The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-04-18

Once, many years ago, | read this
poem to my friend who has passed TO
the Life Eternal. and she said. THAT
has been my prayer always, Be Thou
my strength and stay" And when
the word came that she had gone
home, my mind went back over the
years. and wondered II the people In
her home town will ever know what
remarkable woman passed when
Mrs. Brown went home. A splendid
wife. beautiful mother and won.
derful woman. She was in her seth
year. Born in Bennington Center as
the only child OF Benjamin and Mar.
garet Hyde Fay. she passed nearly
all her long life In the village OF her
birth. On her fathers side she was
the Observation-Disclosures OF Land.
lord Stephen Fay OF the Catamount
Tavern.
Many were the fascinating stories
she used TO tell OF the old Council
Chamber and its records. Her mater
nal grandfather, Asa HYDE. came to
Bennington from Connecticut to do
the carving In the Old First Church
in 1906, and made his home for life in
Bennington. Her father, Benjamin
Fay founded the lumber village
known as Fayville, northeast OF Ben.
nington. Mr.. Fay died in 1853 from
an accident received at the mill Miss
Fay became the wife Of Hinman S.
Brown, a widower. and passed the
larger part of her married life on the
hill. To them were born a son, Ben
jamin. and a daughter. Sarah. Both
came to middle life. and then died
after years of illness. The son went
first. after several years OF sickness.
white the daughter was practically
helpless from a severe form OF rheu.
matism for nearly 20 years. Mrs.
Brown stood by her father til the
end. she cared for her mother through
years of serious illness, and then dur
ing the long years Of suffering through
which her children passed, that won.
derful motherloye never failed one
moment. After they went, she and
Mr. Brown spent several winters in
California and Florida. Mr.. Brown
was very feeble during his later years
again the devoted loving care was Civ.
en-. Since his death, she has spent
her winters in Florida and her sum.
mers on the hill. To one, privileged
as the writer has been, to know her
for nearly 90 years, there comes feel
ing OF great personal loss. Mrs. Brown
was old In years, but young at heart
Wherever she went she was the life
OF the occasion. and her magnificent
power of conversation fascinated and
drew every one to her, Her ability
, to relate anecdotes, coupled with heI
original gift for imakh.g witty re-
marks. made her instantly the center
OF attraction She was a gifted plan
list and until she was well past eighty
often played II was a delight to listen
to the quaint old melodies of by.gon,
days In Florida, in California, the
guests of the hotels where she lived
united In doing her homage. and sew
eral automobile parties from the
South have called at her door whei
touring Vermont In the summer AT
a neighbor. we who knew her loveC
her and can never forget the quie
little acts OF kindness showered on us
till their name was legion Mr.
Browns death left her with no rela
tives except his sister, Mrs. Hawk
and family; but her cousin, Mrs. Ma.
Loomis, has lived with her for sever
al years and cared for her devotedly
May her beautiful life hover like
Benedict'on over her old home yillag
she loved so well.
Warm summer sun, shine kindly here
Warm southern wind, blow softly here
Green sod above, lie light, lie light.
Good night, dear friend, good night.