St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-03-08

and work to the Woman's Missionary
Society OF the South Church. mem0er
of a PRESBYTERIAN church in Indianapolis,
she transferred her allegiance to the
South church after marrying Judge Koss,
She was extremely fond OF music ana
had much natural talent, often singirg
in church choirs in the west She was
ALWAYS A great reader and fond OF the
hest books. She liked out door exercise,
and until her last illness, always had
three mile walk before dinner. She went
often to the fields and woods, coming
home with some treasure OF flowers VI
fruit. :.
The bare details OF her life as given in
the local papers, have suggested TO me d
happy thought. We hear a great deal at
intervals III the press OF the immense eVli
one bad woman or one bad man mas
done. Will you give few moments TO
think of the good one good man ana
one good woman have don't! Mr.. Royal
Ross of Waterford, father OF the late
Judge Ross, found his little brother, only
a few wears older than bis own children,
homeless. He gave this young brother,
Abram Ross, home. Abram Ross' 10
his turn. opened his home to the little
homeless Helen Daggett, who was lett
an orphan at seven. Helen Daegett was
a niece OF Mr.. Ross first wife. There she
found a fathers care and love and what
perhaps Influenced her more, the love and
care OF Mrs. Harriet N. Ross. Helen was
one Of four homeless children OF equal
good fortune. , d.,
heart and home were open. three OF the
four adopted children ware acqualntances
or relatives of either Mr.. or Mrs. Ross.
A bow of thirteen called one morning ana
told p;tifuI story of abuse in an orphan
asylum in New York. Mr.. Ross gave
him a home and the boy grew to sue
cesslul and honorable manhood. After
Mr.. Ross death be wrote from Mil
waukee a very touchingly grateful letter.
speaking ofthe kindness OF the dead man'
These were the warm and generous
hearts that influenced Mrs. Helen Ross
in her eirlhood. Mrs. Ross taught Helen
everything a New England housekeeper
should know, and her dainty and exact
WAYS of doing everything through lie,
could be traced back to the training OF
Mrs. Ross. Perhaps some OF the older
people present may attribute some OF ner
exact ways of doing things to the In
autnce OF the old teacher st. Johnsbury
Academy is so proud OF, Mr.. ames X
Colby.
Miss Daggett went with party organ
| lied by Gov. Slade Of Connecticut TO
teach in Illinois. The cars then came to
St. Iohnsbury and her school in Illinois
was beyond the railroad. She only stay
| ed two wears, but in that time her uncle
Rev, Mr.. E. |. Carpenter, visited her. lie
found her in small school house, stand
ing on posts on the prairie. lie was
anxious to see the Mississippi and they
made horseback journey to see it. She
always telt she could never pay her uncle
Mr.. Abram Ross, for what he had done
for her; and the only way to pay 1t back
was to give the love and tenderness that
had been given to her, to some friendless
or dependent children. She gave 1t In
full measure to the blind children under
her care in Wisconsin and Indianapolis.
When, as Judge Ross wife, she was mis-
tress of THE Bluffs" .she was only too
glad to give the same affection to any
young relative.
Judge and Mrs. Ross came ola God-fear
ing Puritan ancestry. When Mrs
Ross came as bride to "The
Bluffs" though she and Judge Ros'
: were not relatives, her friends wer
:, his and his friends h.rs. The high
. est type of man and woman is the idea
Puritan. He has built New England ant
s carried his schools, churches and civil
8, life beyond the Mississippi and the RocH
~ | III ba thin nj fh
er heights of poetry and philosophy wit
- Emerson and Hawthorne. He has bun
lie modern philanthropy on solid base.
IS, | define Mrs. Ross, am only humbl
he attempting a definition OF an ideal Fur
ch tan. She was honest, faithful, loyal; 81
at prized education ami all its demands; 81
w cared Tor the ancestry behind her al
he "noblesse oblge" was real force to he
te, She stood on spiritual heights whe
DIS everything ignobIe and mean was benea
he her feet She was devoted to her iamil
in she loved others better than herse
ats When east for vacation she constant
'or worked in large ways and small Tor tho
OF she met. | heard of her once making tv
us. hundred button holes for Others. A te
md days before her death, she showed
IA | HOuSG W u anu NNSiy i~P'
to she cared for was finished, except har
and ing one pair of curtains She told
rds plans for the coming summer; showed
OF pile of pictures to be framed for
Ugly grandson Toms room. Her work W
ing done, but
TO "the unfinished window in Aladdin's TOW
unfinished must remain.
her She was the wife of St. Johnsbui
tual most prominent citizen, but she bore
once self toward all with the same Christ
ID so. courtesy. Her terrible death filled
es to with horror, but she walked hun
ould with her God and we know the cour
bow came.
were She died as she had lived
tue "To God, her neighbor and herself
raise true"
In Judge Smiths tribute to Judge
alton he spoke of him as a man whose hi
con- of life made him successful in what
own sphere be was found. Among {
any traits of his character he particularly
'ough phasized the following
:, she Judge Ross did not have the advar
on OF birth according to certain social
ndus- dards, but he did have the advanta
signs birth acct riding to the standard sc
Ilness, and honored, by the lives of many {
asant most distinguished and useful men i
citing. land Born upon farm, OF homes
to worthy parents, one OF large fan
small children, he early learned those lesst
industry honesty and economy,
estors. form the only safe basis Of future ST.
On the While young he learned the dignit
as his independence of self support, and {