Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-06-22
OBITUARY.

Ieona Belle, daughter Of A. E. and b.
N. Betts, former residents Of Ellsworth,
died Tuesday, June Z, aged ten yesrs, ten
months, and four days. Private funeral
services were held st the home, 8 Win
throp street, East Boston, June 10. fol-
lowed By public services At the Meridian
street Methodist church and Bethel, Of
which deceased was q member.
Though young in years. Leona Was re-
markedly mature in intellect and conduct.
She had lived more influence into other
lives in her ten brief summers than most
persons arr able to bring to bear in the
course Of . long lifetime. She possessed
an exceptionally clear and sweet singing
voice which she used not only to the
delight and moral uplift of her playmates,
but frequently on invitation OF her
pulpit OF her church, ~ she called it, and
sing the gospel message 20 effectively that
strong men in the audience would be
melted to tears.
She was active beyond her years in ill
the spiritual work OF the church. It was
not unusual for her to speak 1t length in
junior league and other meetings. Her
last effort in this line was to conduct .
devotional meeting Of the league. 1t was
at the conclusion OF this service that her
pastor invited her to take the pulpit ut
some regular service and substitute her
words for the sermon. She consented to
this arrangement, but her untimeiy death
prevented.
In all these affairs che never seemed to
entertain the slightest suspicion Of her
personal prominence. She never seemed
10 realize that she was being made the
special soloist or speaker OF large and
important metropolitan church. And 1t
was this complete inconsistencies OF self
which lent the greatest charm to all that
she said or did. Only few days before
her death she wrote = personal note to .
poor, dissipated man whom she knew, APP
peaiine to him to lead better life.
II is not surprising that such character
should acquire an unusual hold upon the
members OF the community in which she
lived. Yet those who knew her best were
not fully prepared for the demonstration
at the funeral. Over one thousand
persons, adults and children, passed in
and out OF tho home to view her body.
All creeds and nationalities were repre-
sented. And although the public services
were held at the church during . heavy
rainstorm, over i've hundred people were
in attendance, including prominent BUSH
ness men, school officials and teachers,
city oficials, policemen, letter carriers,
ships officers, and school children, the last
including her own classmates who at
tended in . body, each depositing white
flower in the casket - they marched past.
Other floral offerings were sent in such
profusion ~ to form . veritable bank OF
flowers covering the entire front OF the
pulpit platform.
The limits Of mere obituary notice will
not sufIice to describe the beauty and
fragrance Of the flower which has been
transplanted in the heavenly garden.
Eternity's record alone will reveal the
depth and extent Of her influence over the
Lives she touched. Heaven alone can heal
the sorrow OF father and mother and sis
ter whom she has left behind.
REV. o. E. MARX,
Pastor Meriden Street Methodist church,
East Boston.