The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-05-05
Death of Little Troy. =
A Sad Incident at 4 Mission in India.

tfai SStASAA lVA AAASAAS 4Avys
A Sad Incident at Mission In India.
EXTRACTS from personal letter from the mis-
sionary, Miss Sadie B. Gowen, to home friends
in Troy, Me.
BALAsoRE. INDIA, March Is, 1910.
Dear Home Folks: My letters of late
have been short, and not by any means
filled with anything sweet. Now. how
ever, we seem to be coming slowly out
of the woods, and ere long hope to be
quite ourselves again.
All the missionaries in our Free Bap-
fist field are gathering in Balasore today
for meeting in which plans will be laid
for future work. Not everyone will be
able to come, but most will be here, and
of course we will take picture, and
some day you will see US if the picture is
any good. Those who are staying with
us are Miss Coombs and Miss Butts from
Maine, Miss Barnes whom knew long
ago, and Mr.. and Mrs. Wyman. He is
the superintendent of the Bible training
school for native preachers in our mis-
sion. There are ten missionaries in the
house now.
Last Wednesday evening one of the
girls brought Seekedar, or Troy, my
little girl, in, and said she had fever.
DR.. Mary gave her some medicine and
said she was not very ill. Next day she
seemed better, but at night not as we'll
Saturday night l had her in my room,
and Sunday afternoon she died. 1t just
seems as though l couldn't let so many
of the children go, and that one particu-
larly was the gem of the whole lot. She
had the most awful disease that India
affords, cholera, though not in its worst
form. There was not one child in the
orphanage loved so we'll as she by every
one. She was handsome, and just solid
goodness all the way through-good
enough to die. The Sunday before she
died one of the teachers-the one in the
picture l sent you last week-was sing
ing with her. She sang very sweetly,
though but little more than three years
old. After they had sung several hymns
the teacher asked her which she liked
best, and she said, "The Best Friend to
Have is Jesus" She wanted me to stay
with her all day Sunday. and nearly all
the time wanted to touch my hand or
dress. When she was dying she lay her
little head in my hand and fell asleep.
There are no caskets here. Rough, rude
boxes are the best we can get, or can
afford. covered the box with sheet
and took my graduating dress for the
outside, using the frill to make a frill
around the cover. DR.. Mary, Miss Daw-
sen, Mr.. Hamlen and l did all the work
on the box. We picked many white
flowers for the grave. She looked just
asleep. We have many flowers and palms
and ferns on our veranda, and we placed
the little white box beside the flowers.
The girls sang. Mr.. Hamlen spoke tc
the girls, and then two men took the
box to the yard not very far distant
where so many little graves have been
made recently. l shall have to select
another child, but for a little while
cannot give her Seekedar's place. 1t
seems as though | can never find another
one quite as dear as she.
These committee meetings will decide
whether | am to go into the kindergarten
in June or January.
If l were at home, and in authority on
missionary matters, | would object to
sending one person out here without
some knowledge of medicine. The ma
tive people seem to have no idea how to
take care of themselves in the simplest
ways, and of course ordinary common
sense is some use, but even extraordi-
nary common sense and good medical
knowledge seem inadequate for the
press Mt emergency. DR.. Mary is very
good doctor.
1t has been decided today that Dr.
Mary is to come to Balasore to stay,
which will be a very, very happy con-
clusion. All the missionaries are here
having business meetings all the time
and doing things generally.
This is a very busy place-no lack of
work to do-and l must not write any
more today. 1t is growing hot, but there
is good strong wind, and l don't mind
it very much yet.