OF human
ity. There will be much said, and very
truthtully as lar as it goes, of her de-
votion to home. to husband. and to
children. But, above all this, Mrs
Donneily was greater than her life.
albeit the domestic testimony is con-
vincing enough of her essential wom-
anliness to ordinary observation.
Beyond the faithful performance of
every eXaction in the household rou-
tine, her fine mind and impressive
character fitted her for the commanding
recognition OF the intellectual world
Her discrimination and literary judg-
ment were natural gift. which culture
deepened into admirable service. The
lonely, isolated years in the smal1yillage
Of Nininger held compensation for the
courageous woman whose lot was
cast there. The strong individuality
was not subjected to any OF the detorl-
alton Of too muah worldliness, and it
remained to the end in God-given good
ness and sincerity. 1t has been written
by one who had experience to make it
valuable, of the effects of an isolated
life in a new settlement, that there
are those in whom the old life
and the new harmonic instead
of clashing, and who seem to have
drawn into their natures the best
elements of both; the amenity of
manners remains, the graceful de fer
ence TO the feelings of others, while
what IS merely conventional and ex-
ternai has passed away, leaving sim
plicity and directness, perfect OPEN
ness in word and deed, which, when
met with in persons of forcible char
acter ard expanded Intellect, has a
charm not to be resisted. Mrs. Dom
nelly gained all this, and besides she
was born with the sanity sense of
humility and patience which made
every disappointment and sorrow a
part of the eternal plan. The last
time the writer saw her size looked at
the crucifiX always in sight of the dying
eyes, and said: when l look at that.
l try not to complain" To feel the
perfect trust that her friends hau in
Mrs. DOnnelly was alone most signifi-
cant tribute 10 her grand steadfastness
Nothing could mar her staunch fidelity
to her world, nor disturb the consollng
equity of her opinion concerning per-
sons and facts. Her genuineness and
unvarying naturalness were qualities
that heightened the attractiyeness of
her superior merit.
What this noble woman was, essen
TALLY, Is incommunicable by words, as
the best part of fine life must be when
it is question of describing the souls
part in it. When Mrs. Donnelly was
buried it seemed to one of her many
friends as if portion Of Minnesota had
gone with her. leavfng-:only an impcr-
ishable memory of the primal beginning
here, when we were all young together,
SeL iH d ianuoCaPo VI sicoii loueliueSS Ill
summer, and white loneliness in win
ter; without neighbors, railways, tele-
graph, schools, churches. or congenial
neutrality-suspicious. even fence to sug-
gest settler beyond. In that primal
scene. among the surviving avant
| garde who made for the civilization Of
today. Mrs. lgnatius Donnelly will ever
remain memorable figure for her
courage, edifying life and glorious
voice. which soothed the homesick
hearts pinIng for the back settlements,
4 and delighted the cultivated musical
sense into thanktulpess for that blessed
resident gift out of the PARKWAY East.
Now In eternity, she is where good
ness and music are associated forever