The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-08-06
Miss Isabel Horner.

The GOLD LEAF and the Oxford Public
Ledger contained well written and just
tributes to the memory OF Miss Isabel
Horner who departed this life July 9th.
For these and the many tokens of sym
patty and affection shown to her and
the family by friends and neighbors there
is due appreciation.
Her life was so different from the lives
OF others and in several of its phases
so attractive and worthy of imitation,
that | ask leave to direct attention to
some of the strong points of her char
acter.S
The subject of art, or the creation of
beauty. is but little cultivated among us.
Though it produces untold millions OF
money and indispensable happiness to
myriads of people who are capable OF
creating and enjoying it, our boosted
community is almost, though not en-
tirely, destitute of it's disciples. Isabel
bad an eye for the beautiful. have seen
her enraptured by natures decorations
of spring foliage and OF autumn tints
She could see and en- Joy the beauty of a
flower. She cultivated a strong natural
endowment, until she literally lived in a
world of art and beauty.
By the time she attained moderate
skill in her profession, she was smitten
with fatal malady; and though she
was fully aware OF her condition, for
more than seven years she was enabled
to endure and resist her distressing and
ever increasing affection, and to wear
ever about her cheerful disposition and
buoyant spirit. Undoubtedly this was
most unusal. | believe that her appre-
citation Of the beautiful, her ability to see
and do what is beyond the view and at
tainment of us ordinary mortails, ex
tended the period of her sojourn with us
for nearly eight years. Dependency and
gloom and an earlier yielding to the in
evitable would have resulted but for her
fascination for this chosen work and her
capacity to enjoy it.
Before she had attained the proficiency
| usually expressed by the word artist, she
taught ordinary schools and applied her
| earnings to the further prosecution OF
her special studies. Sustained by an I'M
daunted spirit though very feeble she.
spent the winter of 1899 in the rigorous
climate of New York studying in school
of art And ever after to the present
year, she was employed in teaching art
| in schools and colleges remote from
home, when less courageous persons
would have been in bed awaiting the
grim monster.
Many a time have | gazed with admi-
ration at paintings and other pictures,
designing, tapestry, fancy and artistic
embroidery, ETC., executed by her, and
wondered how one SO weak could have
the will to resolve and the power to exc
cute such beautiful creations. And it
| was all the more wonderful to me be-
cause the artistic taste is so rare with us.
Her buoyancy of spirit and her industry
were really remarkable. None of her
| family ever heard her complain or repine.
She never desisted from her work until
informed by her physicians that it was
absolutely necessary to preserve her life.
For seven years in great physical SUI
fering, she was close and diligent stu
dent and labored with a strong will and
a cheerful disposition to instil ideas of
beauty and the power to create it in the
minds of others-and dying before she
| was thirty she accomplished more than
| most people in a long life. Once just be-
fore the end came, it was said that per-
haps under the influence of medicine, her
| mind wandered for a few moments, and
she seemed to be lost, and exclaimed:
''Take me home' Those words express
to my mind what must have been the
longing of her spirit to be taken to the
| world of love where there is no sickness,
| and where all is beauty. And we trust
that she found joyful welcome there.
The faculty of the Virginia College in
which she had been for year and a half
| a teacher passed resolutions last winter
| expressing ''their love for her as a SYM
pathetic and helpful worker" and eulo-
giving her fidelity, integrity and faith
| fitness in her duties and wishing that
| benefit might result to her from the much
| needed rest" Their wish has come to
! pass. Her body has rest in Elmwood
while her spirit not needing rest lives for
| ever in a mansion of unfading beauty
! whose builder and maker is God.
7. T. Fl.
Henderson, N. c., Aug. 4, 1908.