Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-01-09

Rest only rest.
The burden of my days is hard to bear;
But God knows best;
And Ihave prayed, though vain has been
my prayer.
For rest, sweet rest"
The hour anticipated in these
lines, which during recent years
she often quoted, came to her
through the shadows Of cold Dec
ember night; but it's spirit glowed
warmly upon her face, softening
the lines that ninety years had
drawn, making her almost young
again, as with her last strength she
crossed her hands upon her breast
and slept.
Martha Lois Barber was born in
Georgia, Vermont, April 4, 1913,
from which place the family few
years later removed to Fairfield, in
the same state. Here, on Deem
Der 80, 1885, she was married to
Addison Burr, and here were born
to them five children. In 1857 Mr..
and Mrs. Burr came west to Lam
caster, where another daughter was
born, and where, shortly after their
arrival, was built the homo in
which they thenceforth lived and
died.
Addison Burr died in 1878, being
preceded by the daughter Laura
Bushnell, in 1878. The only son,
Theodore A., died at Lancaster in
1899.
There survive their mother four
daughters--Emily G. Brigham of
st. Cloud, Mimi; Helen B. Carter
and Mary A. Clementson of Lancas-
ter; and Sarah F. Livingston of
Stevens Point. Mrs. Burr was of a
family of eight children, of whom
Theodore M. Barber of this city
alone is left. The other brothers
and sisters we're Addison, Jay and
j. Allen Barber, Fannie Sherman
and Mary Ladd, all of whom lived
in Lancaster many years and here
died, and Hamilton Barber, who
died at Sandusky, Ohio.
Mrs. Burr's death was the result
of injuries sustained in a severe fall
which she suffered in October. On
the day the accident occurred, hav-
ing completed one of the little pieces
of work without which she could
not be entirely content, she said:
MY work is done What shall /
do tomorrow" +" WI: .'@H
Truly her work was done. At
the close of the old year; on the
sixth-eighth anniversary of her
wedding; IN the old home which she
prayed only death, not infirmity,
might compel her. to leave; sur
rounded by every care that love
could suggest, her active life closed.
She retained her faculties unim-
paired to the end, while four score
years and ten had touched her face
so lightly that she seemed rather a
woman of seventy. She never lost
her lively interest in people and
things, and even in death the bright
and cheerful expression of counter
ance which characterized her re-
manned. Her patience under the
trial of her painful last illness was
admirable, and the loving gratitude
she displayed toward those who
waited upon her and strove to make
her comfortable, will ever remain
a precious memory. Solicitude for
others, the keynote Of her life,
never burned more brightly in her
breast than during the final weeks
of her life. Lest others should
I'overdo; lest she should unwittingly
require too much-this was the only
thing that troubled her.
The funeral services were held at
the old home January End at two
o'clock, and were conducted by the
Rev. Ralph of the Congregational
church, the church with which she
united in 1867 and of which she was
an active member even after age
put it's ban upon her attendance.
AS part of the services was read the
poem which follows, which one Of
the daughters some years ago pinned
into her church manual opposite
her mothers name-it seemed then
so aptly to describe that mothers
helpful, well-rounded life, and now,
after all was finished, to apply even
more closely.
pale, withered hands. that more than foul
score years
Have wrought for others-soothed the hurt
of tears,
Rocked childrens' cradles, eased the fever's
smart,
Dropt tenderest balm in many an aching
heart
Now Stirless folded, like wan rose-leaveS
pPeSt