The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-12-02
TRAGIC DEATH OF CHILD.
Little Mary H0useal FulenWider Dies
Of Phosphorus Poisoning From
Eating Matches.

QauSnter OF Dr. aQ0 MIS-. EDWARD Full
enwider, was called home on Wednes-
day morning at about 11.30 o'clock,
after sojourn upon earth of only two
years and ten days.
Little Mary Houseal's death was
peculiarly sad, being the result Of
phosphorus poisoning from eating
matches. She was bright child, and
the joy OF happy home, and her
taking away cast pail Of grief upon
the entire community.
The little girl had gone across the
street from the Lutheran parsonage
Of the Church Of the Redeemer, Of
which her father is pastor, to the
home of neighbor, Mrs. Willie Ruff,
where she was beloved, and where
she was wont to spend great deal OF
her time, loving all the members Of
the family in this home. She was
playing around in the sitting room,
happy in health and in the very Joy
Of existence. Mrs. Ruff and Miss Edith
Henderson, who were at home at the
time, were called from the room by
some household duties. When Miss
Henderson returned shortly after
wares she found that the child was
no1 in the room where she had been
left. Bee eoming alarmed, she inln;ed-
lately ran across the street tc Dr.. Full
enwider's residence to see if Mary
Fouseal had gone home. The child
was not at home, and Miss Henderson
and Mrs. Fulenwider started back
across the street in search Of her.
While crossing the road she was seen
through the window in another room,
apparently happy and enjoying her
sell, and Mrs. Fulenwider returned
home. Miss Henderson went to her,
and found that she was on chair, and
was eating matches which were on a
high bureau, and which she had climb
ed upon the chair to reach.
Horror-stricken Miss Henderson
Immediately carried the little girl
home, and DR.. W. G. Houseal, for
whom the child was named, was i'm
mediately summoned. For nearly
three hours he struggled with death,
bringing to bear all the medical
science with which this eminent ply
sician always fights hard and yet har-
der and harder against the grim mon
ster, and in addition the love which
he bore the child whose life was hang
ing in the balance, with the scales
heavily and too heavily weighted
against her. Human skill could ac-
complish nothing. The mission of the
little girl on earth had been accom-
plished, and she was taken from her
earthly parents back to the Father
who had sent her here.
DR.. Houseal had some hopes at one
time of saving her life. 1t was eVi-
dent that she had eaten the heads of
about 20 matches, and had eaten parts
of the stems Of several, which practl-
cally put her beyond human skill, but
with the herculean efforts which were
made there was one time when the
spark of hope glimmered, though ever
so family. But it soon faded and was
lost, and in the glory of bright
Southern winter day, at near the noon
tide, the little soul was taken in
charge by the messenger Of God and
waited to the realms Of eternal light.
In the shadow of the deep sorrow
through which they walk the bereaV-
ed parents have the deep and heart
felt sympathy not only Of this entire
community, but of hundreds OF people
throughout the South who know them.
DR.. Fulenwider has been in NeWberry
as pastor Of the Lutheran Church OF
the Redeemer for about three years,
Mary Houseal having been born not
long after his arrival here. He came
to Newberry from North Carolina, his
native State. AS pastor Of the college
church, and one Of the largest church
es in the United Synod Of the Soutn'
and as an able and jealous minister
of the gospel, he is widely known and
from hundreds of towns and cities IN
the Southland today there are cur
rents of sympathy flowing.
Mrs. Ruff and Miss Henderson and
the members Of the household where
the little child ate the poison, loved
Mary Houseal as only good women
can love a loveable child, and their
grief is second only to that Of the par
ents in that parent love can not De
equalled. No human foresight coulo
have prevented the tragedy, but their