Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-07-25
NAvAL-sTORE MARKETS.
HIS BIER THE FAMILY SHRINE.
IngersoIrs Wife and Daughters Find
1t Hard To Give Him Up.

NNtW lOlk Jbui ldA --tAul
LET us keep him a little longerl Don't
ask us TO give up our dead so soon"
This is all the reply the wife and
daughters OF the late Colonel Robert @.
Ingerson will make when asked to give
definite directions as to the arrange
ments that must be made for the tune
raj.
So far they have not been able 90 rally
sufficiently from the shock of their loved
ones death 70 confront the matter OF
fact exigencies of the occasion. Their
hearts desire would be that the Reaper's
work should stop mere. lie has stiiled
the noble heart and hushed the silver
tongue of the husband and father for
ever, but all that is mortal of him that
remains they would guard for themselves
as long as possible.
Meanwhile. the body OF the great orator
lies on an impr0yised bier I'm the room
where he died. When the sheet is drawn
back traces Of tho work OF devoted hands
are revealed.
Scattered over the breast and nesting
at the throat Of the dead are hOllyhocks
and peoples, his favoritc flowers in life.
Every hour one or the other Of his daugh-
ters steals out into the garden and culls
the flowers 80 dear to their father i'm life.
and then, returning to the chamber OK
death, strews them carefully on his IN
animate form.
WONDROUs DEVOTION TO THE
DEAD.
Mr.. Farrell accompanied n Journal re-
porter to the death chamber yesterday
clio w
was reflected by the grief within. The
bed showed the imprint If the forms OF
the stricken wife and daughters of the
dead philanthropist when overcome with
fatigue they yielded 10 nature demand
for sleep. A sofa drawn up close 10 the
bier allowed one of those who maintained
a never ceasing vigil 60 be near enough
to touch the hand Of the dead with an
anoctiOnate caress.
I'VE do not know. Death IS n wall
wrote the great man while he lived. Ap-
parently the crossing Of the wall had IN
fiicted no suffering on his indomitable
shirt His face was calm. On his hps
were smiles Death had had no terror Tor
him. That much was certain.
The body had been embalmed by an
undertaken from New York. a pathetic
incident Of the day was the VISIT OF u
Syrian merchant, an importer. from New
York. He called ut the house ana SAID
that he could not bear TO think Of allow
ing the man whom he had loved so much
i'm lie to pass away forever without
touching his hand again. Taken into the
room he bent over the body and deVoutly
kissed both face and hands.
DIED AS DOCTOR PREDICTED.
Mr.. Farrell said that long since Ut,
Alexander Smith had told Mrs. lngersoli
that hsr husband might die at any mo-
mont OF angina pectoris.
Mr. Farrell said that Colonel insersoll
had never during his life given any ui-
rections as to the disposition OF MS pouy
after death. He had, however, frequent
w EXPRESSED himself as being in favor Oh
cremation. and Mr. Farrell thought ~
orite uossible that Mrs. lngersou hlisn1
conclude to have the body incinefateu
when her state Of mind became such 'hat
she could reach a decision. In the mean
,ir,e both she and her daughters are UNI
der the immediate supervision or phy-
stefan. .,,,,.,,
Yesterday there was no sign OF Hlou'" H.
ms, about the house externally. Iheie
VS. no creme on the door. and the dtdu
mans TWO grandchildren, ana years
old respectively. amused themselves WIN
their TOYS without the least realization
- the loss sustained by the family.