Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-07-21
LIES BATTLE over
Many Answer the Grim Reaper's
Dreaded Summons
Recent Deaths Here and Elsewhere
That Will Interest Grant
County People
ANNA SCHELL.


Mar. It'll, 1864, and died at Madison,
Wis, June 18th, 1915, her 18th we'd
ding anniversary.
When eight years of age Anna with
her parents removed to Bloomington.
Here she passed her school days and
young womanhood. She graduated
from the graded school, and after SC
curing a teachers certificate engaged
in teaching in several country schools
and in home school Afterward she
taught for short periods in Iowa and
Minnesota.
The home life of the family during
the period of residence in Blooming
ton was supremely happy, the parents
and six children taking an active part
in the affairs of the community. In
all their later career they have re-
ferred to this period of their lives
with deepest feelings of pleasure and
reverence. An air of romance always
surrounds the home of childhood and
early maturity, especially when MEM
cries are pleasant.
AS frequently happens in this coun-
try of many changes, the family again
removed to a new home, taking up
their residence in Dodgeville in 1884.
In the new home Anna met and mar
ried G. Herbert Mason of Madison,
Wis, and thereafter made her home
in the capital city.
Of pronounced literary tempera-
ment, Anna early became a faithful
student of classics, and gave much
thought to many questions affecting
life and its problems. She was an
omnivorous reader of good literature,
and became a recognized scholar and
thinker. She also possessed rare abil-
ity as a writer, and her early contri-
buttons to the local press of Grant
County gave fine promise of greater
things. Later, occasional letters re-
vealed the certain development of the
gifted intellect.
But, alas! the eternal spirit of the
chainless mind was not to go out to
the world with its message of good
will and helpfulness. The kopelessly
frail body demanded very moderate
and orderly regimen in all things.
Living at a centre of culture, where
the influence of education ever ms
pires the mind, ambition to express
her conviction upon the printed page
never waned; but through all her mar
ried years her health was so delicate
that she could take up no work other
than the regular daily duties of life.
Her ambition to the Muse ever en-
bodied this desire:-
Teach me to sound the soul-trans-
porting chords
That echo on from deep to deep; to
guide
My winged Pegasus from height to
height;
Nor grope along, enchanted by rigid
rule,
To meet demands of noble fight
sustained
The scope appearing quite made
quate;
Without essential loss of conscious
strength
Exalted themes exactly to adapt
To numbers formal, giving raptur-
Gus
Expression to the music in my
SOUL
Teach me, o Muse.
Last summer for the first time in
90 years Mrs. Mason visited her old
home in Bloomington, and in memory
lived over again the happy days of
youth. Her friends now realize that
she probably believed it was her last
visit, and they are glad that they en-
joyed the pleasure of her presence for
a few days.
Besides the kind and devoted hus-
band, Mrs. Mason leaves two brothers,
Frank W., of Madison, Wis, and John.
of Oklahoma, and one sister, Cora
'Hoskins, of Dodgeville. One brother,
George. and one sister, Amelia Bon
ham, died recently. The father and
mother died at Dodgeville some years
ago
The following tribute was written
by one who knew Mrs. Mason intimate
ly:-
Her heart was the heart of a girl,
and by mingling with the Thoughts
and interests of youth she kept it so.
Love was the keynote of her life. Il
was no effort for her to help others.
She glorified in the success of others,
yet was ready to share in the troubles
and anxieties of her friends. Her life
and character were beautiful render
ing of the graces of the spirit of faith
fulness, sweet, tender, gentle and re-
fined, with heart of gold, and mind
endowed with the power to help, COM