The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-01-20
a Tribute to Sympathetic
Citizens.

SitlZSHS.
Lead Call.-The Spearfsh Enter.
prise, OF last week, bad the follow
ing regarding the manner in which
the citizens Of that town neglected
to care for one of their dead.
From time since the memory Of
man runneth not to the contrary, it
has been the custom Of the people of
all civilized communities to show
their respect for the defensele IS
dead and, as rule, there is mole
offer OF assistance than the emer-
gency requires. This spirit of show.
ing ones respect to the departed az.
pears to have ebbed away amoug 9
certain portion OF our so-cal,ed
christian people to such an extent
that on one occasion this week,
nothing short Of "decency outraged"
would describe the incident. The
first of this week an aged lady, who
had been bed-fast for many mon tbs,
departed this life. A few kind
neighbors had lent every assistance
possible to her and her crippled son
during all Of her illness, and to them
much praise is due. Nothing which
could have been done to aid either Of
them during many long months, was
left undone, even to the perfecting
Of the funeral arrangements. This
having been done one of the neigh
bors appraised Marshal Craig of the
fact and requested o. him that he
solicit parties to sit up with the
corpse, and no one was to be found
who would pass that lonely night
with the distracted sen and dead
mother, until subscription list had
been circulated and money raised
with which to pay Orrie Ticknor
and Jim Douglas to spend that night
sitting up in the death-stricken
home. This paper will dare say
that in no other community has it
eyer become necessary for two men
to go among the people and raise
funds tor such purpose, and this
is saio without reflection upon
either OF those who performed this
service, for they were the only per-
sons ready to assist at the time.
The Enterprise would like to ask
why the members OF some OF the
city's numerous aid and social socie-
ties, were not on hand to assist in
caring for this old pioneer lady,
both during her lifetime and after
death? How does it happen that
none of the kid-glove society ladies
were ready to turn helping hand, or
their husbands, either, for that
matter? These people are gener.
ally more than ready to get out on
the streets and attempt to run mat.
tiers that do not require their ser.
| vices, but without exception take to
the tall timber when on opportun.
| ity presents itself for doing real
humane act. If decency was ever
outraged, it occurred ia this city
Monday night, when money was
raised at late hour among the sa-
looms of the city to pay men for
spending the night in the house with
the corpse. Let's hear no more
about your aid societies doings.
No more Of this thing Of busying
yourself with something that is
none OF your business; but when the
time does come that real humane
service can be rendered, don't take
to the tall timber and let the saloons
perform service which properly
belongs to the religious socie.
ties of Q community. If the ga
looms OF Spearflsh never do another
commendable thing, it cannot be
said that they failed In their duty on
Monday night. Who is thy broth-
er's keeper? Better not trust him
10 the care of q loving society OF
Spearfsh, for it will probably result
in bad case Of neglect. It has
been but short time since . poor
mother with q house full Of small
children were provided with the ne.
cessities OF lite through the efforts
OF one OF our liquor men, and this
last scene, following so quickly
| upon the heels OF the other, leads to
the conclusion that some organiza-
tons should either disband and 20
out Of business or keep mighty
mum in the hereafter. This sug-
gestion Is made in the most friendly
spirit"
!