Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1906-06-21
In Memory Of Mrs. Elizabeth Caroline
Dugger Shoemaker;


cause the subject OF it was h e
III onored mould that gave me
birth"
Did l not write it, l woild iail
in my duty to the noble Of her
sex; because, all there is OF good
women is embodied in one good
woman, and the praise of her il
the praise OF all. l write it be-
cause she lived through a beau
tiful period of forest life, that il
past, and can never be repeated:
but may be enjoyed by the yonnp
in a retrospective review of my
mothers lie.
At the dawn of my recollection
our log cabin stood in the corner
of a small oblong clearing; Ii
looked as if we lived in a large
box whose sides were corduroyed
vertically with tall trees; and
over the chestnut burrs and IL
corns that bowed their tOpmost
! ltwigs, peeped in silent grandeur,
the high mountains that stand
like the corners of q triangle
around Banner Elk.
Down a little declivity, back of
our stick and mud chimney, a
copious sluice of limped water,
that had been turned through a
hollow log, poured it's toaming
volume into n large trough.
! Our domestic herds fed upon
wild herbs, whose crushed flow
ers poured odors through ( h e
beautiful woods; and at evening
tide, when Sol put his frey hand
behind him, and pushed his last
golden pillows over the hill tops
to the east, my mothers clarion
voice was heard calling the kline.
Her hand was in everything
, in the orchard, in the garden, on
the udders OF the COWS, IN t h g
fleece of the sheep, and on the
T shuttle as it darted through the
: warp of our family.loom.
As the country improved, our
place became a hostlery on pub
lie highway, and for many years
, she fed the hungry traveller with.
, out money or price; and at her
, door, the needy around her found
food and raiment.
Throughout the prime OF hcl
life there was no physician near
and often, in the dark hours o.
!, night, trapping was heard al
the door. when she arose and
r went lovingly to the sick, where
r her pleasure was to save life anC
; her pay grateful hearts!
Our mothers llIe rises before
, us like dream-like a morning
. dream-when the sum bursting
e the porN5s of the lay, fosse'
:: the mountains with pilk ant
q gol6, and robin red-breast car
" rolling from the trees, makes .
sweet impression on our half
. wakeful slumbers.
y Our deceased loved ones ar
. not gone, but their dissolution
: as living organisms, has agail
placed The elements, of whicl
they were composed, in the eartl
rs and air, as plant TODD Tor the lit
tie flowers; and the matter tina
once colored our mother'syouns
" cheek will tint the roses by Ou
g doors and we will have mothe
'e with us again. The air that in
Y fiated her lungs, will swell tn
- =, breast ot the warbler and we viii
il. hear her lullaby song once more
le No, she is not gone Her hal
trembles in the trembling ferns
r. her eyes roll in the blue-veine
ii. violets, her voice sings in t h
mountain brooks, and her foot
ee falls still echoing upon the foo
e. tell us that she is near.
RS Aronnd her grayethere linger
tx a halo of glory-n halo made b
the light OF good deeds faMn
through a INST OF tears. With
> that halo space blossoms wit
r. sweet flOwers-howers invisib
r to mortals. but gathered by SCI
anhs Tor nOspDays.