Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-03-15
ALWAYS ATTEND FUNERALS.
Strange Habit Of Queer Couple ON the
West Side.


For years there lived on the west
side little wCnian with bright. sharp
eyes and IAN expires i've face. Her steD
was siow and her shoulders bent, for
she wis .ong PAST Ghe 'o1au:y Of
youth and the glory of miiule-a ged
womanhood. Her small crepe bonnet
was piaiced on perfectly arranged
hair. Her 'bfack gown WIS trinmed
with ibar;ts of crept and she always
wore a soft black shawl thrown loose
ly over her shoulders. She was never
seen alone, but always with her WAS a
wee girl who called her ''grandma."
Few knew who the woman was or
who wGiS the child or where tlley
lived, hut both were known to all the
prominent ministers Oh the west side,
aS well as to the unyterta llers and
funeral directors. For years there
was net prominent funeral i'm that
end of town burt the lutte woman and
her grandchild were in attendance.
If there WAS really mo choice i'm funer-
ais they attended the one where their
favorife minister prayed. But no
matter who the dead hail been or who
'he minister was in charge or what
the weather. the little woman and the
child Went ITO a funeral every day.
Some west side preachers say they
did not preach funeral service in
years without first shaking hands
with the little woman and her grand
child, for they were always present.
Some of the choir boys learned to
know them and ITO speak to them. and
some of the funeral directors grew so
accustomed TO their presence at serv-
ices for the dead THAT they invariably
reserved seats in a carriage for them
to ride out to the cemeteries. Arriv-
tng at THE cemetery. the woman and
child would wander off ha nd in hai'
to some place near by. and seated ON
a grave would unwrap a package of
luncheon, which they would spread
out over the grave, picnic fashion.
When the carriages drew up for the
morrners to return the little woman
and the child would mingle with the
rest and return to the City. That was
all; NO display of grief. no comments,
burt always that significant silence
and constant attendance. Some peo-
pie tried to learn why they went to
funerals and who they were. but they
never seemed ito comprehend that
thcre was anything unusual or mys-
FERROUS in their manner, so MO one
ever found out.
Two weeks or so ago there was a
large funeral on the west side that
neither the woman nor the child at
tended. The minister missed them
and Thought There must he a large
funeral somewhere elise. The funeral
directors reserved the seats in THE
carriages. but the woman and child
did net come TO occupy them. The
church ianitor saved the child a rose
THAT had fallen from the casket, burt
she was not to be found. Nor was she
seen until last Wednesday. She en-
tered the church alone. Her dark
frock had "a fresh band of crepe AMI
she wore a new feather and flower
in her hat. Her rosy face looked thin
and her eyes were unusually dark
and brilliant. The minister said as
he shook hands with her: ''Where is
your grand mother. my dear?"
For moment the child was silent.
Then she broke into torrent of
weaping. 'Grandma's dead" she
cried. "She died the might we got
home from the last funeral"