Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-02-18
"WHYT'

DR.. Lapham asked that question years
ago, when writing about Corinna o.
Davis, a former school teacher of Wood
stock. Here are his words: ooh, why
should such as she be stricken down at
the threshold of womanhood, when life
was sweet, and bright the promise of
future usefulness, while Others of no
earthly account are permitted to live
out all their years? These apparent mis-
takes in the administration of human
affairs, will no doubt be explained and
made plain and clear in the future,
though they seem dark and mysterious
now"
When Rev. and Mrs. Seth Benson lost
their little boy, an only son, several
years ago, the question was asked in our
hearing more than once, "Why?" When
Mr.. and Mrs. Titus little daughter was
taken from them, after long and dis
tressing illness, the same question was
probably asked in thought, if not vebal-
ly, by every neighbor. So that Rev. Dr.
Talmage did not exaggerate when he re-
marked in recent sermon, touching
similar events, that 1.-THE question most
frequently asked is the question why"
The little girl mentioned above did not
live with us long enough to make much
material for an obituary, but few facts
in connection with her brief life may
perhaps be of local interest at least.
Gladys B. Titus was born in Green
wood April 6, 1897. The children of
both parents, previous to this time, con-
sisted only of two sons, the youngest of
whom had already reached his teens, so
that, as might be expected, her birth was
hailed with joy by all.
The writer called to see the little
stranger when two or three days old,
pronounced her nice promising baby,
and congratulated the fond parents on
the happy event. The child soon COM
menced to grow, waxing strong in body
and spirit quite similar to other children
who start in life under the same favora-
BILE circumstances; so that she soon be-
came the pet of the family, not except
ing her aged grandfather, who delighted
in helping to take care of her as long as
he was able to do so.
We remember calling on the family,
during the spring, after Gladys had
started on her third year, and found the
old gentleman wheeling wood into the
woodhouse, his little granddaughter
assisting in the work by taking hold of
the sideboard, and walking along with
him; and then, as a compensation for her
help he would let her ride back in the
wheelbarrow to the woodpile.
1t was all for the best that he was
called away first, since the long and dis
tressing illness and subsequent death of
his little beloved granddaughter, must
have been we'll nigh uncomfortable.
While it is not claimed that little
Gladys excelled all other children in
beauty of features, intellect and DISPOSE
ton, she would certainly compare favor
ably with any of them in regard to these
qualities.
How little is known as to what a year
will bring forth, or even what shall be on
the morrow. When assisting in Mr..
Titus family last winter, before and
after the death of Dea. Thomas, that lit
tie girl was in perfect health, and not
being old enough to realize the solemnity
of the occasion, amused herself for some
time by showing her pretty dolls and
other playthings. How remote the
thought then, that in less than a year
her little bed and chair would be empty,
and the toys all put away because there
was no further use for them. Thus the
truth of the old saying, that "the old
must die, and the young may die" is
again verified.
It is almost certain that if the thoughts
of those weeping parents had been put
into words and crystallized as they
turned away from the little white casket
which enclosed the remains of their
precious jewel, they would be similar to
the following lines:
Goodby. our little angel daughter;
Thy smiling face we'll sec no more
Until we cross the Jordan water,
And meet thee on that blissful shore.
L. D.