The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-02-27
Funeral of Ellen Johnson.

very pathetic scene greeted the visitor to our
town cemetery on Sunday afternoon last as a little
funeral procession entered the gates eseorting to
its last resting place the body of Ellen Johnson
wife of Charles Johnson, who died at the Aims
house on Saturday, the Goth instant Until two
years ago she was an industrious hard working
woman, but overcome by disease and her hard
struggle to earn her living, she was discovered
without food or fuel, in the wretched place she
called home during the severe blizzard of 1884, and
kindly cared for by the citizens of the East End of
town, until she could be carried to the Almshouse
where for some weeks she lowered between life and
death. Wretched as her life had been, poor and
comfortless as the place she called home," she re-
sisted, until the last her removal to the Amshouses
her great horror and dread seeming to be the
thought that if she died there she would be buried
as pauperin the wretehed place called the county
burying-ground and with the pitful and inexcus-
able stnginess of a pauper funeral During her
sickness she received the kind attention OF the
stewardess, Mrs. Ham, and the young people hay
when she died she should have decent burial, and
be inferred in the cemetery, and with the services
Almshouse, under the kind and attentive instruc-
ton of Mr.. r. F. Day. of the College Christian AS
ISOLATION, she professed conversion and she was
received on probation into membership of the NJ.
p Church by Rev. A D. Melvin, at that time pastor
of the church, and so far as she knew how endeav-
ored to live up to her profession ever since. On
Sunday afternoon funeral services were held in the
little room known as the Chapel of the AlmshouSe,
Rev. William Grouse who is ever ready ana wiling
to assist such occasions, conducted the services
assisted by Mr.. r. +. Day, and delivered very
touching and beautiful address choir composed
kerr Messrs. Ruly, Price. Machen and Ridgely sang
two of her favorite hymns-"The Haven of Rest,
and "There'u be nc Sorrow There" beautiful
wreath of smilax and carnations. the gift of Mrs.
Joseph Brooks, rested on the coffin. Thanks are
due to Mr. John Wilhide and Mr.. Theodore Mitten
for their services and to Mr. Frank Sharrer for the
use of his underwriters wagon to carry the body to
the cemetery. where the services concluded with
the Lords prayer recited in unison, and the sing
ing of another favorite hymn, Just as am, With
out One Plea" AS the County Commissioners
will not allow the very small additional expense
of $3.50 for rough box for the grave, the Sunday
Service Committee having charge Of the funeral
purchased this very necessary addition to decent
and christian funeral and also assumed the debt of
81 for the digging of the grave, trusting to the
berality of the christians of this community to aid
in making up the amount. Perhaps the day will
come when public opinion and common decency
will prevail and those in authority will give our
dependent poor BURIAL at least little above that
of an animal, and not put us TO the necessity of
making appeal for assistance in this the last
vice this favored county do for those of
her citizens whom God has afflicted with poverty
and disease. The meagre expenditure of few
paltry dollars, from our well-illed treasury will
take away some of the horrors of pauper funeral,
and make the last days of our county poor free
from and anxiety SO far as that matter is con-
cerned. Let the reform commence now
MARY b. SHELLMAN,
0rpnniSt AlmShOuSa Committee.