Mike and I are in Vermont this weekend for the 4th of July and I spent a couple hours today going through the papers and things of an elderly relative that my in-laws are trying to sift through and organize. Among the most exciting finds of the day were:
An original newspaper from the day in 1918 that World War I officially ended. We looked through the whole newspaper, which was quite a treat (I especially loved the advertisements, which included home remedies for darkening gray hair and a miracle supplement for "thin women" to gain weight - how times have changed!). I was also thrilled to find a family ancestor's accounts ledger from 1838 written in beautiful penmanship recounting such purchases as bed ticking, calico, tobacco, nails, allum, sheeting, and a spelling book and primer. It seemed straight out of Little House on the Prairie! Other items of note were a leather woman's wallet from 1900 which rather mysteriously included a Chinese coin, a piece of paper with Chinese characters, and an old key, and we also stumbled across a piece of Scottish handwoven linen made in 1820. My fascination for old things was completely indulged in today!
But the most incredible find of the day was found tucked into a "Bridal Book" belonging to a James Coburn and his wife Belle Campbell when they were married in 1902. Apparently, Belle died only four years after the wedding at the age of 34 and tucked into the book along with her obituary from the newspaper was a tribute written by her husband upon her death. I have never read anything like it and found it so moving I wanted to share it. Here is the text in full with commas added here and there to help the flow:
Nov 18. 1906
Tribute to my wife's memory
My wife passed from this life Aug. 26 1906 at the age of 34 years after an illness of three months.
I first saw her at an entertainment in Aug. 1900, soon after met and loved her, and we were married June 26. 1902.
She was slender and beautiful and girlish and she was both girl and woman. She remained both girl and woman to the last day of her life.
Under a grave and gentle exterior burned inextinguishable fires of sympathy, energy, and Christian devotion. She had absolutely limitless affection and seemed possessed of a spirit almost divine.
She was loved by all who knew her and exerted an influence for good where ever she went. but it was evident she was not long for this world.
Perfect truth, perfect honesty, perfect candor were qualities of her character which were born with her. I have compared and contrasted her with hundreds of persons and my conviction remains that she was the most perfect character I ever met. And I may add that she was the most winningly dignified person I have ever know.
Her character and disposition were of the sort that not only invites worship, but commands it. During the four years that we spent in building up a business and finally losing all, she was always cheerful and she was always able to reason me out of my despair and find a bright side to the clouds, and make me see it. In all that time I never knew her to utter a word of regret concerning our circumstances.
She had the heartfree laugh of a girl and when it broke upon the ear it was as inspiring as music.
The last words she uttered before she died were to her God and her husband.
"Thy will be done and my dear sweetheart."
