The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1929-03-21
Former Sank Centre Teacher Bur
led Near Picking Beside Finest
Old Saints of Mission
PAGE FOUR

Former Sank Centre Teacher Bur.
led Near Picking Beside Finest
Old Saints of Mission
In memory of Helen Poole Gal
lagher from the Waseca Journal.
In a letter from our daughter
written Just one year ago she en-
closed a little note marked per
sonal." This is one of many LITTLE
special love messages she wrote
first to her mother, then to her
father. This note was written
during one of those terrific dust
storms. Perhaps a day in which
Helen was longing for the pres
ence of those she loved best. Here
are the words: dad dear, please
sit close to me and read The
Psalm of Life; read also 'Thana-
topsis," especially from the lines
beginning, $50 live that when thy
summons comes" We want you to
remember Helen with this back
ground. From her early child
hood until Feb. z, 1929, life was
real, it was earnest. Hence II
was only natural that she met
Gods summons.
"Like one who wraps the drapery
of his couch,
About him and lies down to pleas
ant dreams"
But if life with her was real 1t
was not crepe covered. Serious
ness with her was not JOY killer.
She was ever bubbling over with
smiles and songs and merriment.
As a co-worker in China has just
written, "One just couldn't stay
discouraged around Helen. We al
ways counted on her for enthus-
iasm." Helen wore no long face
while in China; she never pitied
herself.
Only six weeks after Helen
landed in Picking she was brought
near unto death by an attack of
meningitis and encephalitis. From
this, after several months she made
complete recovery. This the ply
sicians considered very remark
able. In April, 1927 she with
most other missionaries was re-
quested to temporarily leave on &C
count of war developments. That
summer was spent in Korea. While
there Helen was bitten by pois-
onous fly. Malaria developed and
a long fight followed, continuing
indeed until January, this year i.
Spite of it all, she continued on
the job, mostly, we believe, from
choice; and from what we know
of her determination, she was
much happier continuing her tasks
than she would have been had
she consented to quit with work
half done. Besides the physicians
kept close watch and limited the
amount of work to he done. So
despite this handicap, Helen made
good. She continued her teaching
meanwhile making up most of the
language work required. Not long
ago she wrote US, "Now do not
faint. Today l introduced the
speaker and did it in Chinese"
1t would seem that after more
than four years of struggle to get
well, that she was entitled to some
ease on the last lap of the five
years. But in the early fall ar
attack of appendicitis pointed to,
ward an operation. Physicians
were consulted, and advised that
possibly an operation would be
necessary if further trouble fol.
lowed. Helen did not give up the
exact date, in fact she told us lit.
tie fearing that this news might
worry US, but early in January, a
severe attack overlook her. This
time after diagnosis and careful
examination, an operation was ad.
vised as soon as the inflammation
was cleared up. Meanwhile Heller
was under constant observation
examinations showed that every.
thing was in splendid condition
and with high hopes Helen entered
the hospital on the evening OF
Feb. 2, and received the best Of
treatment preparatory to the OPP.
Grafton which was made in the
morning of Feb. 6. DR.. Parsons
who had charge of the case, has
written very detailed account OF
what happened. The appendix
was removed, there were no com.
plications, Helen awoke, pulse
good, color good, everything as
should be. ALI went we'll for Is
hours.
Then at 2 100 a. m. the unexpect-
ed happened. A chill followed by
fever. From that time on the doc.
tors fought every minute but Hell.
en- rapidly lost ground. The strug.
gle was brief and 18 hours more
brought an earthly career to ar
end. The last few hours Heller
was unconscious. At no time
says, DR.. Parsons, did she suffer
acute pain. For this we are sc
grateful. DIR. Parsons closes his
description in these words. "Cause
of death was embolism in the mes.
EMERY and illus" Embolism in this
case, means small clot of blood
in blood vessel which supplies the
intestine. Physicians sometimes
call this an accident for want of a
better explanation. It is one OF
those things which happens and nc
surgeon can avoid.
When the cable message brought
US the sad news we knew that al
ready four letters from Helen were
crossing the Pacific. These letters
week by week have reached us. We
want to share with our friends a
few sentences: