The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-11-04
ocAIA. FLORIDA FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 4 1921
Marion County Fair Dates: Nou. 22-25, 1921
WHAT HAPPENED
AT BIRMINGHAM

visit TO Birmingham in which he
gave us a scolding for our mistreat-
ment of the Negro. the following in
eident occurred which IS vouched for
by the Jacksonville Metropolis week
or more ago anterior to the presi-
dents visit:
Viewpoints are different. but here
IS an excerpt from personal letter
to the editor OF the Metropolis from
a newspaper friend in Alabama,
which, We think, is an editorial in it
self, calling for no further comment.
Il Mas in Birmingham Sunday.
and ATTENDED the funeral CT a negr-
IN the Hunt family in East Lake,
lwhites.1 who are rated among the
more prominent families Of the Biz
mingham district.
The negro was 2S yeas old. she
was taken into the Hunt family at
the age Of S years to be d companion
to one of the Hunt girls. She grew
up with the girl. and the girl was
with her when she died She said
she didn't want to be buried from a
negro church. nor in a negro grave
yard So the Hunts undertook to carry
out her wishes The body was plac-
ed in beautiful casket, and most
of the people In East Lake sent fow-
ers. Practically the entire town was
in attendance, The body lay in state
in the parIor Of the Hunt home. and
the Rev. DIR. ] C. Stivender, pastor
Of Ruhama Baptist church, delivered
the funeral Grafton.
Everybody in East Lake knew
the negress. There were few dry
eyes in the audience when the preach
err finished his address. And practf
caIly the whole town followed the
funeral cortege the few blocks that
separated the home from the eemes
terry in East Lake. The body was
laid to rest in the Hunt family lot,
by the side OF the remains OF old
man Hunt, who died several years
ago, and whom the negro girl had
called Pappy from her babyhood.
The Order Of the Eastern Star took
part in the funeral. too, conducting
ia short service q. the grave Mrs
Hunt IS prominent in the order, and
il was in the mature OF tribute to
her that the ladies' assisted
Although, it was one OF the most
interesting things have attended
/ in years. AMI am willing to admit
that my eyes were not bone-dry at
the conclusion OF the service. It IS
rare that white person endears
himself to the community to the ex-
tent this negress had And the attf-
tude OF the community was made
manifest By the numbers that attend
ed the funeral They were not merely
curious They attended because they
felt they hal lost someone near to
them, and dear.
The story Of her death itself
sounds as though it might have been
used by Bob Jones, or Gypsy Smith or
Billy Sunday as an Illustration Of
faith in Jesus. know it is true
story, too. for my mother told it to
me. She was IN the sick room when
the death angel folded the spirit or
the black girl under his wing. The
three Hunt girls and Mrs Hunt were.
in the room. One OF the girls had an
engagement, and started to leave.
None Of them anticipated the mined
late death Of the sirI AS the Hunt
girl started to leave the room. En-
ma called her Don't go yet. she
said It won't be long until 1
leave The girl turned back ID the
bed. Less than IS minutes later
Emma asked them to kneel about her
bed and pray Mrs Hunt held one
cf Emnla's hands and her daughter.
ARENA, held the other Together the
five women proved Emmas voice
rising above the others Is their pray
er reached = Chrfsrs name. En-
mas voice died away to whisper.
and the watchers n the room l0oEsed
on IN ave as her eyes turned ceiling
ward and she stretched her hands
upward without sound Fer i feusa
moment tie room was IS silent is
The valley II which Ennaa was aisouE