Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-08-31
A rrihnte TO Mrs. PELLET.

Sarah HarwOOd Pellet was born IN NOrth
Brookfeld Mass, June 10, 1920, the second
child OF Thomas A. Harwood and his wife,
Hannah PELLET OF good old New England
ancestry--her grandfather and great-grand'
father both served in the war OF the reyolu'
tion--she inherited sound body and Wig
orous understanding which carried her
through four score and six years Of mortal
life She lived 10 North Brookheld until her
marriage, teaching school and working in the
cotton mills Of neghboring towns to earn
money 70 pay for books and tuition as did
50 many farmers daughters Of that time.
She was married in lsis to John G. Pellet
second cousin, and Of this union FIVE chill
dren we're born three Of whom survive her
Most Of her married life was passed in
Bratteboro and a busy life II was. For
some time the care Of a growing family fell
entirely upDn her, as her husband enlisted
early in the civil war and served until he
was disabled by wound that resulted in
the loss II his right arm. During these years
she eked out the family Income by taking
boardcrs Her own home was always the
center Of her activity and absorbed most
" her time aud strength.
In later years. when her children had
grown up and scattered, she had some op.
portnnity TO indulge taste for art that she
had always cherished Without instruction
aud with hands that from much labor had
lost their fexibilty, she toiled on, giving all
the leisure she could command to painting
Though She did not think highly Of the re,
suits. she took great pleasure in the work,
and her accomplishment, considering the lack
Of early training was most creditabe,
She was always a diligent reader keep
ing abreast Of al the questions Of the day,
Although in her religious beliefs and ideals
Of life she might almost be called austere,
yet she had an unfailing sense Of humti
that was a most precious possession.
appreciated wit TO the full chcrishing {
amusing saying to enjoy again and agaH,
Many good laugh helped her over the had
places and those who shared il with -
know how infectious was her mirth; h.
many times II cleared the atmosphere al
gave renewed strength for the onward jour
ney.
Duty was writ large in her vocabulary.
To know the right was 70 do it, There was
no coddliug, no weak indulgence in her
treatment Of herself or Of others When
the death Of her husband had removed the
natural protector OF the household one Of
her sons, trying TO arrange for her comfort,
asked il she was afraid to live in the house
alone She replied that she was. Then
what win you do, motherl' he asked Stay
here and be afraid, she said instantly.
There was never thought Of yielding to
Absolute sincerity in word and deed was
her most striking Characteristic The exact
truth which she always gave she demanded
from others The Bible was her uufaing
Guide for the conduct of life, and the spirit
ual world was as real to her as the present.
Her loyalty to her convictions was also very
marked In the strength and vgor Of mid
die life out of the goodness of her heart
she took upon herself serious burden. 1t
~. ,,ira. - 1trhf or
as the years passed, but instead of that It
grew constantly heavier She did not re-
linquish it as she might well have done, but
went steadily on Year by year as age
advanced and she might have looked for in
crea sing ease and comfort she was called
upon to drag a heavier and heavier load, but
she had assumed this responsibility and she
Would bear it to the end. Nobody heard
her murmur. but the advice of friends, the
insistence Of her children were unheeded and
the burden was laid down only with her
life who can tell what discipline this stead
fast sould received during these long years
Of self. sacrifice; what strengthening Of faith
in that unseen Power, who alone could give
grace to endure to the endl We are as
sured that he that loseth his life shall find
it. if it is lost in the service of the Master
Surely she has ere this heard that Master
say 'Inasmuch as We have done it unto one
OF the least Of these, my brethren, We have
done ii unto Me.
Was life cast in a larger and more heroic
mould two or three generations ago than 1t
is nowl When we have laid them away
these fathers and mothers, these figures look
large in our remembrance and seem to dwarf
the present The example of such lives is
an inheritance that cannot be taken from
u.s. to exemplify their virtues in our own
living is our best tribute to their memories