The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1906-11-02
A TRIBUTE CT LOVE.

lies of a bewldered mind, and puts t
blush the power of words to photo
graph this beautiful life, or to portray
my sense of loss, and the utter loneli
ness to which this sorrowful visitation
has subjected me. / ask this indul
gence as source of personal relief
as legacy to my children, which they
will cherish as a. priceless heirloom
however imperfect it may be. Anc
also, in this connection, to record the
love and appreciation of stricken hearts
to the good people of Tupelo, who has
tened. on that fatal day as Angels OF
| Mercy to our deeply Swallowed home
and with unstinted affection lavished
| upon us the sunlight of a deeply moved
sympathy. Never can we forget those
| outstretched arms of assistance, nor
| those expressive eyes Of intense feel
| ing, as they looked upon the sad scene,
and heard the deep wall of inexpressi-
ole grief. Nor did their energies abate,
nor their sympathy grow less. when the
| shock of this sudden visitation had
| somewhat subsidized. But on and on,
| for days and nights this mighty over
| flow of loye, of sympathy, and Of ma
! terial assistance continued with I'M
diminished ardor. And now after the
| lapse of weeks, we continue 10 receive
evidences of a brotherhood which knows
| no bounds; and testimonials OF life.
| enshrined in the hearts of the people.
| God bless my friend, the Journal edi-
1or, for his touching tribute, AID for
/ the indulgence now accorded me.
God bless our christian physicians,
who labor without charge, day and
night for our good.
God bless you all thousand fold. We
esteem you, we love you, and pray
that God may give US strength to labor
With, and for you, Let Us live. with
you, die with youl And rise wi n you to
meet the Lord at his coming! Thy
people shall be my people, and thy God
nv God: where thou dest, will | die,
and there will | be buried 0! the fra
GRANGE, the aroma of a hallowed CON-
panionship, made ennobling by a beau
tiful life, and rendered sacred by the
dirge of death.
The precious dead held with a firm
hand an individuality peculiarly her
own. And | am sure that | have never
known one to surpass her, in the beau
tiful and enrolling qualities which
formed the GROWING graces of her life.
| note first, her fixed and unaterable
purpose never to speak i'll of anyone,
nor to hold intercourse for single mo-
men with IN adam Rumor No harsh
word. nor evil report ever emlnated
from her, no matter how authentic 1T
might be-" She was simply incapable
of such an act. Her consistent and
charitable nature always avoided this
Again, her perfect self aban-
Comment was preeminent. This prom
inen5 grace dominated all the powers
and faculties of her being. 1t was
passionate, supreme IT'S the theme
upon which those who knew her inti-
mately, dwelt with assured confidence
the talk of relatives and admirers, and
the consuming burden of correspon-
dents. No one forgets himself long,
but she forgot herself, and forgot her
self to the last.
No one ever consecrated to others,
hand. and mind, and heart, more un-
stintingly She absolutely lived life
Of self abnegation, aud gloried IN it.
Men and women are great, can only be
great. in proportion as their aims are
unselfish, and as s.if is lost in human
ity,
Consio tent wilh all thi', remark that
she Woo, mistress OF sClI, and possessed
the most amiable disposition | have ev-
err known. All through life, from girl
hood to old age, she maintained Pie
nomenal poise So decided was this
characteristic so deeply imbedded in
her inner nature, that during married
state Of nearly fifty years, she held the
mastery over self, and in all, | meyer
knew her to exhibit real anger, save at
one time. You may adjudge this dec
laration eXtravagant not so, |
speak advisedy, and know whereof |
affirm.
| will not, in my unutterable grief be
led to exclaim, She was the most atfec-
tomato wife. and the most self-sacrific-
ing mother in the world; for | am sure
there are thousands who were her equal !,
but | do say, no husband eyer had d
more devoted wife-no son or daugh-
ter ever had a more selfsacrificing
mother. God bless the loving wives,
and the Shaving mothers. Heaven alone
can give a full reward.
| will not call her faultless, but | do
say, No woman ever erred less, and no
being ever gave less pain or offence to
others. She absolutely lived the text,
forcibly presented by Bro. Lewis,
Bear we one another's burdens. "
With her, twas, "More blessed to give
than receive, the sublimest truth ev-
er voiced in human speech, or written
by fingers of inspiration upon tables Of
stone or rolls of parchment am deep
ly and painfully sensible of my irrepar-
able loss. No one doubtless ever felt it
more keenly. Her living smile was the
sunlight of my existencer
Every object of sight and CT sound
reminds me of my precious one! When
night comes on, and wraps the world IN
the mantle of darkness, there is an aW-
full stiffness which fills me with an in
descibable loneliness That beautiful
and inspiring face, to whom, with
breaking heart, babe farewell. rises
before my blinded vision. The dismal
silence but mocks my grief! And l
long that the morning break, and the
shadows fee!
Yet thank God, l kiss submissively
the hand who has made the stroke, for
loneliness, is not utter desolation, when
| can look up into the benignant face
of God, and trustingly exclaim. my
Father! O, my Father!" 0, Lord. help
me to hold Thy hand, and all is well!
There came day Of special revela-
ton. | cannot describe that scene.
but enough! Twas God speaking to
my soul! O, the JOY, the peace, of that
calm, restful day. !,
He came early. and communed all
day with my bleeding heart; and then
at eve. having delivered his message.
he seemed las the Angel of old to de-
part. Ihad never felt rebellion in my
heart; but today, there was complete,
| :,,,,,, r,,rrapdx,y of NV All fo Him