Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1881 — They found Her Dead. [ARTICLE]

They found Her Dead.

Detroit Free Frees. The other morning, when a dozen or more men formed a group at the ferry - dock, one of them said tnat poor old Mary Lee was dead. Every one* knew her. , For years and years she crossed on the ferry boats and tr&mPT ed up and down the wharves with a basket of notions or fruits, and as she was for one day so she was forever. She lived alone in; dark rooms in an old hovel, and the poorest cloths and plainest rood were hers. She died as she had lived,'lonely and friendless and amid pinching poverty. .-‘Yes, thqy found her dead in her wretched old bed this ipomiug,” continued the speaker, “and let me ask if there is one among tis who ever gave that poor old woman a kind word.** No one answered. 4 . ' heard the hotvl of the Whrtfer wind h?” They oould not hnswertpea. <~ "Who of us eve* thought that she need food or fuel or raiment? we knew that she' was oTa and alone bot'what man among dtf had sympathizing words? 1 ' * i- itn t

No vyice replied. ; , “A word from u$ would have brought the sunshine across her path. A dollar a piece woold have kept her poor-old body warm through a long winter. Did we over think of it«’ No one answered. £.• Living for more than, a decade among Christian people, no man could rememember of h&virig spoken * kind word to poor old Mary Lee. Thousands of Christian men and women passed her daily and aaw her thin, patched garments and pihched face. Yet no one evefr offfefed' net a "helping’ hand. In a city of churches no* Christian man or woman had spoken Christian words to pne. whose eyes would have filled with tears at the smallest favor. -

After she was dead some one sentflowers to place'on her cheap coffin, and others felt the stings of conscience as they entered the place where her weary years had at last reached a close, but it was too late. Alone, friendless, childless, old and poor, she had gone her way down the dark valley of the shadow to feebly knock at the golden gates and plead with the angel for forgiveness. Long hours before men and women spoke kind words over her. dead body, the Great Ruler had passed judgment on her page of life. And who can say that beneath if was not written: .%(■■* u >’ . . "Living dying in neglect—none here are clothed In whiter robes!”