The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-03-31
one GIRLS FUNERAL.
II Was In the Early Days ~ Montana. IN
Different from Most Funerals


During the construction days Of the
Northern Pacific railroad many small
towns were born that fiourished until
the road was completed-then died.
The little story following actually &C.
Cured, and made an impression on me
that l shall never forget To me there
was q tinge of sadness that went
straight to the heart l occupied the
exalted position of justice of the peace.
Now. justice of the peace in Montana
in early days was a bigger man than
tie chief justice of the United States IS
to-day. and had a perpetual variety OF
Entertainment BE marries the people,
bIries the dead, puts out fires, takes q
drink with every body, referees dog
fights, settles family rows, breaches
makes speeches, and must be ready for
any kind of work. For this aggrega-
ton of duties he is called judge, but II
he renders wrong decision his namo
is Dennis.
One cold morning I was Waited upon
by delegation OF gamblers and in
formed that one Of the girls was dead
They said she had passed in her checks
during the night, and as she was the
slickest girl in the camp she was to
have a twenty four carat send-oh and
no mistakes went around TO see the
body to find out, if possible, the cause
of her death. / was satisfied that the
girl had taken morphine and died from
the effects, and so rendered my decis.
ion, which satisfied all j set the hour
for the funeral and returned to the
cabin to prepare my remarks.
There. was not Bible in the camp.
and so had TO play it alone. 1t was
cold, stormy, Montana winter day, and
that added much TO the sadness OK the
occasion. The grave was dug out
among tn. pines, and a more God-for-
salSen place it would have been hard TO
find, but il was the best we bad or
could get
The hour arrived, the procession
formed, myself in fropt of the pail
bearers, consisting of gamblers, with
the body in a rough pine box Nexf
came the girls of the town and the bus-
mess men in the rear. We wendell our
way slowly to the last resting place,
where, alone and unknown. amid the
rocks and pines, with the awful still'
ness of the mountains, all that was
earthly of that unfortunate girl woui4
stay until the last day
No one could pray; no one could sing
! poured out my soul TO my God in ms
poor stumbling way-toid Him all
about it We were unanimous in the
belief that she was more sinned against
than shining. and would He in His in
finite goodness and loving kindness for
give her, wipe out all the black spots
On her soul, forget her past and save
her for her souls sake? Would he sus.
pend all rules. throw open wide the
portals of Heaven. have sweetest music
played on a thousand golden hsrps and
bid that poor. tired, Sustained soul
enter the realms Of happiness, puri4
Snd rest
It was our funeral. because every
BODY did all they could. There were
But few Of all kinds, 20 be sure, but
human with souls 20 savc There are
many Of the old boys scattered through
the northeast who viii reeoilect that
stormy Montana day. and how W
Knocked At ete-nity's door for admit
tance for that girls soul, and al will
sgree that our knocking was not N
yain-that the gates We're thrown open
and forgiveness came 20 heE.-outin2
crScla