Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1919-01-09
A Tribute of Love-
Mrs. Boyd Gasque.
(Contributed)


ing and hoping that this dear life might
be spared yet little longer, to the Oft
repeated question, 'How is Matt now?'
came the answer, "she is dead" we, ask
ed ourselves, and one another, How
can sucn as she, die?" So many others,
!. seemingly to us, could so much better
have been spared. And then we thought,
'But IS she dead? What is it to be dead?
Is it to be as if one had not been at all?
to be forgotten? To be gone from US
entirely" But her personality was too
compelling, her influence to great, for
her living to leave no impression; there
are too many precious memories of her,
for her ever TO be forgotten, and the
thought of her, the calling of her name,
brings her back to us too wildly in all
her brightness, her graciousness, her
goodness, Tor US to feel that she is really
gone. We know with deeply grateful
hearts that she can not be dead, but has
only made her triumphal entry into the
place prepared for her by her father in
His house of many mansions" little
earlier than we in our love for her, our
desire to seesher face, to hear her voice,
to touch her hand, would have wished
let us hear the voice of the Master as he
comforts other sorrowing ones, "She is
not dead but sleepeth.'
Among the individual traits that gave
to her winning personality its charm and
attraction as girl, ripening and mellow
ing as she matured, into character of
unusual strength and sweetness, several
q seem most conspicuous:
Her keen sense of humor, her spark
ling wit, her readiness for a good time,
have made her always social favorite.
From her home, presided over in his
lifetime, by her father in his courtly
manner, and her mother in her gracious
goodness, she dispensed true, old-fashion-
ed, southern hospitality, informal, kindly,
abundant. Contributing so much in her
self to the pleasure of others, no gatheI-
ing, for many years, social civic, or reli-
gious, has been thought to be complete
without her. Aside from the pleasure
her presence gave, her unusual execu-
tive ability and sound Judgment were de-
pended upon to help carry through to
success any necessary measure. Her
love of all life, her sympathetic under.
standing of human nature, were most
pronounced. 1t was easy and natural for
her to turn from social duties to chart.
table ones, and her acts of thoughtful
kindness ranged from the cook in her
kitchen, to the beggar at her door, from
the bedside of her friends to the call of
the needy poor, all alike valuing the gift
the more, because so much of the giveI
went with ii.
Her sense of duty, her acknowledge
ment Of obligation, always great, increas
ed as she grew into womanhocd, and she
accepted and accomplished each as il
presented itself, with a readiness, Z
\, smile, joke, determination, that many
time and oft required courage, ply
sical mental, and spiritual, that only the
most exalted devotion to duty coulc
engender. Since the organization of oul
Red Cross work, in addition to her home
and church duties, which she never neg
lected, she has been active in ever,
branch Of the war work, having organized
and carried through successfully, severa
4 Liberty Loan campaigns for the women
been Chairman Of w. S. S. committees
private, lieutenant, and captain, on tn,
three days of the canteen service a
Hamlet, supervisor of sewing a half da,
each week, chairman of the packing com
mittee in the sewing room and chairman
Of the Christmas Roll Call campaign
From her sick bed, she gave the fina
Instructions for shipping box that sh,
had spent the whole of Thanksgivinl
\ day packing AS chairman Of the nour
ismen. Committee, in the first epidemi
Of influenza in our midst, she, with he
committee. prepared and carried meals
three times day, to the patients in til,
Emergency Hospital at Great Falls a
q well as To- several families. She CAV,
herself, to be offered up if necessary Of
the altar Of service to her country, jus,
as surely as any soldier boy who ha
worn the Khaki with never a n1ufniu
Of excuse Of being TOO tired Or two bus!
even when there was no cook in he
kitchen, fox then she got UP a little ear
lier To get her home affairs done Il
answer these many calls, she fares
forth willingly, joyously. glad and thank
full to Be able to do her bit"
Her ideals were fine and true. her