Idaho Springs siftings., 1902-06-07


The reward for living life of love, of
friendship, of cheerfulness and of woman
illness was rendered to the memory of
Mrs {. S Birkins by the people of Idaho
Springs last Thursday afternoon. As a
tribute to her memory and the bereaved
ones she left behind, the business houses
of the city were closed for one hour. 1t
was a lesson taught by the dead from
which the living could well learn.
Mrs Birkins was practically child of
Idaho Springs. While born IN the east
she was western by cultivation. graduated
in our schools, taught in these same
schools, and became wife and mother in
the city she loved.
The funeral services were attended by
the largest gathering of people witnessed
at the last rites of a citizen for years. At
the depot Thursday morning when the
train srrived bearing the remains of the
wife and mother, large crowd was pres
ent, representing the various orders to
which the bereaved husband belongs.
AS he alighted from the train, bearing
in his arms the little motherless girl,
many eyes welled with tears. He was
weeping, because the return was indeed
sad one. and tears coursed down the little
ones cheeks as she family realized the
gravity of the situation With her little
arms caressing the neck of her father,
and her cheek against his, the tears of
father and daughter mingled, and the
sun that lighted the path of the
mother from childhood up shone up
on those tears and made sparkling dia-
monds of them.
Grief was apparently supreme in the
entire city. Everyone felt that in the loss
of Mrs. Birkins they had suffered the de-
parture forever of a friend. Few who
knew her will forget her disposition. 1t
was always pleasant. To meet her was
like passing out of the storm into the
sunshine. She attracted to her as friends
those of all ages The young ones loved
her because she was tireless in her efforts
for them, and the elder ones found her
safe in her counsels and devout and
loyal worker for the better life. She was
a queen among women.
At the church and at the grave the es-
TEEN in which she was held was marked
Her casket at the church was forest of
flowers. At the cemetery, as the casket
was lowered by loving hands to its final
resting place, the people bowed their
heads, and tears were general. 1t was an
impressive funeral and an impressive
burial. To the one who attended the SER
vices there was indeed lesson-that it
pays to live right so that we may die
right, and in passing from earth leave
those who sincerely mourn the loss. We
enter the world weeping, while those
about us smile-we depart the world snil-
ing, while those about us weep. 1t can
be said that beneath the little mound of
mute clay in the Idaho Springs cemetery
there lies in quiet rest the remains of one
who made the world better for having
lived in it.
Sweet end sincere as was her disposi-
ton in life it was supremely SO in death.
Her own words formed the text for her
funeral sermon. The songs she loved
were suggested by her as the cold hand
of death was pressing out the last spark
of warmth IN the frail body. She was
even drawer in the face of death than
those about her. Her last appeal from
the almost mute and lifeless lips was
music to the ear of those who love the
better life.
Her last words were carefully noted
and taken down so that they might be
preserved Ten minutes before IL O'Clock
last Friday night a week ago she asked
with some anxiety:
.'Do you think my time has GOMEZ"
81 am afraid So" was the reply of a
loved one at her side.
"Then tell mother died happy in the
Lord"
After a brief moment of quietude while
life was ebbing slowly away, she called
Mr.. Birkins, and when he came near she
said:
at wi not be long now ~
She was asked if she was ready to go
and replied
"Safe in the Arms of Jesus-Nearer
NY God to Thee-can't you sing Nearer
My God to Theef'
Between sobs those sitting about the
death bed raised their voices weakly in
song and she Joined in the verse all
through and while her voice was weak
vet it sounded natural. When they had
finished she remarked again:
sit has been hard fight and have
won"