The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-08-17
HUSBANDS FEARFUL TASK
Tells Sick Wife Of Death Of Three
Children.
kept THE SECRET FOR Weeks
MOTHER NEARLY CRAZED BY
AWFUL NEWS WHEN 1T WAS
BROKEN TO HER.
kept The SECRET FOR WEEKS

DOA0C, Aug. I'LL would be diff =
cult to conceive a more pathetic and
painful duty than fell to the lot of
Samuel A. Moudy of Middleton when
compelled to tel his convalescing
wife at st. Luke's hospital yesterday
that, during the hours when her life
hung in the balance from a serious
surgical operation, three of her seven
little children had lost their lives in
the burning of their home near Mid
dleton. The fire fiend came while
Mr.. Moudy was away and his wife
ay stricken night unto death at the
hospital, and devoured their home and
three of their innocent, helpless babes.
Kept Awful Secret.
Racked beyond description by the
terror of this awful calamity and torn
by the anguish of the fear that his
wife, too, might not survive the Or
deal of the surgeons knife and join
the little ones in the Great Beyond
in the face of these immeasureable
tortures Mr.. Moudy manfully, courage
ously bore in silence his burden, SEEM
ingly too great for man to bear. He
must not and did not tell his stricken
wife of the fearful calamity which had
befallen them, lest the shock, in her
weakened state, might close her eyes
in eternal sleep; not only this, but as
he stood by her sick bed, he must SIM
ulate cheerfulness and invent mes
sages for her from their dead children,
while his heart bled and despair
clutched at, his aching throat
The attending physician told him
finally the recovering wife and mother
had regained sufficient strength to
hear the frightfui story. Then it was
that the strong man lost his courage.
He felt, now that the time had actual
ly come, so he brought with him his
sister, the baby and the minister Of
Mrs. Moudy's church at Caldwell.
This clergyman had preached the
funeral sermon at the death of her
mother, saying such comforting words
to the daughter at the time that the
sorrowing husband felt that he was
the one to comfort the mother now in
her great affiiction.
When they arrived at the hospital
and entered Mrs. Moudy's room, the
eager mother stretched out arms
that had not encircled her babe for six
long weeks and said, How are my ba-
bies?"
Husband Breaks Down.
At that the brave husband broke
down and with quivering voice he
said, Il can't tell you Belle. but have
brought the minister and sister to tell
you," and sobbingly left the room.
This emotion of her husband was so
terrifying to the wife that she nearly
tainted before the sad story could be
told to her. Then, gradually, husband,
minister and sister, together broken
ly told her the terrible news.
At first it seemed that her reason
would give away; she beat the walls
of the room in her agony and her wild
cries of anguish filled the corridors Of
the hospital.
Mother Nearly Crazed.
1t seemed as if no comfort were to
be left to the heart-broken mother
for the baby, the youngest, did not
recognize her and turned away from
the out-stretched arms which longed
to clasp her. But gradually she con-
trolled herself and forced herself to
listen, to the words of comfort which
her clergyman brought her from the
Book of Books.
For days Mrs Moudy has had a pre-
sentiment that harm had come to her
babies on account of a dream which
she had had that their home had
burned, and the assurance of her hus-
band, to guard her life, that she was
mistaken was not sufficiently con-
vincing to prevent a vague. lingering
doubt to remain in her mind
After her first terrible grief had sub
sided she was taken to the home of a
friend, Mrs. ]. M. Martin, where she
remained until time for the evening
train. when, accompanied by her hus-
band babe and friends, she left for her
breast the children who had been
81 rod RI