The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1915-06-23
Toiled and Saved For Sake
Of Others.
A MUTE ANO UMsUNG HEROINE
Born In Poverty and Only a
Kitchen Maid. She Left
a Nice Sum.
VISIONS SHE NEVER REALIZED

This is the story of one of those
humblest of Gods creatures, whose
life was spent in penury and toll
that others might have abundant
life. It is just the simple story of an
humble womans life, the, prototype
of which inspired Gray's
Some village Hampden, that, with
dauntless breast,
The little tyrant of his fields with
stood,
Some mute inglorious Milton here
may rest.
Some Cromwell guiltless of his
country's blood"
Susanna Hostettler, an Ohio wom-
an, who died recently was one of
the mute and unsung heroines of
life The simple headstone that
marks her final resting place records
merely the dates of her birth and
death. No high-flung epitaph or
eulogy tells the story Of her virtues
or her greatness. for Susanna was
only kitchen maid.
Born in poverty, Susanna was de-
MED even the advantages of COM
mon school education. From earliest
childhood her portion in life was
work. and, meekly accepting the gift
of the gods, she quietly slipped the
yoke about her neck and stepped on
the treadmill designed for her from
the beginning of time.
AS If the handicap of environ
ment and fate were insufficient,
Susanna bore the stamp also of an
ineradicable hereditary faint that
in time removed both father and
mother, and two sisters as well;
and still she toiled on under her
burden of grief and sorrow in order
to be able to care for her other sis
ter, also afflicted with the same dire
malady.
Sixteen long. grinding years
passed, and then the fell disease
stretched out its tentacles for
Susanna, and found her easy, if re-
luctant, prey. She died only few
days ago at the age of 40, and then
1t was disclosed that she had left a
will. The facetious and gossipy Won
dered idly what Susanna had that
prompted her to leave a will and
testament. When the document
was brought into the court for pro-
bate 1t developed that this Spartan
soul had accumulated an estate of
nearly $4,000. From her meager
wages, out of which there was a
constant drain for assistance to her
family, Susanna had saved. accumu-
lated and invested wisely, until the
snug little fortune that was disclos-
ed became hers.
The disposition of her hard-won
competence discloses in true colors
the nobility and lovable character of
the woman who had been known in
life only as a scullery maid. The
income from the estate is to be
given during her lifetime to her
unmarried sister, Thereafter the in
come is to go to her married sister.
and when the sands of time have
ceased for her, one-half of her little
fortune is to go absolutely to the
library of the high school in the lit
tie town of DeGraff, where Susanna
was born and in which she died.
One half of the remainder is to go
to the library of the Sunday school
of the little church In the village
of which her sisters are members.
and the remaining one-fourth is
to go to the Sunday School library
of the church In the city of Beile-
fontaine. of which Susanna was
member for more than quarter
of century.
This kitchen maid possessed no.
bility of soul greater than which
no philanthropist has ever shown.
Doubtless during the dark days of
toll, sickness and misery, SUI
sauna dreamed her dreams. II Is
uncomfortable that she did not re-
greet the lack Of education and the
skill that might have been hers to
earn more largely for the welfare of
her beloved parents and sisters. The
life that was denied her. the visions
that she saw from her obscure sta
ton In life. she wanted to make real
for others; so. after caring for her
OWu during fhair lives all of tho