The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-21
AGED LADIES ILL AND ALONE.
Their Rooms Entered and Trunks
H.f1cd While They We're Helpless.
./s....,., J,;.,,. oil n Tho Times i

New Orleans. Miss Scott was called home
by the extreme illness of her two aged
great-aunts, with whom she lived-Mrs.
Sarah Hamilton and Mrs. Clifton G. Hill.
These two old ladies, who live in quiet
suburb Of the village, and had only
small colored servant in attendance on
item, were discovered Sunday morning III
sad state Of delirium from acute Ia
grippe, and neither of them able to speak
intelligently. Mrs Hamilton, who gets an
annuity from her husbands estate, had in
her hands a check for several hundred
dollars. and another package Of money,
and was asking pitifully and almost inco-
herentiy for some one to send the money
for her niece. She is eishty-three years
old, and is lady Of remarkable mind and
wide culture Two of her relatives-a
young gentleman. and his cousin. young
lady-called in, as was their custom. after
church to inquire about the two old peo-
pie, and were greatly shocked 10 lind
them so i'll.
Mrs. Hill, who is seventy-siN, had arisen,
dressed herself. and was sitting by the
open fire; but she was quite delfrious, ana
to all appearances playing chess on an
imaginary board in her lap. The two old
ladies are accustomed to amuse them
selves and each other with the chess
board every evening after tea. The young
lady-AIiss Roy Wagner-at once took
things in charge. and her cousin, Mr..
Frank Price, secured a carriage and drove
off for other relatives, and in a Very few
moments the house was full Of loving
hearts and willing hands. for no woman
ever lived in the county who is more be-
loved than Mrs. Hill.
She is highly connected in the county,
being an aunt of Mrs. James w. Marshall,
and of Mrs c. G. Jones and Mrs. ]. C.
Wagner. Of the firm of Wagner Brothers,
and her husband. CAPTAIN C. G. Hill.
deceased, was from Eastern Virginia,
where he was connected with the Lovings
and other prominent families.
Mrs. Ham~~on and Mrs. Hill have en-
joyed remarkable health and do not in
the least like TO be considered helpless or
aged, and reject ali offers OF care from
their friends But they seemed to be at
tackled quite suddenly, and as no one
called on them Saturday afternoon, an
unusual occurrence the younger and
stronger of the two, Mrs. Hill, being taken
with delirium, she could not send the SER
want for help, and thus she had suffered
for many hours.
There was very little fire in the house,
and it was quite cold. One remarkable
coincidence o. the case was the fact that
they were Doth taken i'll at night-Satur-
day highland were unable to get to their
bedroom, which was across the hallway,
and during the night three trunks were
entered, which were kept in their bed
room, one of the trunks being that of
Mrs. Hamilton and supposed to contain
money, as the lady was believed TO. keep
money by her. That trunk was Violently
broken open, which could not have been
done without good deal of noise, and
must have aroused them had they been
sleep and in ordinary health
Mrs. Hamilton is not yet recovered
enough to state whether there was any
money to amount to anything in the trunk
or not An oldfashioned gold watch and
some old-fashioned jewelry were left ull-
disturbed But had this housebreaker
gained access to the sitting-room, where
the two helpless. delirious old sufferers
sat the long night through, he or she,
whoever they may be, might have with
ease robbed Mrs. Hamilton of a good deal
of cash.
OF course. they we're al once taken in
charge, and Miss Scott was telegraphed
Tor, and no such risks will be run again,
even if this is quiet country where
robbers are unknown.
Mrs Hill, who is young and cheerful of
soul and quite active, as a general thing,
confessed obviously, after she reganed her
reason and was told of her condition. She
said: We'll, l guess am really growing
oid-too old to take care of myself any
longer
Neither of the old ladies have any chill
lnen, and they are very tenderly cared for
When they will submit to coddling
MIS- hi owns one OF the sweetest old
lasnioned homes here, and Mrs Hamilton
is lady Of ample means. an excellent
and sure income of cashier share of a
very tine estate in West Virginia. Her
irst husband was DR.. Thomas Wharton,
OF Bedford, and her second Mr.. Samuel
Hamilton. OF Monroe county, West Vir-
Slnia- Her father was Captain Jacob
fr1ce, who was an officer in the war of
lSi2, ana her grandfather 1homas Price.
one OF three men who performed wonder
lnl fea;s of pioneer warfare in Western
virginia before the battle OF Point Pleas
aHt, ana VINO was commissioned in that
oallie oy the Colonial Governor. An ac-
count OF this is given in some old histo-
rles, think in Kercheval's history of the
valley DR.. Hale mentioned it in his
transatlantic Pioneers and other local
histories.
In her young days Mrs Hamilton was a
great beauty and belle, and numbered
among her admirers a certain Governor
VI Virginia. Her governess. and also the
soHerness of Mrs. Hill, was the widow ae
the strong man, Peter b. Francisco. In
nose days man had to do a good Zeal
10 make him famous, for ready-.nadc fame
was not hot-pressed III a minute bv fine
yellow Journals, and tie slow stage noto
t.etS .hat hna!lS lodged in tie hearts of
me people generally staid there. When
Peer b. picked up that British officer.
horse and all, and pitched him over the
sen-rall fence, the story went abroad like
some OF Washngtons victories, and to
this day the children believe it.
Mrs. Hamilton had another friend in
her young days that takes one ba ck to the
days when the century was Young. and
that was Mrs. Dix the widow NJ DR.
Dix, who was Washins.on's surgeon.
To hear Mrs. Hamilton tell the in,nres-
si5ns AIRS. Dix had of the Fathe, Of His
Country beats old Mr. Wce,ns, history all
E tc pieces for the Weens history. while
it IS vivid. it is TOO much like one school
boy eniogizing his baseball captain. aud
this old lady knew many human things
that, coming from lip to lip, pierces xhe
gloom of the whole century. and sounds
like a graphophone message from WASH
ington himself. Mrs. DiX's daughter mar
ried also into the Wharton family, and
Mrs. Hamilton was therefore, her sister
:n-iaw. This aged lady,s inte!i:ge her
wide culture and her appreciation for
everything that came in her way during
her long life makes her one of the most
Interesting people in this section of coua-
try. and it is With profound sorrow that
the fact of her extreme illness was